The Bulletin. The British Society of Australian Philately Founded British Commonwealth Occupation Forces CONTENTS

Transcription

1 The Bulletin The British Society of Australian Philately Founded 1933 British Commonwealth Occupation Forces CONTENTS CONTINUING RESEARCH ON THE GV 1D VARIETIES (Part 47) by Gordon Monk; Bert Wajer and Paull Kaigg AUSTRALIAN FORCES IN JAPAN (Part 1) by Malcolm Price AN AUSTRIAN WARSHIP AT MELBOURNE by Colin Tabeart A 1955 PUZZLING FIRST DAY COVER by Ian Spencer..131 JUBILEE MAIL THROWN INTO THE TASMAN SEA TO SAVE AIRCRAFT by Brian Peace FRPSL (Part 2)) SOME ASPECTS OF AUSTRALIAN MAIL CONTRACTS ( ) (Part1) by Colin Tabeart FROM THE EDITOR ISSN VOLUME 72 NUMBER 6 December 2017

2 2292. CONTINUING RESEARCH ON THE GV 1D VARIETIES (Part 47) by Gordon Monk; Bert Wajer and Paull Kaigg (1727) Pane 5 # 50 1 st State Proof - 7 July 1914 (1 st half of 1 st printing). Normal 2 nd State 28 July 1914 (2 nd half of 1 st printing) Final 2a 2b 2c 2d 2e 2f 2g 2h Bottom Left Corner. Blunted, sometimes rounded, variable. Bottom Left Corner. A compartment dot appears late in the print run under BF in line with LF, inconstant. Left Frame. Late in the print run compartment marks appear between L20 and L82. A compartment mark can also be found between L125 and BLC, inconstant and variable. Top Left Corner. Late in the print run a compartment mark appears left of the corner in line with TF. Later more marks appear to form a dotted angled line over the corner, variable. Top Frame. Late in the print run compartment marks appear ½mm above TF and from 5½mm to 9¼ mm from TLC. Later more marks appear until they go from 5½mm from TLC to 7mm from TRC, variable. Top Right Corner. Late in the print run a compartment mark appears in line with TF just right of RF. Later more marks appear until they form an angled line over the corner, variable. Right Frame. Late in the print run compartment marks appear touching the frame between R45 and R49, inconstant. Bottom Right Corner. Late in the print run a compartment mark appears in line with BF just right of RF. Later more marks appear until they form an angled line under the corner, variable. Note 2a is often confused with 6-32 but that has an island flaw. Many similar units but not as pronounced. Compartment marks appear in random order on the four corners. Issued Oct

3 2617. AUSTRALIAN FORCES IN JAPAN (Part 1) by Malcolm Price (1766) A philatelic view, illustrated by items from the authors collection. This is a gentle, far from comprehensive, ramble through a, perhaps, less well-known period of Australian Military operations. It is not a detailed treatise on the period for that I would suggest the reader obtains a copy of the definitive work on this subject The Postal History of Australian Forces in Japan and Korea, by Phil Collas. Similarly, there are also several books reporting on the social aspects of the occupation. One final observation, all illustrations are, to a lesser or greater extent reduced in size. Background Firstly, a brief summary of the historical background. The Potsdam Declaration (Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender) was issued on 26 th July 1945 by United Kingdom Prime Minister Churchill (though also on that day the results of the 1945 General Election were declared with a landslide victory for Attlee s Labour Party), United States President Truman and Chairman of the Nationalist Government of China, Chiang Kaishek. The final paragraph of the declaration stated: We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction. In the absence of a response and in proof that the alternative for Japan was indeed prompt and utter destruction, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on 6 th August. Following further argument from military dissenters in the Japanese Cabinet, on 14 th August the Emperor took the overriding decision to accept the Potsdam terms in full and end the war, issuing the Fig 1. Cover from Tarakan (AIR FORCE P.O. N o 73 26JE45) Imperial Rescript (Gyokuon-hōsō 玉音放送 ) which was broadcast the following day, 15 th August. Meanwhile, in the South Pacific, Australian forces had, as requested by MacArthur in late 1944, taken over responsibility for dealing with the Japanese forces in their Mandated Territories (the Solomons, New Britain and the eastern half of New Guinea), and during the period between May and July 1945 the 1 st Australian Corps had carried out successful landings in Borneo, capturing Tarakan, Brunei and Balikpapan. (Fig 1 above) The Cease Hostilities against Japan signals originated by allied commands became effective on the 15 th August Immediately afterwards General Douglas Macarthur was appointed the Supreme Commander in Japan. At that time, allied ships in the vicinity moved 124

