Armed Forces

RUPERT MAJOR DOWNES, SOLDIER, SURGEON & THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION

This item appeared on eBay with an enclosed letter from W.J. Blackburn, Ambulance Officer, Administrative Offices, Victorian Railways, Spencer Street, Melbourne on 23 August, 1939. It was a form letter congratulating Lawrence W. Tyler on his success in the First Aid Examination. It explained the various levels of the award and wished that the recipient continues his studies to achieve the Gold Life Membership Medal in his 8th year. (Figure

WWI RECRUITMENT LETTER from RICHARD BEAUMONT ORCHARD

This imprinted 1d red side-face KGV letter has a roneo’d recruitment letter for World War One full of Allied propaganda and is used at Melbourne 10 OC 18 with a slogan INVEST IN THE / 7TH WAR LOAN with a reception postmark of SURRY HILLS/ 11 OC 18/ VIC, plus evidence of re-direction instructions (Figure 1). The letter has a content which is remarkable reading for anyone who was not

WILLIAM L’ESTRANGE EAMES, DOCTOR, SOLDIER & SPORTSMAN [SOUTH AFRICA]

More than a dozen covers came to auction on Ebay, mainly addressed to Mrs. L’Estrange Eames, but a few to her husband William, both from South Africa and England, mostly 1900-1901. These covers prompted me to research this man. The first was written by William to his wife, with a manuscript ‘On active service no stamps available’ on an Afrikaans printed cover, postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE/ 31/ JY 3/ 00/

TRIAL BAY, SOUTH WEST ROCKS DETENTION BARRACKS 1914-1918 [GERMANY]

At least 4 covers have appeared on several auction sites in the past 2 years, but illustrations were only available for two at the time for preparation of this paper. I knew little of the Australian internment camps during WW I in 1914-1918, and I had never heard of Trial Bay South West Rocks, N.S.W., so this paper was a great learning experience. The first cover was sent from Ceylon

HEINZ TICHAUER (HENRY TALBOT), FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

This tattered registered Bolivian cover revealed a remarkable history of a Jewish man, born in Germany, interned in England, transported to Australia on His Majesty’s Transport ‘Dunera’, who first became an alien internee in Hay, N.S.W., then an Australian army employee in World War 2, followed by a non-combatant Australian Army private. He became one of four famous immigrant German photographers who shipped to Australia during WW2. Heinz Tichauer became

SIR WILMOT HUDSON FYSH, AIRLINE DIRECTOR, & AIR FORCE OFFICER

Two covers were found for Hudson Fysh, the first with a commemorative Air Mail sticker for 10 years of Air Mail Progress for Q.A.N.T.A.S., addressed to him in Brisbane. The red 2d Sydney Harbour Bridge and the green 3d airmail stamps were canceled with a 16 November 1932, Queensland roller cancel, and the reverse was not seen (Figure 1). The second cover was addressed to Fysh as Manging Director, Q.A.N.T.A.S.,

THE SMALL ARMS FACTORY AT LITHGOW, N.S.W. 1912 – 1989

This 1943 violet 2d KGVI postcard is perfined OS/ NSW and postmarked with a machine cancel SYDNEY/ 10/ 9 15 AM /10/ 4 NOV/ 1948/ N.S.W. with a slogan cancel SEND MONEY/ BY POSTAL NOTE/ OR MONEY ORDER. There is a red ‘clock’ cancel showing receipt on 6 NOV 1948. It was addressed to Officer in Charge, Small Arms Factory, Lithgow (Figure 1). The reverse shows that the OS/ NSW is definitely a perfin and not a

JACK’S DAY, NAVAL FORCES CHARITY, & 3 KNIGHTED BANKER -TREASURERS

This unusual cover reveals a World War One charitable fund for naval personnel and their families which was started on November 1, 1918 and which ran for several weeks in Australia. The cover has a green ½d and a red 1d KGV Head stamps postmarked with a patriotic roller cancel, HELP TO WIN THE WAR. The stamps partially obscure a printed blue “JACK’S DAY”/ By Authority of the Department of

COMMANDER THEOPHILUS MOULTRIE KELSALL, R.N. & HIS SON CONRAD KELSALL

It is not often that one sees more than 30 covers addressed to the same person over a period of 50 years from 1850 to 1900, particularly from 10 different countries including: Ascension Island, Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain (addressed to 6 different addresses) and Lagos, as well as to several ships in the Royal Navy, including the H.M.S. Alecto. Two covers from Melbourne which are addressed to T.M. Kelsall,

ADMIRAL LORD KEYES, UK FLEET to SIR ERNEST CLARK, GOVERNOR, TAS.

The cover has a blue registration label of G.P.O. Sydney, a purple handstamp ‘Air Mail’ and the blue 5½d Emu stamp of Australia was postmarked G.P.O. SYDNEY/ date illegible/ E/ N.S.W/ AUST as well as a purple triple circle NEW ZEALAND/ [CROWN]/ (GOVERNMENT HOUSE)/ PAID handstamp, and it was addressed to His Excellency, Sir Ernest Clark, GCMG KCMG, Government House, Hobart, Tasmania (Figures 1 & 1A). The reverse has a

Royal Reels: Gambling

Armed Forces