Indian Military Air Letter Form: Paquebot Cancel

 

Indian military air letter form used by a passenger on board P&O liner "Canton" on its way to London. Written on 31st May 1946 "in the Read Sea somewhere in line with Mecca".

It is the 55th Printing of Br. India 1944 Forces Air Letter Sheet
(Form No. I.A.F.F.‒1083) [Lee type IF sub-type 32/Lang ALS9 (ex-FL5)],
printed in 1946 by Shri Saraswati Press Limited, Kolkata.

The sender of this air letter form asked the addressee to "keep the letter for me as the stamps - British - will be posted abroad, i.e. from Suez which is the next port of call".

The "Canton" was supposed to reach Southampton on "Whit Sunday or Monday", i.e. 9th or 10 June 1946.

However, the air letter was cancelled London F.S. Paquebot (25 Jun 46). It should have received the Suez paquebot cancel when it really had entered the mailstream there.

It looks like the air letter did not leave the ship (or it did in a closed mailbag ) but was carried all the way to London where it finally was posted.

Franked at 1s, the air letter is overpaid by 6d.

Credits: Thank you, Joy Daschaudhuri, fort he excelent information on the type of the air letter form.