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Post by jamesw on Apr 4, 2016 2:49:33 GMT
Here's an interesting piece picked up today. What appears to be an unopened letter sent to a RCAF officer in England in 1944, but returned to the sender in Brantford Ontario. Postal cancels are difficult to read, one on bottom of front may read Montreal, probably the transit station.  |
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Post by jamesw on Jul 15, 2016 3:59:16 GMT
Research into this unopened letter became quite fascinating, and rather sad.  The recipient F/O Gordon Richter was shot down and killed over Leipzig on February 20 1944. Though there's no CDS on the stamp to indicate when it was sent from Brantford (the return address), markings indicate it was returned to Canada (Montreal Exchange Office) on October 26 of that year. But a pencil notion on the lower left corner of the front gives a date of February 27, 1944, seven days after Richter was shot down. Don't know if that was a date sent or received in England. Either way, a week too late. |
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Post by jamesw on Jul 15, 2016 15:59:57 GMT
As you can see, the writing in the letter is coming through the thin paper. I reversed the image of the front and adjusted the contrast, but still couldn't make out he dateline at the top of the letter, because the stamp is in the way. But holding it up to a bright light I could make out the dateline as Brantford Feb 15/44. It does kind of look like a 17 at first, but there is an upper horizontal stroke that comes through.
So that's when it was written. I think I can then assume the pencil notation on the front lower left may be a receiving date in England. Probably never know for sure, but it does give a better timeline on this letter.
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