Registred cover to Switzerland - censored - 5 British stamps cancelled with PCH Type 5. ("Aore" coll.)

Philatelic registered letter from Port Vila to Berne Switzerland. Total franking 2/ 2d ( 2F60c ) tied with cachet PM2, registration with NR1C. On left white censor tape with OPENED BY CENSOR in black. Backstamped BERN BRIEFTRAGER 12.1.15 in arrival. ("SeSi" coll. Years ago Goron col.) Scarce NH letter with WWI censorship .

23 November 1914

Registered cover from Port-Vila to St. Étienne, Loire France. The 2F15c.or tied by PCH type 11 and 12. Registration handstamp is type R8. On front double ring French civil censorship "CONTROLE POSTAL * COMMISSION M.B *" handstamp in violet . Backstamped Saint Étienne RP Loire 25-10-39 on arrival. Taxed maybe because of it's weight. 10cg plus 20cg registration was correct for a normal letter. It's the first WWII NH letter passed by censorship so far on this site. The letter was sent a week before the French declaration of war to Germany (Sept. 3rd) and arrived in France during the "Funny War" time. Manufrance is a famous store. Did the sender receive his order? I'm not so sure! ("SeSi" coll.)

A very early censored registered cover. Censore in Indochina. 30c cancelled PM 14. Colonial letter rate 10cg and colonial registration 20cg. Backstamped Paris (Unknown coll.)

27 September 1939
(new 2/2019)

Another very early censored cover from the "SeSi" collection:
Censored letter from Port-Vila to South Australia. The two 10c.or stamps tied by PM11A : 21 - 40g colonial rate. On front a blue rectangular handstamp PASSED BY / CENSOR / ........
An early use of an Australian censor mark .

Letter to Wentworthville NSW Australia franked with the 10 c.or colonial rate. The stamp tied by GK type PM9B Inter-island on board SS Morinda which called at Santo on 3 January 40 ( PM15 ) and Port-Vila on 10 January 40 ( PM7C ).
Censorship in NSW : white tape with Opened by censor . . in red and violet cachet Passed by censor S.36.
SANTO post-office had been officially opened on 01.01.40, so this is one of the first letters clearly postally used tied by the PM15 cachet and the earliest so far on the site. To be noted the composition of the date : 3 solid rectangle JA 40 i.e 03 JA 40 for PM15 and 10 JAN solid rectangle 4 i.e 10 JAN 40 for PM7C. ("SeSi" coll)

12 December 1939
(new 5/2021)

Censored ship mail from TAHITI to SAÏGON Indochina. The two 50c "Etablissements français de l'océanie" stamps tied by type PM7C VILA 19 JAN 40 in transit (rectangle and 4 for 40). In front violet censor double ring cachet CONTROLE POSTAL DE L'OCEANIE. Backstamped NOUMEA 20 - 1 40 in transit and machine cancel SAIGON CENTRAL COCHINCHINE 24 FEV 40 on arrival. ("SeSi" coll)

19 January 1940

Earliest censored Air Mail and earliest use of this cencor mark & tape at all:
Censored air mail to Switzerland, 1F5cg cancelled with PM7C. Censor cachet on reverse. (ex Millet coll.) The year is 1940: rectangle and 4 for 40. Early in 1940 PM7C had the year inverted with solid rectangle and 4. See the cover 29 January 1940: PM7C 29 JAN 40 (rectangle and 4 for 40) on the Early Air Mail --> Pre WW II Air Mail page or 19 January 1940 and 9 February 1940 on reverse on this page.
The brown censor tape with text only in French : "ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles Hebrides. On the tape the circular bilingual cachet PASSED BY CENSOR / PASSE PAR LA CENSURE New Hebrides Condominium des Nouvelles Hebrides. ("SeSi" coll.)

26 January 1940

Censored cover from Santo to Chicago. The British 5cg (x2) 15cg and the French 10c.or tied by PCH type 36. Backstamped Port-Vila 29JAN40 in transit and circular censor mark of NH. On left Australian censor tape OPENED BY CENSOR .. tied with violet mark PASSED BY CENSOR/ S.49. ("SeSi" coll.)

