1942 Cover: To NYC '"By British Overseas Airways Up To Durban Via Calcutta, […]'

Here's one of the more interesting covers from the collection. Comments welcomed. Thanks!






EDIT: typo "Oversea" to "Overseas"

The black octagonal Morenweiser type 6 PASSED DHF/2 steel stamp and the Morenweiser type 5A DHF/8 rubber stamp impressions are Indian censor marks, both struck in Kolkata.

Here F denotes the station code allotted to the special section of Kolkata Censor Station, set up in March 1942 in Kolkata called the "Chinese Intelligence Wing" to specifically intercept and censor incoming and transit mail from/to Zhongguo and Nihon including airmails carried by CNAC, BOAC and KLM and to deal all mail in written in Mandarin.

DH is the Imperial Censorship Code allotted to India in March 1942.

Both censor marks are found used from March 1942, till the closure of the CSs, the latest date being November 1946 for Dehradun CS.

Here the DHF/8 mark was applied first, by the examiner having chop number 8 who opened the cover and censored it and the type 6 PASSED DHF/2 mark was struck later by the examiner having chop number 2 after closing the cover by pasting Morenweiser type 2A1 OPENED BY CENSOR resealing label which is found used in Kolkata CS among other Stations, from December 1939 to August 1942.

The type 2A1 label was sealed with lacquer and Maorenweiser type 1 brass seal (size: 26mm×18mm) with station code F which is found used at CIW CS, Kolkata from March 1941 to March 1945.

It must be made clear that any Indian censor mark/seal with station code F of CIW, Kolkata is scarce and can easily command at least $75.

List of Indian Censor Stations Allotted Morenweiser type 6 PASSED DH Censor Mark

A Kolkata (3/1942#8210;1945)
B Karachi (3/1942#8210;1945)
C Mumbai (3/1942#8210;1945)
D Chennai (3/1942#8210;1945)
E Guyahati (6/1945#8210;7/1945)
F Chinese Intelligence Wing, Kolkata (3/1942#8210;1945)
G Belgão (3/1942#8210;1945)
H Peshawar (3/1942#8210;1945)
I Kuwatah (3/1942#8210;1945)
K Chattagram (7/1944)
N Prisoners of War Camp, Dehradun (3/1942#8210;11/1946)
O GHQ, Dilli (5/1942#8210;1945)
P Mumbai PoW (3/1942#8210;1946)
Q Kochchi (5/1942#8210;1945)
R Kakinada (8/1944)
S Vishakhapatnam (10/1944#8210;11/1945)
T Dilli (2nd Station) (4/1945#8210;1945)
U Shimla (6/1944#8210;10/1944)
V Merath (12/1944)
X Tinchhukiya (8/1945)
Z Kolkata (2nd Station) (1/1945#8210;7/1945)
BB Bengaluru (8/1945)
CC Koyambuttur (8/1945)
FF Rawalpindi (9/1945)

Type 6 DHK censor mark of Chattagram CS and DHT of Dilli (2nd Station) were not officially allotted yet are found used.

Officially type 6 marks were allotted to the CSs L Chãdpur (4/1945), W Lumding (4/1945), DD Pune (7/1945), EE Rãchi (7/1945) and GG Sikandarabad (7/1945) but no strike has been recorded.

List of Indian Censor Stations Allotted Morenweiser type 5A Examiner's Chop Number Censor Mark

A Kolkata (3/1942#8210;1945)
B Karachi (3/1942#8210;1945)
C Mumbai (3/1942#8210;1945)
D Chennai (3/1942#8210;1945)
E Guyahati (6/1945#8210;7/1945)
F Chinese Intelligence Wing, Kolkata (3/1942#8210;1945)
G Belgão (3/1942#8210;1945)
H Peshawar (3/1942#8210;1945)
I Kuwatah (3/1942#8210;1945)
N Prisoners of War Camp, Dehradun (3/1942#8210;11/1946)
O GHQ, Dilli ((3/1942#8210;1945)
P Mumbai PoW (3/1942#8210;1946)
Q Kochchi (7/1942#8210;1945)
R Kakinada (8/1945)
S Vishakhapatnam (10/1944#8210;11/1945)
T Dilli (4/1944) (2nd Station) (4/1944#8210;7/1945)
U Shimla (6/1944#8210;10/1944)
V Merath (12/1944)
X Tinchhukiya (8/1945)
Z Kolkata (2nd Station) (1/1942#8210;6/1945)
BB Bengaluru (8/1945)
CC Koyambuttur (8/1945)
FF Rawalpindi (9/1945)

@Joy impressive contribution of information, thank you! I appreciate it. The story behind small markings on these envelopes is larger than one would expect… at least than I expected.