The Welch Regiment land in PE

#1 · March 22, 2023, 1:58 pm

Quote from Steve on March 22, 2023, 1:58 pm
I like this sort of cover. It's not your typical South African War item with grubby, distressed FPO postmarks or philatelically contrived, overprinted ZAR stamps. It was among a collection of Cape postmarks on stamps where it was serving as an illustration of the Port Elizabeth datestamp. Its simplicity was misleading. Why bother to look further? It looked like nothing at all until I turned it over to see what was on the back and saw the monogram of The 1st Batt The Welch Regiment with the Prince of Wales's three feather crest and his motto 'Ich Dien,' (German. I serve).

It took me a few minutes to better understand the cover. The addressee is 'Messrs Harvey, Wine Merchants, Bristol', a leading purveyor of fine wines, especially sherry from Jerez in Spain. Harvey's most well-known product is Bristol Cream Sherry. Introduced in 1882, and granted the Royal Warrant shortly after, Harveys Bristol Cream is the company's flagship product, one that was presumably a staple in the Officers' Mess of The 1st Batt The Welch Regiment. "Pass the sherry, Lieutenant." "Yessah!" Perhaps someone or possibly even the regiment was paying a debt and or confirming a new order. It's a small gem of oenophilic and military postal history. Here's 'Cheers' to finding it!

The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was a relatively new British Army infantry regiment of the line in existence from 1881 until 1969. The 1st Battalion moved to Egypt in 1886 and took part in the Battle of Suakin in December 1888 during the so-called 'Mahdist War' under the command of Colonel Herbert Kitchener. The 1st Battalion moved to Malta in 1889 and to Pembroke Dock in December 1893 where almost all the regiment's artifacts, plate and silver were lost in a large fire in 1895. After the outbreak of hostilities the 1st Battalion was sent to South Africa in November 1899, disembarking in PE. This cover was posted on 7th January 1900 just after they had arrived there. The Welch Regiment would soon be participating in the Battle of Paardeberg, 18th to 27th February 1900, where it suffered heavy losses and more again at the Battle of Driefontein, near Bloemfontein, on 10th March 1900.

I like this sort of cover. It's not your typical South African War item with grubby, distressed FPO postmarks or philatelically contrived, overprinted ZAR stamps. It was among a collection of Cape postmarks on stamps where it was serving as an illustration of the Port Elizabeth datestamp. Its simplicity was misleading. Why bother to look further? It looked like nothing at all until I turned it over to see what was on the back and saw the monogram of The 1st Batt The Welch Regiment with the Prince of Wales's three feather crest and his motto 'Ich Dien,' (German. I serve).

It took me a few minutes to better understand the cover. The addressee is 'Messrs Harvey, Wine Merchants, Bristol', a leading purveyor of fine wines, especially sherry from Jerez in Spain. Harvey's most well-known product is Bristol Cream Sherry. Introduced in 1882, and granted the Royal Warrant shortly after, Harveys Bristol Cream is the company's flagship product, one that was presumably a staple in the Officers' Mess of The 1st Batt The Welch Regiment. "Pass the sherry, Lieutenant." "Yessah!" Perhaps someone or possibly even the regiment was paying a debt and or confirming a new order. It's a small gem of oenophilic and military postal history. Here's 'Cheers' to finding it!

The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was a relatively new British Army infantry regiment of the line in existence from 1881 until 1969. The 1st Battalion moved to Egypt in 1886 and took part in the Battle of Suakin in December 1888 during the so-called 'Mahdist War' under the command of Colonel Herbert Kitchener. The 1st Battalion moved to Malta in 1889 and to Pembroke Dock in December 1893 where almost all the regiment's artifacts, plate and silver were lost in a large fire in 1895. After the outbreak of hostilities the 1st Battalion was sent to South Africa in November 1899, disembarking in PE. This cover was posted on 7th January 1900 just after they had arrived there. The Welch Regiment would soon be participating in the Battle of Paardeberg, 18th to 27th February 1900, where it suffered heavy losses and more again at the Battle of Driefontein, near Bloemfontein, on 10th March 1900.

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#2 · March 26, 2023, 5:27 pm

Lovely cover in excellent condition with a good story around it. A few months later with increasing troop and people movements, the mails exploded in numbers and this is reflected in poorly impressed postmarks.