WW2 Southern African Pioneers in the British Pioneer Corps
During the war the 'Springbok Shuttle' air route from Zwartkop Air Base to Cairo and then to Rome was well developed especially for returning South African servicemen. My guess is that it arrived in Cairo on a SAA flight and was censored there. But why was it censored in 1948?
Jim
Brilliant! Cover.
In reply to Jim's question, "why was it censored in 1948?", my guess is that perhaps, long-shot, it relates to the developing conflict in Palestine. Cyprus and Egypt were central to the unfolding events in Palestine which in 1948 was still run by the British military. On 15 May 1948, Britain gave up her mandate. The British Army departed from Palestine leaving the Jews and the Arabs to fight it out. The cover is dated September 1948.... so maybe not. It was just a guess. However, as the cover was going to Cyprus, how about the Greek Civil War that ended in 1949?
Think that two of the main questions have been answered. We know the reason why the letter went to Cairo. In September 1948, the Arab - Israeli war, that broke out on May 14, 1948, was still ongoing. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon? invaded the British Mandated territory when the British withdraw on May 14 and the Israeli declared independence. The conflict continued until the 1949 Armistice, but still is ongoing today as we just have seen.
The letter is addressed to something called 'Co. Operation Department, Nicosia.' Could that be associated with the British Army on Cyprus (still there?)? and thus part of the enemy as far as Egypt was concerned. Or maybe just part of a general lockdown of the whole area.
Thanks to Jim and Steve for their help.
Peter
PS. I have deciphered the text in the lower left back using a magnifier. It reads "Censored in Egypt / 1st Arab/Israeli war" The cover came from the collection of John Inglefield-Watson who during WW2 served in the British Army in northern Africa and thus may had some insight into the development in the area. It was written with his typical hand.
The Egyptian censor marks on the cover (Civilian), were normal at the time. See page 796, Egypt Stamps and Postal History, P. Smith.
The letter was addressed to a Government Department to a Zenon Alevras (Greek name). Why his name was underlined by the censor is not clear, but maybe it was a name on censor watch lists? Many Greeks lived in Egypt (some from historical times) during this period and most of them migrated to South Africa, when they were expelled by Nasser some years later.
Cyprus in 1948 was under British rule. After independence (1960) Britain retained two Sovereign Bases (military) in perpetuity. After World War II, many Jewish refugees were put into Camps in Cyprus, before a decision was taken to resettle them in Palestine.
I am not too sure how the cover traveled from Egypt to Cyprus at the time (possibly BOAC, flying boat?) The Egypt Study Circle has many experts and possibly can provide a better explanation.
I am posting this here because it seems to fit the topic although it is not a philatelic item. Below is a South African WW2 Silver Issue Africa War Service medal awarded to J Kekana N 15415.
I have found the following on the internet. "The recipient's details can be found on the medal's rim in small impressed capital letters with the prefixes 'N' for Native Military Corps, 'C' for Cape Corps and 'M' for Malay Corps. White recipients had no prefix." My thoughts were that the name sounded African and so I bought it because of that. Could this have been awarded to a Basuto, Bechuana or a Swazi ie. someone serving in a British Royal Pioneer Battalion?
Can anyone add to this? The image is a compilation of the medal's front and reverse. The name / N number inscription is on the unseen edge.
Uploaded files:
Steve
I don't recognize the medal - but somebody else may. Ian Gleeson in his book 'The Unknown Force" from 1994 (Ashanti Publishing) show a list of SA medals issued to non-white resulting from WW2. But N15415 Kekana is not on the list. Three medals were awarded: Distinguished Conduct medal (one person), Military Medal (29), and the British Empire Medal (9). 21 of these medals were given to Native Military Corps soldiers (prefixed N). Africa Service Medal is not on the list. The South African native soldiers were not involved with the British Pioneer Corps (by design as I understand it). It is also my understanding that few native SA soldiers took part in the conflict as support for white SA companies. A higher portion may have engaged at home or in East Africa.
Hope that somebody will recognize the medal.
Peter
I just searched the internet for African Service Medal and discover that it was a British WW2 medal given to members of the UDF (1943-45) which I assume could have included native soldiers.
I now know more about this South African military medal. Thanks. I now know that in answer to my question, "Could this have been awarded to a Basuto, Bechuana or a Swazi ie. someone serving in a British Royal Pioneer Battalion?", the answer is 'NO!" This medal was an award for South African servicemen of all races only. Kekana was presumably in the non-combatant 'Native Military Corps'. It being the segregated Union of South Africa, this award was prefaced by letters 'N', 'C' and 'M' to denote the race of the recipient. Peter's comment that "The South African native soldiers were not involved with the British Pioneer Corps (by design as I understand it)" is enlightening. Of course, White South Africa would not want Black South Africans serving with Basothos, Bechuanas and Swazis as they had a well-defined and better sense of their own self-worth, independence, freedoms and rights, all regarded as negative influences likely to undermine the cosy White South African racial staus quo. (So how did this work on the mines?)
I have been asked "How do you define “cosy” to describe white South Africans? Is this factual or an interpretation suited to the author?"
Clearly it is my own subjective opinion, one which I think is a factually accurate description of South African society as created by the Union of South Africa ie. one with a laager of encircling racist legislation put in place to advantage and protect White South Africans.
My background is lower middle class White South African. My childhood was one in which my parents were not well-off. Nevertheless, my unskilled ex-serviceman father got a mortgage and bought a nice house and I had a good education in a State school. Fact: "From 1946 to 1960, despite a decrease in the White population, a constant 70% of South Africa's national income went to whites. Between 1970 and 1980 this fell to 60%". During this time, White South Africans had access to educational opportunities, land, jobs and financial support which the majority of Black people couldn't begin to dream of. "In 1952, White educational expenditure was 20 to 1 in favour of White vs Black pupils." This was a big part of the 'cosy' White South African racial staus quo that I grew up in and which I refer to. The ultimate expression of cosiness would be the 1960s Apartheid State which attempted nothing less than Socialism for Whites Only. Of course, this would change with the pressure of time, war, sanctions and the demands of the Black majority for equality and political change. Fact: Having lost their racial privileges, the situation for many White South Africans today is far less 'cosy' than it ever was.