Canadian Militia Cover

While doing inventory on my collection, I came across this cover.

This is militia stationery used in 1881. This is one cover I really like. There are not any markings on the back.

Chimo

Bujutsu

This is another early version from my collection and dated June 2, 1902. No markings on the back of this cover.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Hey Bujutsu...Isnt it illegal to have Canadian Miltary Documents...haha.

Nice covers..So, do you know how many covers you have in your collection..?

Bujutsu,

Thank you so much for sharing--I absolutely love the first cover. Its stunning. What struck me was the really nice and clear cancels, and I find the stamp being turned sideways to be quite fascinating and unique. It caught my eye, and I seem to recall that in this era, most people placed the stamp perfectly.

Lastly, it seems sort of amusing that you are "doing an inventory" now of your collection...I mean--get going! what other jewels are sitting in some folder or drawer? Kidding of course and I've been there. But about a year ago, I stopped collecting and went through a massive organization (perhaps over the top OCD) and got every cover in its own sleve, each with a label on the facts, and each in an cover album and a massive excel spreadsheet on my PC and on the cloud. that being done, I now know what I have and what I need. (315 Newfoundland covers at present)

Thank you wert and Tommy for your comments.

To be honest, my Canadian military collection got so big to the point I thought it was probably time to do an inventory to help me prevent from buying duplicate items. In total, I have about 4000 Canadian military covers. About 75% are WW II and the other 25% are other eras.

My inventory also will help me to keep track of the different FPOs, NPOs, APOs etc, etc. I list them in either in numerical or alphabetical order, with any regimental markings and censor markings on them as well. By doing so, I am seeing a pattern with them regarding what FPO served what unit / regiment and so forth.

I will be doing this for a while yet. I will also post some more images as time permits.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Tommy...You might find the link to a web page below interesting if you have not already seen it.

http://www.redislandnf.com/redixstamps00.html

Bujutsu, two beautiful covers! To me, the first one gets the blue ribbon. I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind. Is it not unusual for the cancel to read "London Canada" rather than the province? And second, what does the 'no 57' mean? Is that the number of the Militia outfit?

Peter

Peter, go ahead and ask questions. I just hope that I can usually answer them

Regarding your first question, re the #57, to the best of my knowledge, this is a reference to the militia envelope form itself. I am not aware of any militia unit, at that time, under this number.

Regarding your second question about the cancellation, this is common with some provinces at that time. These are mostly found on the 'duplex' type, as seen on this cover.

Hope this information helps?

Chimo

Bujutsu

I wish the markings were always this clear. This is a "Letter Card" tied with a Field Post Office / D.X used by the 1st. Division, Royal Canadian Engineers. The censor marking is a Type CM3 #699. I have also scanned the message as well.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Bujutsu...Nice cover..But I noticed at the bottom of the cover it says "Passed by censor"..Does that mean everything IN and OUT of the army was looked at by an actual censor board..??

Wert, basically 'yes'. This was the early stages of the war and security measures had to be adhered to strictly. Also note, some of the higher ranking military personnel had the privilege of signing / censoring their own correspondence. Why this was allowed, I am not certain?

Chimo

Bujutsu

Here is another cover that was nicely cancelled.

Chimo

Bujutsu

Bujutsu,

By the way, you mentioned above that you have many military covers.
I've got two holes in my Newfoundland CAPO cancels : any cover with CAPO No 2 (Gander from Sept 1 1941 thru June 27, 1945) and CAPO No. 10 (Goose Bay from July 2, 1942 thru April 1, 1946).

I wondered if you would be open to selling each of one to me?

Tommy, it is unfortunate I didn't know about this sooner. Upon going over my collection, I find that I do not have what you need. As I go through more of the different albums and boxes (some are not mounted in albums yet), I will keep a look out for you just in case I might have a dupe I wasn't aware of.

There are some that I have multiples of, but, those cancels are accompanied by other unit markings, or different RCAF censor markings, thus, making them an addition for my collection.

Chimo

Bujutsu

No worries--only if and when you have a surplus. I've got a few Canadian RPO surplus covers to trade too. I'll send a side email with images just for kicks and giggles.