Oubangui-Chari _ Oubangui-Chari Tchad Aef

Nice treatment P12.

Postmark Finder?
Author: Steve Tomisek.

I love that postal map of Ubangi-Shari. I have retained a copy for my research.

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The A.E.F. and the Ubangi

In 1939, Oubangui-Chari was part of French Equatorial Africa (AEF), a group of territories comprising: Gabon, Moyen-Congo, Oubangui-Chari, Chad, to which Cameroon is attached, which is a territory under French mandate since the end of the First World War. This immense territory is administered by a governor general installed in Brazzaville, the federal capital. Communication is very difficult between the different governors. No road exists between Brazzaville and Bangui, only the Congo River and its tributary the Ubangi provide a commercial link between the two cities.
There is also no telephone line between the territories, but radio telegraph links which are few and far between. By force of circumstances, the territories live more or less in a closed circuit: Bangui has about 30,000 inhabitants, including 2,000 European settlers.
The military organization broadly corresponds to the administrative organization: a senior commander of the AEF troops in Brazzaville, battalion commanders and military commanders in each of the territories.

Governor Pierre de Saint-Mart administers the Ubangui-Chari while the battalion commander Commas commands the military subdivision and the Oubangui Rifleman Battalion (BTO) This unit includes a staff at the Chad camp in Bangui, a health service, a stewardship service, a mountain artillery section, a military aviation squadron and four detached companies of 130 men each (Kassaï camp in Bangui, command posts in Berbérati, Bouar and Bria ).



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Haute-Ogooué, The S.H.O.(Société Commercial Idustrielle & Agricole du Haute-Ogooué) was an important industrial and agriculture import export company.The map below shows their concessions.

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AEF Oubangui-Chari, Fort Archambault Congo Francaise 30 jul 30/Cannes ,France ?? 1930
Surcharge 1F50 on 1F Moyen Congo stamp.

How we have changed, and for the better.
just the sight of Ivory Tusks as a product invitation,
has me recoiling inside.

Oubangui-Chari Fort Sibut post card. Bangui 16 may 24/ France 30 may 24.
Chief Krébédjé wearing a colonial helmet and white shirt.A good example of cultural assimilation prevalent in the mentality of the French colonial administration at the time.

Congo-Ocean railway stamp cover. Moyen Congo stamp overpinted Oubangui-Chari Afrique Equatoriale Francaise.Postmark P.K.102 (pointe kilometrique).
The post office at P.K.102 was in service from 15 june 1936 to 5 sept. 1939 and 1 nov. 1939 to 1 dec. 1954.
Much has been written about the Congo-Ocean railway.Construction started in 1929 and was inaugurated in July 1934.The line was 511 km long,had 12 tunnels,82 bridges and 80 viaducs.It was the last railway project in the French colonies.
The working conditions were more than terrible and the the resulting deaths were 17000+.At a cost of almost 1,000,000,000 Francs








Some more photos of the project.
https://trainconsultant.com/2021/04...r-sur-terre/