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WW2 US Stationary Pow Australia Censor. A Lot Of Questions.

 
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Valued Member

Switzerland
251 Posts
Posted 10/23/2015   5:34 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this topic Add codexluminati to your friends list Get a Link to this Message
This is a stationary postcard that I just bought, that has few mysteries.
Started in Brooklyn NY 29 Aug 1940, addressed to POW information bureau Melbourne Australia.
But what happened?
There are 2 censor marks (Australian and-or American?)one says passed by censor and the other not opened by censor?
Readdressed to camp commander Hay new or something like that (name of the camp or the name of the commander?)
No camp I (in pencil)
Not camp d II (also in pencil)
I guess they didn't found the prisonner and inscribed return to sender.

The US stamps were removed from the postcard, why?, over the traces of the stamps there is a Victoria 16 Nov 1940 cancel , some pencil marks and a return to sender hand.

If you could help me explain all the question marks I have or any information about the POW camps it went, that would be great.



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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2423 Posts
Posted 10/23/2015   7:23 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add KGB to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
codex, there is a fascinating possible back story to this cover. Please see: http://www.fotografen.nl/nl/compone...af/id/102686
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2423 Posts
Posted 10/23/2015   8:33 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add KGB to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
This adds to my impression that this card was sent to learn the whereabouts of the man who became Peter Hunter.

http://www.geni.com/people/Williiam...018194340905

William Steen was once Willi Sturnschus. Willi's father died in London in 1951.

I think it's likely that Otto and Willi were friends in Germany who left for England with the Nazi's rise to power. (Unfortunately, Otto's father insisted on staying on the Continent.) With the outbreak of war, Otto, being German, was sent to Australia. Willi could claim Polish citizenship through his father and likely left for America when it became possible. Willi would have assumed, perhaps, that Otto was considered a Prisoner of War, but that wouldn't have been his correct classification. (I'm not sure he was even interned.) Without any record of Otto at an Australian prison camp, the card would have been returned to Willi. Remember that America was not yet at war, so all the censors would have been Australian (or possibly British.)
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Edited by KGB - 10/23/2015 8:39 pm
Pillar Of The Community
United States
2423 Posts
Posted 10/23/2015   8:52 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add KGB to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
I've learned more. Here is a link to a copy of a letter sent to the Prisoner of War Information Bureau in Melbourne and forwarded to the Commandant of Hay Internment Camp.

http://www.lamoth.info/index.php?p=...tent&id=7199

If Otto was interned at Hay at one time, the authorities may not have linked him with his new name of Peter Hunter. As we saw above, Otto joined the British Army and adopted the name Hunter to protect the identity of his father should Hunter be captured. It seems far-fetched, perhaps, this changing of names, but this kind of thing was done at the time. Otto/Peter's father, remember, was discovered in Holland and sent to, and died, in a concentration camp.
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United States
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Posted 10/23/2015   8:56 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add KGB to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
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Edited by KGB - 10/23/2015 8:59 pm
Valued Member
Switzerland
251 Posts
Posted 10/24/2015   05:46 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add codexluminati to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Thanks for all the info KGB.
I don't know for sure if that is the person but it would be interesting.
Now, at least I know that what is written is :to camp commander Hay nsw.
I assume that campI and campII are all part of camp Hay.
Still wondering why they removed the US stamps, Maybe is a common use for return to sender items?
Does anyone have some info about the 2 censor marks?
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United States
12330 Posts
Posted 10/24/2015   07:21 am  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add 51studebaker to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
16 Nov 1940 was a Saturday, were Victoria Post Offices open on Saturdays in 1940?
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Valued Member
Switzerland
251 Posts
Posted 10/25/2015   12:43 pm  Show Profile Bookmark this reply Add codexluminati to your friends list  Get a Link to this Reply
Looking at the picture I will say 80% chances is 16 and 20% 15
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