Inter-islands cover to PHILADELPHIA USA. The stamps tied by inter-island type PM9B carried on SS MORINDA.
Note a solid rectangular before the 9. Backstamped VILA 12 FEB 40 (40 inverted) in transit and opened by the censor and resealed with the Brown tape OPENED BY CENSOR - NEW HEBRIDES / OUVERT PAR LA CENSURE - NOUVELLES HEBRIDES , aside the circular bilingual cachet PASSED BY CENSOR / PASSE PAR LA CENSURE.
It's the earliest use of these censor marks so far on the site. Total franking 55c.or : overpaid 5c. For a 21g/40g letter the non colonial rate was 50c. ("SeSi" coll.)

9 February 1940

Cover to Switzerland posted by M S[ylvain] Naturel, a plantation owner on the island of Api [Epi]. M Naturel was French but born in Switzerland [O'Reilly: Hébridais]. Cancelled with the Inter-Island 2APR 40 cds (PM9B) on board the Burns Philp interisland steamer. In transit at Vila, it was realised that the cover had been underfranked at 20gc when 30gc was the correct seamail rate to the rest of the world. Therefor marked T and 20gc for the excess postage.
Censored in Vila and resealed using the early Brown dual language strip "ouvert par la censure - nouvelles hebrides / opened by censor - new hebrides" which is tied by the dual language New Hébrides Censor cachet in purple.
Censored again en route in the UK and resealed using the British white OPENED BY CENSOR Examiner 6155 label no P.C.90. Foreign mail seems to have been routed through the UK for delivery to Switzerland probably via Lisbon and Vichy France. Arrival backstamped with a slogan "Winterhur 13 IX 1940" cds. At Bern , the Swiss postage due stamp for 25c equal to 20gc was applied and cancelled BERN BRIEFAUSGABE 14 IX 40. Total time 165 days. (Text from Bill Holland). ("SeSi" coll.)

2 April 1940

Letter to La Vieille Lyre (Eure) France. French 10c.or stamp tied by PCH type 14. French censor tape "CONTROLE" affixed at right and tied by the black handstamp OUVERT PAR LES AUTORITES DE CONTROLE WK1 (Marseille). Red ZONE OCCUPEE (2) and black RETOUR A L'ENVOYEUR 746 handstamps on front. Back to the sender Monsieur Lançonneur Directeur de l'école publique française à Port-Vila on 25 OCT 40 (PCH type 11 on reverse), who, at this time, had returned to France.
The letter was redirected to: chez son frère école du Chesne par Breteuil sur Itan (Eure). Recensured in NC with circular handstamp CONTROLE POSTAL NOUVELLE CALEDONIE on French tape CONTROLE. Violet handstamp RETOUR A L'ENVOYEUR / RELATIONS POSTALES / INTERROMPUES on front applied in France (or NC?).
Backstamped double circular handstamp AI and PCH type 12 VILA 12 JUN 45 on arrival.
Travel time 5 years 1 month 26 days. An exceptional example for the postal difficulties in WWII and a nice document of postal history. ("SeSi" collection)

17 April 1940

Censored Air Mail cover from Vila to Paris. The stamps paid the 10cg surface and the 75cg Air rate to Paris and are cancelled with PCH type 13. New Hebrides censor tape applied at left and Australian S.90 censor handstamp. ("Aore" coll.)

Commercial registered air mail letter from Port-Vila to Paris. The 40, 30 and 15gc stamps tied by PM11B. Registration cachet type NR9. Handstamped "released by censor". Colonial letter rate 10gc and 75gc for air mail fee from Australia. 20cg Registration fee not paid. Image thanks to Empire Stamp Auctions

Commercial air mail letter from Port-Vila to Saint-Etienne France. The 40, 30 and 15gc stamps tied by PM11B. At left Australian censor tape OPENED BY CENSOR .. (without number) and blue handstamp cachet PASSED BY CENSOR S.90. Backstamped ST ETIENNE LOIRE 20 V 40 0n arrival. Colonial letter rate 10gc and 75gc for air mail fee from Australia. ("SeSi" coll.)

