SOUTHERN RHODESIA
FEATURED ITEM
1944 (dated internally 27th June), 3d Active Service Letter Card (H & G 4, ultramarine on white), uprated with KGVI 1½d pair (SG 42), cancelled 'HEANY CAMP / S. RHODESIA datestamps. Addressed to England and opened at top resealed with pink label handstamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' and then octagonal violet 'PASSED CENSOR / AB. / No. 1' cachet. Countersigned at lower left and further apparently with the censors black ink deletion of several words within. Fine and clean.
£80
Last updated: 7th March, 2024
POSTAL HISTORY / OFFICIAL MAIL
RA1463 1925 4th April, long stampless envelope, printed on reverse flap 'HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR SOUTHERN RHODESIA', struck on front with red dc 'LONDON OFFICIAL PAID' datestamp, and at lower left violet dc 'HIGH COMMISSIONER / LR / SOUTHERN RHODESIA' cachet, addressed to Petersfield. Most unusual. £15
RA707 1932 15th August, printed (green on cream) stampless 'ON SERVICE' envelope from 'THE BRITISH EMPIRE SERVICE LEAGUE', cancelled BULAWAYO to Gwelo. Violet oval cachet signed. Most unusual. £15
SR675 1934 21st September, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope struck with 'VICTORIA FALLS' datestamp and violet oval 'THE CURATOR / VICTORIA FALLS' cachet lower left, duly signed. Addressed to Bulawayo. Fine and clean. £15
RA709 1934 13th November, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope machine cancelled SALISBURY to Bulawayo. Struck with violet oval crested 'DEPT. OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS / OFFICIAL FREE' cachet lower left. Fine and clean. £15
RA710 1934 17th November, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope cancelled SALISBURY to Bulawayo. Struck with violet oval crested 'DEPT. OF MINES AND PUBLIC WORKS / OFFICIAL FREE' cachet lower left. Fine and clean. £15
RA711 1934 19th December, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope cancelled SALISBURY to Bulawayo. Struck with violet oval crested 'DEPT. OF MINES AND PUBLIC WORKS / OFFICIAL FREE' cachet lower left. Fine and clean. £15
RA712 1935 24th January, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope cancelled SALISBURY to Bulawayo. Struck with violet oval crested 'DEPT. OF LANDS / OFFICIAL FREE' cachet lower left. Fine and clean. £15
RA713 1935 25th March, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope cancelled GWELO to Bulawayo. Struck with violet oval 'HOSPITAL / GWELO' cachet lower left, signed. Fine and clean. £15
SR666 1935 29th March, printed 'On His Majesty's Service' envelope cancelled 'VICTORIA FALLS', addressed to Bulawayo. £15
RA727 1947 18th July, stampless envelope struck with black oval crested 'GOVERNMENT HOUSE / OFFICIAL FREE / SALISBURY, S. RHODESIA' cachet, below SALISBURY datestamp, addressed to Natal. £20
COMMEMORATIVE CANCELS
SR3282 1925 9th July, KGV ½d and 1d Admirals (SG 1, 2), each on piece and cancelled with special black crested bilingual oval 'SOUTH AFRICA / ROYAL TOUR / 9 JUL 25' strikes. Attractive and uncommon. £30
SR2222 1925 17th July, envelope bearing KGV ½d Admiral (SG 1) cancelled with special black crested bilingual oval 'SOUTH AFRICA / ROYAL TOUR / 17 JUL 25'. Addressed to King Williams Town, arrival backstamp. Attractive and uncommon. £40
SR2221 1925 17th July, envelope bearing KGV 1d Admiral (SG 2) cancelled with special black crested bilingual oval 'SOUTH AFRICA / ROYAL TOUR / 17 JUL 25'. Addressed to King Williams Town, arrival backstamp. Attractive and uncommon. £40
SR2220 1925 17th July, envelope bearing KGV 1½d Admiral (SG 3) cancelled with special black crested bilingual oval 'SOUTH AFRICA / ROYAL TOUR / 17 JUL 25'. Addressed to King Williams Town, arrival backstamp. Attractive and uncommon. £40
SR2219 1925 17th July, envelope bearing KGV 2d Admiral (SG 4) cancelled with special black crested bilingual oval 'SOUTH AFRICA / ROYAL TOUR / 17 JUL 25'. Addressed to King Williams Town, arrival backstamp. Attractive and uncommon. £40
SR2223 1925 17th July, envelope bearing KGV 3d Admiral (SG 5) cancelled with special black crested bilingual oval 'SOUTH AFRICA / ROYAL TOUR / 17 JUL 25'. Addressed to King Williams Town, arrival backstamp. Attractive and uncommon. £40
SR342 1934 21st March, envelope bearing block of four KGV ½d Field Marshals, perf. 11½, cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 21 III 34'. £30
