Page 20 - Sutclifffe-APD_Military_RoyalNavy

RN 10 . FLEET MAJL OFFICE/JAMAICA.

As mentioned, naval mail, from either ships or shore bases, to a Base Post Office ,
in the Jamaica Command the office was probably at Port Royal or Kingston from went it
forward to a Fleet Mail Office . It appears that two Fleet Mail Offices operated from
Port Royal , Fleet Mail Offices 901 and 902 , from their recorded dates of usage it
seems that both operated there at the same time using identical handstamps . Tnere
are no markings on these handstamps as to whi ch is which number , but this can often
be gleaned from manuscript endorsements of addresses etc on the covers .

Both handstamp are two line markings reading FLEET MAIL OFFICE, 5 x 70mm, on the
first line and JAMAICA. on the second line, 5 x 48mm, with a period after , both are
in heavy serif type. The whole is enclosed by a single line frame, 24 x 78mm, and
are recorded in either purple or grey blue inks, but the overall dates of usage below
make no distinction as to colour .
Unit 901 EKD : 6 October 1941 LKD : 27 April 1942
Unit 902 EKD : 26 January 1942 LKD : 1950

Reverse of a O. H.M. S . cover franked at 2~ addressed to England with Kingston dater
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of the 31 ~ March , 1949 . It bears on t he reverse RN 10 struck in purple ink . In view
of the date it is assumed the marking was applied by Fleet Mail Office 902 .

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