Unusual WWI Revenue Stamp Illegal Usage Cover

Very unusual to find a military cover with documentary revenue stamps used illegally as postage. Three strikes of a "POSTAL EXPRESS SERVICE" cancel tying the stamps, along with a violet AEF (American Expeditionary Forces) censor handstamp. I'm not 100% certain of the cancel date, but it appears to be February 4, 1918. There are no markings on the reverse.

I'm not versed on addressing conventions of the era, but if the address at top left is a return address, then I interpret this as the person mailed the cover to himself, meaning that the cover is philatelic.

Is that an accurate assessment?

Still, very interesting regardless.

Which means it was essentially just a handback.

I concur with your assessment. I wonder if it was a 2nd Army Postal Clerk who was extremely bored?

Having spent lots of time in the military overseas, boredom can lead to interesting outcomes. Do you know how long it takes to write a letter on a roll of military issue toilet paper on an IBM Selectric?

I think the date is 4 Feb 1919. The 2nd Provisional Military Police Co. does not show up on the 2nd Army order of battle until post-armistice (12 Nov 1918-15 Apr 1919).

https://history.army.mil/html/books...Pub_23-1.pdf

Robert

Where would a U.S. soldier abroad in Europe have gotten the revenue stamps... unless he or some other soldier brought them with them from the U.S.?

Would the military even have had a legitimate use for the stamps?