4 close to the Japanese mainland and as an on the spot occupation move, several naval battalions were formed as part of the American Third Fleet Landing Force. One of these battalions, about 400 men, was composed of Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy personnel, the purpose of these battalions being to occupy the Yokosuka naval base on Tokyo Bay and to operate existing Japanese naval facilities. Additionally, the battalions were to assist in the occupation of the Tokyo region generally. Varying circumstances, including necessary mine-sweeping of the bay, caused some delay so that the British Naval battalion did not land at Yokosuka until 30 th August Sunday 2 nd September 1945 The signing of the instrument of surrender took place on the American Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay on Sunday 2 nd September 1945 by which time the total of all types of war vessels anchored in Tokyo Bay had grown to 255. Amongst the Australian contingent were cruisers HMAS Shropshire and Hobart (Fig 2) and destroyers HMAS Bataan and Warramunga, the Australian squadron being under the command of Commodore J. Collins in Shropshire. Fig 2 HMAS Hobart Spent several periods in Japanese waters in support of occupation forces. During late 1945 a Christmas cachet was applied. Example of the cachet with the boxed Concession Rate R.N. mark, together with the enclosed Japanese woodcut Christmas card. Tokyo Although the Australian Government did not finally determine until after mid-september 1945 the overall purpose, extent, and role of Australian troops as part of the occupation forces in Japan, discussions and conferences earlier in that year had developed the concept of a British Commonwealth Force which would co-operate with occupying United States forces. The Australian commitment was for contingents representing the three service arms which together with British, Indian and New Zealand components would comprise the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). At the start of the exercise, the continuing presence of Commodore Collins in HMAS Shropshire was advantageous. He was sufficiently senior to represent Australian views on the spot and to ascertain those of senior officers of other arms and services then in Japan. Working first from his flagship and later from the 125

5 Gooloondurri Non-Official Post Office N.S.W. - Tony Curtis. The First Australasian Congress and Exhibition, 1911 (Part 4) - Barbara Hancock APR. Postal History of NSW - Post Offices & their markings - Part 3. The Sydney GPO sold to Overseas Investors - Barbara Hancock APR. South Australia CTO Cancels - Wolfgang Kielmann. Tasmania - Compound Perf x 11 - Wolfgang Kielmann. Stockholmia AEC BIOGRAPHIES 18. Malcolm Price Having now been confirmed as Hon. Treasurer, your Chairman thought it may be a good idea if the membership were given an indication of who was in charge of the Society s bank accounts. So.. Born in Frimley Cottage Hospital in north west Surrey in Educated at local primary and junior schools and leaving the Frimley & Camberley County Grammar School after A levels to attend College in the City of London for a Business Studies course. I did my initial banking training at a small Merchant Bank in the City, specifically in the discipline of trade finance. After a few years I then moved on to a major Swiss Bank in London where over 20 years was spent working in traditional and structured trade finance areas, spending the final years as Chief of Staff to the Corporate Banking division. I was then (amongst a small group of colleagues) poached by a Belgian bank who were building a structured trade finance group of their own. There followed an entertaining ten years or so managing the logistics of opening and running several offices for the division in Europe, the United States and Australia. After accumulating an embarrassing quantity of Air Miles (still spending them!), and after looking for a post closer to home, I had around eight years acting as Chief of Staff, Operational Risk Manager and Compliance Officer for a Dublin based unit of the Bank, commuting out on Monday morning and returning Friday lunchtime (yet more Air Miles), from where I retired over nine years ago. Collecting since my early teens, work demands meant that the hobby had to take a back seat until the early 90 s. And now for a confession - Australia was not my original area of interest. I still have a large accumulation of Finland and Estonia, but having seen the light, I now concentrate on the B.C.O.F. issues and associated postal history of the Australian Forces in Japan, Northern Territory WWII Military postal history and general Australian KGVI issues. Finally, I must of course mention my wife, Consuelo (we married in 1983), who suffers the demands of philately with a great good humour (and not a little curiosity). xlix