SR344 1934 21st March, Airmail envelope bearing KGV 1/- Field Marshal, perf. 12, cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 21 III 34'. £30
SR2568 1934 22nd March, large envelope bearing KGV ½d to 5s Field Marshals complete set of 12 values, perf. 12, plus 2d and 3d large Falls. (SG 15-27, 29-30), each cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 22 III 34' strikes. Folded vertically and a little crumpled, still most attractive and appealing. £225
SR1956 1934 24th March, envelope bearing 1d KGV Field Marshal (SG 16a), cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 24 III 34'. Addressed to Bromley. £25
SR2225 1934 26th March, envelope bearing 2d small Falls (SG 17), cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 26 III 34'. Addressed to Broken Hill with arrival strike dated 5th April. £35
SR1912 1934 26th March, envelope bearing 3d small Falls (SG 18), cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 26 III 34'. Addressed to Broken Hill with arrival strike dated 5th April. £35
SR2226 1934 26th March, envelope bearing 3d large Falls (SG 30), cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 26 III 34'. Addressed to Broken Hill with arrival strike dated 5th April. £35
SR3284 1934 28th March, KGV Field Marshals ½d pair, 1d, 1½d and 4d (SG 15a, 16a, 16d, 19a) each on piece and cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 28 III 34' strikes. £40
SR3283 1934 28th March, 2d and 3d large Falls (SG 29, 30), each on piece and cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 28 III 34' datestamps. SOLD
SR2569 1934 31st March, envelope bearing ½d and 1½d KGV Field Marshals (SG 15a, 16d), cancelled with special crested oval bilingual 'ROYAL TOUR H.R.H. PRINCE GEORGE / SOUTH AFRICA / 31 III 34'. Together with printed bilingual notepaper for the Tour, dated the 31st March and from Victoria Falls, 'Dear Stan, A souvenir, still having a Royal time, which comes to an end this afternoon.' Official notepaper from this tour seldom seen. £80
SR3272 1935 18th February, envelope bearing KGV 9d Field Marshal (SG 21b), cancelled with special ‘IMPERIAL PRESS CONFERENCE / S. RHODESIA’ datestamp. Addressed to Bromley. Very fine and clean. £45
WORLD WAR II
SR2293 1940 4th June, long envelope bearing BSA Jubilee set of eight (SG 53-60), cancelled 'BULAWAYO'. Sent registered airmail to BULGARIA, routed via Egypt where opened there then resealed with printed bilingual 'EGYPTIAN CENSORSHIP' tape. Further with black 'PASSED BY CENSOR' and large violet octagonal 'POSTAL CENSOR' Egyptian cachet. Arrival backstamp. An extraordinary item. £85
SR1951 1940 28th December, envelope endorsed at top 'On Active Service' sent without charge, cancelled 'BULAWAYO' and addressed to England. Struck with oval crested violet 'A. F. NO. 21 S. F. T. S. / OFFICIAL FREE / KUMALO' cachet, sent from a Major, Kumalo Air Station, Bulawayo. Most unusual. £65
SR661 1941 3rd June, printed 'St. Johns Ambulance Association' envelope bearing KGVI 1½d (SG 42), cancelled light 'VICTORIA FALLS' datestamp, 'Robertson' red rubber stamp address to Johannesburg and struck at lower left violet boxed bilingual 'PASSED BY CENSOR / M.E.F No. 62 U.D.F' cachet. Reverse with violet oval '1ST (INF.) BATTALION / RAILWAYS AND HARBOURS BRIGADE / 26-5-1941' cachet, and apparently carried on the second War Train on it's return journey having travelled from Pretoria to Elisabethville to raise support for the country's War Effort. Unusual. £65
SR751 1941 10th June, envelope bearing 2d large Falls (SG 29), cancelled 'GWELO' and addressed to Kenya. Apparently redirected to Egypt where the unit was subsequently stationed and then receiving an "EGYPT 69 / POSTAGE PREPAID' datestamp dated 23rd July. Unusual. £45
SR833 1941 26th November, manila envelope endorsed at upper left 'O.A.S.' and sent without charge. Struck with black rectangular 'ROYAL AIR FORCE / No. 26 E.F.T.S. / GUINEA FOWL / GWELO' cachet, and then despatch 'GUINEA FOWL / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Addressed to P. Falk, Gwelo. Very fine and clean. Uncommon. £60
SR1950 1941 3rd June, envelope endorsed at top 'Imprime' posted without charge and cancelled 'PLUMTREE'. Addressed to Bloemfontein and struck with two Union violet cachets, Passed by Censor and oval Department of War Training. Apparently sent from the War Train into Southern Rhodesia. Unusual. £40
