Monday, September 16, 2013

George V Admiral Period
WW I Military Mail


This post provides a brief look at the handling of military mail during WWI.


1. Military Camps in Canada


Field Post Office Canada Militia Petawawa Camp, Ontario to Hamilton, N.Y., September 15, 1916
5 cents 2 ounce letter rate to the U.S. (2 cents for each ounce (4 cents) + 1 cent War Tax)


Petawawa Camp, Ontario




Brockville to Toronto, June 8, 1918
YMCA Post Card


2. Forces in England and Europe

Postage was not required on mail from Canadian soldiers in England and France. Until July 28, 1917, however, Canadian Exchange Offices for overseas soldiers' mail affixed Canadian postage stamps on stampless mail received from soldiers overseas. The stamps were not paid by the sender or the addressee.


Free franked from Belgium, October 10, 1915
Montreal exchange office affixed the 2 cent stamp which was cancelled at Montreal on October 25, 1915


Field Service Post Card


Free franked , September 18, 1916 to Renfrew
Ottawa exchange office affixed the 2 cent stamp which was cancelled on October 2, 1916




Green Envelope


Free franked April 15, 1916 to St. Thomas, Ontario
London cancellation May 1. 1916



Field Post Office 142, July 29, 1916 to Renfrew
Montreal exchange office affixed the coil 2c +1c war tax stamo which was cancelled August 12, 1916


Military Hospital England


Camp Bramshott to Brantford, June 29, 1917
Hamilton flag cancellation, July 10, 1917


Bramshott Military Hospital oval handstamp


Mail to Member of the Expeditionary Force in France

The letter rate was 2 cents + 1 cent War Tax ( January 1916 Postal Guide supplement)


Kitchener to B.E.F., France, February 4, 1919
2 cents letter rate + 1 cent War Tax


3. Internment and Prisoner of War Camps

a) Prisoners of War in Germany

Postage was not necessary on letters addressed to Prisoners of War.


Toronto to Canadian POW Cellelager (Sennelager?), December 13, 1915

c/o General Post Office
Mount Pleasant
London England


British POW Post Free handstamp



Halifax to Canadian POW at Lenne (via Paderborn), December 20, 1915
Stamps were not necessary


b) Internees in the Netherlands

Combatants who entered neutral Netherlands were interned.


Tatamagouche, N.B., to Belgian soldier interned at Zeist, Netherlands, May 2, 1916
5 cents UPU letter rate + 5 cents registration fee



British censor tape



Toronto to Belgian soldier interned at Ammersfoort, Netherlands, 1916




Dutch Military censor


Patriotic label



Toronto to Belgian soldier interned at Ammersfoort, Netherlands, January 22, 1917


Dutch military censor


c) Internees and German Prisoners of War in Canada


Prisoners of War interned in Canada were permitted to write two letters per week. Letters to or from prisoners of war were postage free.

Amherst, Nova Scotia


German POW letter from Armherst internment camp to Hiddestorf, Germany, December 31, 1917



Amherst camp dated handstamp



Amherst camp to Lehe a/d Weser, November 13, 1917


A hand-drawn Christmas card


Kapuskasing, Ont.


Kapuskasing Internment Camp to Toronto, October 17, 1918


Internment camp censor handstamp





Kapuskasing Internment Station handstamp



Kapuskasing Internment Camp to Toronto, December 17, 1918


Passed by Internment Censor, Kapuskasing, Ont.


Censor label used to seal the envelope



Kapuskasing Camp to Gutach (Schwarzwald), Germany, October 5, 1919


Kapuskasing circular date stamp



McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York to Mr. T.A. Altenberg, P.W. 1976, Kapuskasing, Ont., July 16, 1918
Kapuskasing Internment Camp censor handstamp, July 25, 1918


Passed by Internment Censor Kapuskasing, Ont.


Kingston, Ontario (Fort Henry)


Cologne to Fort Henry, Kingston, February 12, 1917


Internment camp censor handstamp
April 12, 1917






Censor tape


Fort Henry camp, Kingston to Gutach, Germany, June 15, 1915


Lethbridge, Alta.


Registered letter from Lethbridge internment camp to Red Cross POW Agency, Geneva, Switzerland, October 28, 1915


Lethbridge internment camp handstamp


Vernon, B.C.


Vernon internment camp to Red Cross POW Agency, Geneva, Switzerland, March 27, 1917


Return address



Vernon internment camp triangle censor handstamp