6 REPORT OF THE LONDON MEETING HELD ON 13 SEPTEMBER 2017 Ten members turned up to our first meeting of the season. As usual the evening consisted of displays by members: What s New in Your Collection. Ian Spencer enthusiastically describing an item in his display The following members displayed material: John Crowe: John showed a cover and a photo of the ceremony at Croydon Aerodrome where a special 26mm handstamp was prepared for use on mail despatched by the Royal Family and VIPs. He also displayed mail bag labels, the second of which was signed by Hudson Fysh after its removal from the bag at Brisbane. Mail Bag Label carried on First Regular Service to Australia 8 December 1934 Scotland-Africa-South America-USA-Australia Laurence Kimpton: Air mails between UK/Europe and Australia by various routes. Especially wartime airmail Four very interesting letters between Mr D G Lumley at the UK PO and Dennis Handover of Imperial Airways (IA) in regarding the First England-Africa Air Mail. IA to GPO 31 Dec I am already being worried by stamp collectors with regard to the inauguration of the England-South Africa service as it seems an essential part of their existence that special envelopes be designed IA to GPO 18 Feb 1930 Some of our never-to-be-sufficiently-execrated-stamp-collecting friends ar Africa are worrying about a special cachet for the first England-Africa air mail As I see it you would be pandering to stamp collectors if you did this on the other hand stamp collectors do produce a considerable revenue for you on any first service because all their envelopes are well below ½ oz l

7 GPO to IA 19 Feb Let me say at once that there is no possibility of anything of the kind being allowed Graham Keates: New South Wales stamps including 1d, 2d and 3d Sydney Views, Laureates and other stamps to Albert Coles: Wartime mail addressed to the most interesting people. lan Cross: A selection of postage dues including large multiples. Colin Mount: KGV 1d reds; in particular the pre-substituted and substituted clichés. Most philatelists think of the Rusted Clichés as being units Colin pointed to unit 46 which he described as much scarcer than the well-known positions Ian Spencer: A huge variety of cinderellas presented in Ian s classic style. My favourites were the Labour Motor Funeral Ltd cards with stamps, and the Victoria Wages Tax stamps. BRP REPORT ON THE BSAP LONDON MEETING ON 11 TH OCTOBER 2017 A group of thirteen members were privileged to hear a talk on The Work of the RPSL Expert Committee by Chris Harman, RDP, Hon. FRPSL, who is chair of the Committee. He introduced the evening by giving us a presentation that covers the essentials of the work of the Committee, and this was supported by a display of a selection of dodgy material. This included Forgeries, Fakes and Reprints. The forgers represented included Spiro, Sperati, Jeffryes and Oneglia. The Committee was formed in 1894 and deals with patients each year. Remarkably, there have only been 40 members since 1894, and one, Patrick Pearson, RDP, VRD has served for over fifty years. 225,000 certificates have been issued, and a copy of each is stored in albums. To assist their work, the Committee has access to: Reference Collections; a card index of cutouts from Auction Catalogues; reference forgeries; comparison with the Royal Collection; General collections of GB, USA, Sweden li