SR1919 1941 5th July, printed On His Majesty's Service card, 'NATIONAL SERVICE (ARMED FORCES ACT), 1940 / Certificate of Registration'. Posted back and cancelled 'HEADLANDS' and advising of change of circumstances. Punctures at left, unusual. £30
SR2216 1941 20th October, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Cancelled 'GWELO' and struck lower left with rectangular violet 'R.A.F. MOFFAT / H.Q. ORDERLY ROOM' cachet. Addressed to England. Uncommon. £55
AR586 1941 (11th November), stampless envelope addressed to England endorsed ‘On Active Service’ at top with Salisbury (11th Nov) machine roller cancellation with slogan ‘IT IS / QUICKER TO / TELEPHONE’. Also showing crowned oval cachet ‘RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP’ struck in dull violet. £55
SR817 1941 29th November, long manila envelope endorsed at upper left 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with black oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and then despatch 'BULAWAYO / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. The sender on reverse one L.A.C. GREENWAY, W. J. / HILLSIDE CAMP / BULAWAYO. Scarce as only operational from late 1941 to early 1942. £70
SR825 1941 10th December, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with purple '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and then despatch 'BULAWAYO' datestamp. Addressed to England from one L.A.C. Greenway, Hillside Camp, Bulawayo. Scarce as only operational from late 1941 to early 1942. £55
SR2301 1942 28th June, envelope bearing KGVI 2/6 plus 3d and 1/- BSA Jubilee (SG 51, 57, 60), cancelled 'SHABANI' and sent airmail to New York. Opened at left then resealed with white tape struck with violet 'OPENED BY CENSOR' cachet. Delivered via Belgian Congo and with Leopoldville transit backstamp. Attractive 3/9d rate franking. £45
SR843 1942 2nd December, envelope bearing KGV 1d definitives x two (SG 41), machine cancelled 'SALISBURY' and addressed to Bloemfontein (A. Lichtenstein). Opened at left then resealed with printed bilingual red on white 'OPENED BY CENSOR' tape and with Union crest violet handstamp on reverse. £20
SR1894 1942 14th December, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and despatch 'BELVEDERE CAMP / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Then opened at right and resealed with plain tape rubber stamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' plus octagonal 'PASSED CENSOR / A.S. / No.5' cachet. Addressed to Bloemfontein. £45
SR829 1943 7th January, envelope endorsed at upper left 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and despatch 'BELVEDERE CAMP / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Then opened at left and resealed with plain tape rubber stamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' plus octagonal 'PASSED CENSOR / A.S. / No.5' cachet. Addressed to Johannesburg from one CPL. Sprout, R.A.F. £55
SR809 1943 21st January, envelope endorsed at upper left 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with light blue oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and then despatch 'INDUNA / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Opened at left then re-sealed with white tape rubber stamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' and additionally struck with violet octagonal 'PASSED CENSOR / A.B. / No. 11' cachet. Addressed to Johannesburg. £35
SR2300 1943 4th March (dated internally), folding letter card (presumably manufactured as such but no printing). Internally written in Italian, the front endorsed at top 'EVACUEE MAIL' and addressed to Sicily. Struck with purple 'No. 4 Internment Camp. / (Southern Rhodesia)' cachet and below violet octagonal 'PASSED / DE/30' strike. Reverse with further censor marks plus black 'UFFICIO CENSURA' strike. Highly unusual. £165
SR830 1943 3rd May, envelope endorsed at top 'On Active Service' and sent without charge. Struck with violet oval '(without Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and despatch 'MOFFAT / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Then opened at left and resealed with plain tape rubber stamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' plus octagonal 'PASSED BY CENSOR / A.S. / No.5' cachet. Addressed to Umtali then re-addressed to Salisbury with 'UMTALI' 5th May datestamp. Few minor tones. £55
