Ghana: 1988 Provisional Aerogramme

1988 provisional aerogramme made of an aerogramme form for the 2nd Ghana Industry & Technology Fair and pre-paid by a 20.00 ȼ meter mark. 

NGK #12

Ghana: Newly Discovered Provisional Aerogramme

A newly discovered provisional aerogramme from Ghana (a country with lots of provisional aerogramme issues)

Ghana P&T "Inland Mail" lettersheet, handstamped "AIR MAIL" and meter marked 200 ȼ, which was the aerogramme rate at the time of posting (in 1996). Later that year, a regular aerogramme with this face value was issued.

Australia: Underpaid Aerogramme Form, Repaired by Postal Department

Australian privately manufactured aerogramme form, permit #58, small stamp box, “Affix / a / 10c / Postage / Stamp”. IMPERIAL AIR MAIL watermark, year code „C“ below „Air Mail“ for 1969. Printed letterhead of Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia on writing panel.

Sent from Melbourne (10 DEC 1974) to London, UK.

Franked at 15c, the aerogramme form was short paid by 5c. Double the deficiency was marked as the tax fraction’s numerator. The tax fraction’s denominator (15c) represents Australia’s international surface mail letter rate at that time.

Upon arrival in the UK the tax fraction was multiplied with Great Britain’s international surface mail rate (5½ p), resulting in 3⅔ p. This amount was rounded down to 3½ p postage due, documented with a green, boxed „3½ p tp pay“ handstamp and two postage due stamps.

The aerogramme form was damaged in transit while in Australia and repaired with adhesive tape „Repaired by / postal dept. / Vic.“

UK: No Air Letter Service to the US in May 1946

With the sole exception of the 1934 Iraq air letter issue, the United Kingdom was the first country to issue air letters for civilian use on June 18, 1943. Initially, the use of air letters was restricted to countries of the British Commonwealth.

Air letter (UK #4) sent from Droxford Southampton (20 MY 46) to Rosedale, US.
Franked at the 1s 3d air mail letter rate up to ½ oz, as the air letter service to the US was not yet established in May 1946.

The Imperial and Foreign Air Mail Leaflet, May 1946 edition, Supplement No. 5, published in January 1947, states: „The sixpenny air letter service is now available to the United States of America“.

Southern Rhodesia: No Air Letter Service to Switzerland

Southern Rhodesia #1 sent to Switzerland by an Italian internee at Camp 3 (Gatooma internment camp) on 4 NOV 1946.

Air letter service to Switzerland was not yet established at that time. Air letters - Aerogrammes - became a regular service of the UPU on 1 July 1953. Before, the acceptance of air letters in outgoing international mail was subject to bilateral agreements. 

Hence, the air letter was uprated to meet the 1s 3d ordinary air mail letter rate. Nonetheless, the air letter received the "By Air to London only" instructional handstamp. This handstamp was in use at Bulawayo from 1945 to 1947 and "is most often seen on covers addressed to the U.S.A." (McQueen, 1995, p. 165).

At London, the "By Air Mail" admonition was cancelled with a red handstamp (two parallel bars) and the air letter was transported to its destination by surface mail.


References
McQueen, I. (1995). Jusqu'a Airmail Markings (A. Study). Supplement. W. A. Page, Dartford.

India: "Understamped" 8 Annas Aerogramme

8 AS aerogramme (Wiegand #10) sent from Dadar/Bombay (24. 10. 56) to Cuba. The aerogramme was backstamped with a large rectangular instructional cachet "Understamped  / Returned to the sender / for making up the /  deficiency ... and / Reposting / ... Bombay ...". The deficiency was endorsed "0.4.0" for 0 (Rupees), 4 (Annas), and 0 (Pies) missing postage.

The sender added two 2 Annas stamps for the correct 12 AS aerogramme rate to the Americas and the aerogramme was finally posted 29 X. 56.


Reference
Wiegand, Katalog der Aerogramme von Asien, 2000.

Fiji: 1956 3d QEII Aerogramme - Short Paid but not Diverted to Surface Mail

The aerogramme was sent from Nausori (12 SP 56) to Hungary. The aerogramme rate to Hungary was 7d. Hence, the aerogramme was short paid. The postal clerk crossed out the „By Air Mail“ routing instruction to indicate diversion to surface mail.

Two things are mysterious, though:

• The surface rate to Hungary in September 1956 was 5d. Even though the aerogramme was short paid as a surface mail letter, it was not taxed.
• The arrival cancel Nyiregyhaza (24. IX 56, on reverse) suggests transfer by air mail.

Earlier date of usage than the earliest one (20. 10. 56) given by Duberal (1998).

References

Duberal, R. (1998). The Postal Stationery of Fiji.The Pacific Islands Study Circle of Great Britain. London.