Transport Airmail Issue 1941

Transport Airmail Issue 1941-44

Page 3

More covers and examples of items from my collection.

Cover mailed Nov. 26, 1941 to Hamburg, Germany. Germany declared war on the United States Dec. 11, 1941 just 11 days after this cover was mailed. It is quite possible this was in transit when war was declared. The United States suspended all mail service to Germany and all their occupied or controlled territory as of Dec. 11, 1941. Valid airmail rate of 30c per 1/2 oz. paid with Transport stamp.

The cover was censored in Berlin and would have been carried trans-Atlantic by Pan Am clipper from New York to Lisbon and from there by Deustche Lufthansa to Munich.

Reverse of the cover shows the censor handstamps (red) with small "b" indicating that it was censored in Berlin. The black censor tape also has the small "b" confirming the mail was opened also in Berlin. These are the censor markings of the Third Reich (Nazi Regime). This is a fascinating and chilling piece of postal history.

U.S. Possessions cover: mailed from Pago Pago, America Samoa to Missouri, US. Valid airmail rate of 40c per 1/2 oz. paid with 30c Transport and 10c Prexie.

Interesting military mail: cover mailed from Her Majesty's Ship (HMC Ship) to Canada. Cover was likely mailed from an American port that the Canadian ship stopped in. The service rate of 6c per 1/2 oz is not used here, but rather the valid rate of 8c per oz. to Canada from the US. No date stamp to indicate when this was mailed but after March 25, 1944 which was when 8c stamp was issued.

An interesting cover mailed May 16, 1944 from Farnumsville, MA to Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada (just outside Winnipeg). The valid airmail rate was 8c per oz, (same as US domestic rate). The registration fee including indemnity of $9.65 USD is paid with 15c Prexie, the 5c Prexie is for Return Receipt.

The reverse of this cover proves to be the most interesting. The mail was opened by the Federal Exchange Control Board (FECB). The Canadian government set this agency up under the provisions of the War Measures Act and it was in effect as of Sept.15, 1939. Canada entered the Second World War Sept.3, 1939. Its purpose was to stabilize exchange rates, protect against speculation, and safeguard Canada's security markets.

The FECB required the Post Office to inspect and scrutinize registered, insured and first class mail foreign mail entering Canada. Suspect mail was opened and if the contents were approved, the correspondence was allowed to proceed after being sealed with the prescribed sealing tape. Transit markings, sealing tape and FECB handstamp can be seen The sealing tape applied reads:

"Opened to verify contents in accordance with requirements of Foreign Exchange Control Board and officially sealed by" - place for signature is below on tape.

** Note: All covers on this page are in the author's collection

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