SR840 1943 3rd May, envelope endorsed upper left corner 'Accts.' and sent without charge, struck with somewhat degraded black oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and despatch 'CRANBORNE / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Then with hexagonal 'PASSED CENSOR / AB. / No. 10' cachet in violet. Addressed to Johannesburg. Fine and clean. £45
SR851 1943 13th May, long manila envelope printed 'ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE' at top and alongside at left 'NOTE. Open by cutting the label. Re-use by affixing fresh label.'. This duly done by plain white gummed label placed over printed instructions 'AFFIX / LABEL / HERE'. Addressed to a Company in Gwelo and then struck with crisp 'RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' (without Crown at top) and despatch 'GUINEA FOWL / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Very fine and highly unusual. £80
SR813 1943 27th August, envelope endorsed upper left 'On Active Service' plus 'Uncensored' and sent without charge. Struck with violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and then crisp 'ITW BULAWAYO / AU 27 43 / S. RHODESIA' single circle datestamp, this showing space between 'Y' and 'O'. Addressed to Johannesburg. Fine and clean. £55
SR839 1943 21st September, manila printed 'On His Majesty's Service. / Southern Rhodesia' envelope, struck with violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and despatch 'CRANBORNE / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Addressed to Johannesburg. Few closed tears at base otherwise fine and clean. £35
SR2214 1943 23rd October, envelope endorsed at top 'O.A.S.' sent without charge. Struck with violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet and then crisp 'ITW BULAWAYO / OC 23 43 / S. RHODESIA' single circle datestamp. Addressed to England. Minor tape strengthening at top. £40
SR662 1943 28th October, envelope bearing KGVI 4d x two, 2/-, 3d large Falls plus 4d and 6d BSA Jubilee (SG 43, 50, 35b, 58, 59), cancelled 'Victoria Falls'. Endorsed at upper left as originating from a Mission Station in Francistown and presumably carried by favour to the Falls for posting. Addressed to the USA, and then opened at both left and right by either British or American censors and appropriately re-sealed with tape and cachet. The 3/9d being the correct airmail rate to the USA (as of 11th December, 1941), first travelling to Leopoldville receiving a transit backstamp (10 NOV) and then onto America on the Miami route. Some light marking otherwise fine and most unusual. £75
SR2294 1943 November, printed 'War Economy Label', blue on cream gummed paper. Issued by 'THE NAVY LEAGUE' with their emblem below, dated '15 11 43'. A most unusual survivor. £45
SR2002 1943, printed R.A.F. Moffat Christmas greeting card, internally with message duly signed, cover with RAF emblem and ribbon at left. Lovely. £30
SR2008 1944, printed form titled 'AIRGRAPH CHARGES.', detailing the various instruction to use this facility, relevant charges for the different services etc. Reverse with address panel and space below for the message. Unused. Most unusual. £25
SR1687 1944 13th January, envelope bearing KGVI 1d strip of three (SG 41), cancelled 'BULAWAYO' and addressed to the USA, additionally with printed 'WE REALISE IN RHODESIA (etc)' patriotic label. Opened at both left and right then resealed with censorship tape, violet 'PASSED / DE/2' cachet. Opening tear at base and rear flap torn. £35
SR845 1944 15th January, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet, despatch 'HEANY CAMP / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Addressed to Johannesburg from one LAC DIXEY, R.A.F. HEANY, BULAWAYO. Fine and clean. £45
SR831 1944 29th February, envelope typewritten at upper left 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with very light violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet. Then crisp despatch 'KUMALO / S. RHODESIA' datestamp addressed to Johannesburg. Sent from one Cpl. Jack J. W., Aeradio, Bulawayo. £60
SR847 1944 13th June, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with crisp violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' and then despatch 'NORTON / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Addressed to Johannesburg and sent by one A/CI Brown, Hut A2 RAF, Norton, Nr Salisbury. Opening tear at top otherwise fine and clean. Scarce.
