BNAPS COVER CHALLENGE

Who can show a BNA cover having the most different postmarks, and describe the postal movement of that cover? Viewers are invited to send images and descriptions to the webmaster. Subsequent covers will be added to the page. Providers can use their own names or a nom de plume. Maps are optional.
October 28, 2004. Jack Gordon send this RPO cover, with an explanation he was provided from Bill Robinson.

The cover face shows split ring dispatch of Coleville JUN 7/35 and boxed registry number 811 with 3c cameo and 10c Cartier franking. on the back are Biggar & Loverna 258/JUN 8, M.Jaw & Macklin 311/8 JUN, Calgary & Edm 524/JUN 9, Calgary JUN 9, Med. Hat & Nel 11/JUN 9, Pasadena JUN13.

"The rural municipality of Oakdale #320 had its office in the town of Coleville, located at section 5, township 31, range 23 west of the 3rd meridian, just north of Kindersley and was responsible for taxing the area around the town. it provided rural roads and other facilities in the area. The cover appears to be a tax notice going to a property owner in Pasadena.

Train 258 left Coleville at 0825 daily eastbound arriving at Dodsland/Druid about 10 am (20 miles). There the cover waited for arrival of train 311 westbound which left Moose Jaw at 1135 daily except Sunday, leaving Druid at 1956 and arriving at Maacklin at 2235, June 8.

There are no markings for the section from Macklin to Edmonton, so it must have been in a sealed bag with other registered mail westbound arriving in Edmonton early on 9 June. It left Edmonton on train 524 at 0800 southbound arriving in Calgary at 1220.

From there it went in a closed bag south to Macleod, where it connected with train 11 leaving Macleod at 2245, south and west through Kingsgate, arriving in Spokane at 1150 on june 10. From there it would have traveled to Portland, Sacramento and Los Angeles arriving in Pasadena on 13 june."

Bill then goes on to comment on the terrible condition of the roads in the 1930's and the need to send by rail with much back-tracking.

October 18, 2004. Peter McCarthy sends us this interesting cover, with a description of its adventure.

David Whiteley sent us this interesting cover, with the notes found below it:

World War II Multi-Cancelled Entire from Toronto to Jenshou, China via Hong Kong. Returned to Sender.

14 Cancellations: 1 Passed by Censor, 3 Not opened by Censor, 1 Postage due or further censor mark, 1 Examined by Censor sealing tape, 1 rectangular bilingual, French and Chinese partially illegible, Return to sender endorsement, traces of a roller cancel, "Authorized for Export by Foreign Exchange Control Board endorsement, 2 blue crayon arrows pointing to the return address, with original recipients address blacked out in black, making in all 25 different cancellations or instructional markings.

Front:Royal Bank of Canada Window Envelope to Jenshou, China. Dated Toronto Dec. 21 1940. Rated 5c. UPU surface rate (2c. stamp has fallen off in transit). Purple "Authorized for Export by FOREIGN EXCHANGE CONTROL BOARD" h/s. Two Blue rectangular NOT OPENED BY CENSOR C. 259 h/s. Blue triangular "PASSED BY CENSOR 45 h/s. Blue triangular either postage due 4 or a censor stamp. 3 Chinese date stamps 1 with date 23-8-30 (23/8/1941). Various Chinese manuscript markings.

Back: Hong Kong receiver 29 August 1941. 6 Chunking, China transit stamps (dates all in Chinese. Kumaine Kukuanfu d/s. Black rectangular bilingual (French & Chinese "RETOUE A - ----- Poste? (Return to sender) h./s. black circular Hong Kong 26 SP.41 d/s. Blue rectangular "NOT OPENED BY CENSOR' h/s Also traces of a 7 bar roller cancel.

This cover was sent by surface mail from Toronto to Hong Kong probably via the United States as the Canadian Pacific service from Vancouver had been suspended as its ships had been requisitioned for war service. From Hong Kong again by surface mail to Chunking and finally as far as can be ascertained to Kumaine Kukuanfu sometime in late August or early September, some 8-9months after posting. It was then returned by surface mail to point of mailing Hong Kong 26 September 1941. No indication of when it finally arrived back in Toronto.

Norm Wagner responded to the challenge with this interesting cover story, found HERE.
An earlier item was presented by the webmaster:

16 different dated postmarks (7 RPOs):

Chronology (map below):

  • registered at Prince Albert - PRINCE ALBERT (JUL 30 20)
  • train to Regina (via Saskatoon) - REGINA & NO. BATT. (JUL 31 20)
  • by train to Moose Jaw - W'PEG & M. JAW (LOCAL) (JUL 31 20)
  • Moose Jaw transit - MOOSE JAW (JY 31 20)
  • by train to Drinkwater - NOR. PORT. & M. JAW (AU 2 20)
  • received at Drinkwater and re-addressed - DRINKWATER (AU 2 20)
  • by train back to Moose Jaw - CPR NORTH PORTAL & MOOSE JAW M.C. (AU 2 20)
  • received again in Moose Jaw - MOOSE JAW (AU 2 20)
  • by train to Brandon - WINNIPEG & MOOSE JAW (AU 2 20)
  • Brandon transit - BRANDON (AU 3 20)
  • by train to Cupar - BRANDON & SASKATOON (AU 3 20)
  • received in Cupar - CUPAR (AU 3 20)
  • (NOT CALLED FOR)
  • departed Cupar for return - CUPAR (SP 2 20)
  • by train to Saskatoon - BRANDON & SASKATOON (SP 2 20)
  • Saskatoon transit - SASKATOON (SP 2 20)
  • received back in Prince Albert - PRINCE ALBERT (SP 3 20)

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