 
Note: a Flying Instructors School opened on the 2nd October 1942, and was the last of the R.A.T.G. Camps to open
£85
SR836 1944 (dated internally 27th June), 3d Active Service Letter Card (H & G 4, ultramarine on white), uprated with KGVI 1½d pair (SG 42), cancelled 'HEANY CAMP / S. RHODESIA datestamps. Addressed to England and opened at top resealed with pink label handstamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' and then octagonal violet 'PASSED CENSOR / AB. / No. 1' cachet. Countersigned at lower left and further apparently with the censors black ink deletion of several words within. Fine and clean. £80
SR807 1944 11th August, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with very light violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' and then despatch 'I.T.W. CAMP / BULAWAYO' large dc datestamp, addressed to Cape Town. £30
SR1904 1944 26th August, envelope endorsed at top 'On Active Service' and sent without charge, cancelled 'SALISBURY' and addressed to England. Struck at lower left corner with block oval crested 'PROVOST MARSHAL / OFFICIAL FREE / SALISBURY, S. RHODESIA' cachet. Unusual. £35
SR1952 1944 11th October, incoming printed green on tan ACTIVE SERVICE envelope, cancelled 'FIELD POST OFFICE' and addressed to Norton. Twice struck with violet 'R.A.F. CENSOR' cachets, arrival backstamp. Light creasing. £30
SR835 1944 19th October, 3d Active Service Letter Card (H & G 4, ultramarine on white), uprated with KGVI 1½d pair (SG 42), cancelled 'CRANBORNE / S. RHODESIA datestamps. Addressed to England and apparently un-censored. Few opening tears at top otherwise fine and clean. £65
SR1007 1944 24th November, envelope bearing KGVI 2/6 ultramarine and purple (SG 51), cancelled 'HEANY CAMP' and sent Airmail to England. Opened at right and resealed with pink tape handstamped 'OPENED BY CENSOR' and further struck with violet 'PASSED CENSOR / A. B. / No. 12' cachet. Opened on three sides, attractive. £45
SR1905 1944 (dated internally 26th November), 3d Active Service Letter Card (H & G 4, ultramarine on white), uprated with KGVI ½d and 1d pairs (SG 40, 41), cancelled 'THORNHILL / S. RHODESIA datestamps. Addressed to England. Minor opening faults. £65
SR761 1945 25th January, envelope bearing KGVI 1/- and 3d large Falls (SG 48, 35b), cancelled 'HEANY CAMP' addressed and sent airmail to England. Opened at left and re-sealed with plain green label handstamped 'PASSED BY CENSOR' and tied by violet hexagonal 'PASSED CENSOR / AB / No. 12' cachet. Illustrating the War-time 1/3 airmail rate. Clean and attractive. £35
SR2027 1945 11th April, incoming envelope from an Italian POW endorsed at top, struck with violet 'P/W MIDDLE EAST 209' cachet and 'CALTAGIRONE' datestamp. Addressed to No. 4 Internment Camp, Southern Rhodesia, reverse applied with printed 'PRISONERS OF WAR CENSORSHIP, MIDDLE EAST' tape across flap. £45
SR1893 1945 3rd August, envelope endorsed at top 'ON ACTIVE SERVICE' and sent without charge. Struck with light violet oval '(Crown) / RHODESIAN / OFFICIAL FREE / AIR TRAINING GROUP' cachet, despatch 'HEANY CAMP / S. RHODESIA' datestamp. Addressed to England. £20
SR1901 1946 6th May, KGVI 6d Air Letter with simulated perforations around (H & G F1), machine cancelled 'BULAWAYO' and addressed to England. Upon arrival re-addressed with printed 'R. A. F. POSTAL SERVICE' label, now to London, Royston despatch daestamp. Opening fault at top, most unusual. £45
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