25 April 1940

Letter from Port Vila written by Soeur Marie Alexis to Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon (Rhône) France. The 10 gc stamp tied with PM11B on 29 April 1940, correct 10cg colonial letter rate. Arrival cachet Ste Foy les Lyon 2 -11 40 : so travel time 6 months. No NH or Australian censor mark . The cover was opened by the British censorship, label P.C 90 OPENED BY EXAMINER 4485 and detained en route, waiting until better times for postal service. ("SeSi" coll.)

Commercial surface mail from Port Vila to Paris. Tth 10gc tied by type PM11B on 25 MAY 40. Opened a first time and resealed with a small brown tape without inscription (in Vila ?), reopened and resealed with the white tape P.C.90 OPENED BY / EXAMINER 5200 in transit in Liverpool. Backstamped DEAD - LETTER - OFFICE LIVERPOOL 10 xx xx. The address 66 bis rue St Didier Paris is covered by a white tape with PC 23. RETURNED TO SENDER / BY THE CENSOR in green. The circled stamp in red and inscription R. to the sender Michel Barbié Port-Vila. Final arrival in Vila 2 JAN 41 (type PM7C) after 222 days. Usually the PC 23 is bigger, the complet tape reads RETURN TO SENDER / BY THE CENSOR / FOR REASON EXPLAINED IN / MEMORANDUM ENCLOSED / IN THIS COVER . On this letter PC 23 is cut to indicate that handling the mail to France was impossible at that time. ("SeSi" coll.)

25 May 1940

British 1Fg and 5cg stamps on an Air Mail letter to France, cancelled with PCH type 14. Registration handstamp PCH type R8 - the "VILLA" - type. Transferred by ship and backstamped Sydney 22 June 1940. Censored there (two red dots) but somewhere held up en route as it arrived at Valence on 9 September 1940. (ex Jersey coll.)

Civil censored cover to the USA, the British 30c stamp tied with PCH type 13 in violet. An early brown paper sealing strip affixed, and importantly with the rare violet two line Opened by Censor New Hebrides handstamp. (Yeomans coll.)

12 June 1940

Scarce censored postcard to New York with the bilingual NH censor cachet in violet. 20c.or correct postcard rate to USA cancelled with GK type PM11B. It's the first WWII NH postcard passed by censorship so far on the site. The war was far away from NH for the sender: "this is a wonderful cruise". At that time Général De Gaulle put out an appeal on the BBC for the Free French Force (appel du 18 juin). ("SeSi" coll.)

18 June 1940

Censored letter from Vila to Glenridge N.J USA. The 1 and 2Fg stamps tied by PM7D. On front bilingual circular cachet in violet : Passed by censor / passé par la censure and at left the Brown tape Opened by censor - New hebrides / ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles hebrides. ("SeSi" coll.)

23 June 1940

Registered letter from Port-Vila to Pressignac, Charente France, forwarded to cité universitaire, 35 Bld. Jourdan, Paris XIV and returned to Pressignac. The 3 French 10c. tied by PCH type 12, the registration cachet is type R8.
At left white Australian censor tape OPENED BY CENSOR .. in red and overprinted in violet with cachet PASSED BY CENSOR / S. 120, at right white British censor tape with CROWN / OPENED BY / EXAMINER / 490 /P.C.90 in black.
On back Nouméa 3 aout 40 and Paris XIV distribution in transit. 2 columns of 3 circles and in manuscript "contenu vérifié" with signature. In violet manuscript "inconnu 35 Bld Jourdan" , 2 distributor cachets : circular XIV 7Bis in black and XIV / 7 Bis on 2 lines.
Colonial letter rate in 1940 was 10c per 20g and registration fee 20c. ("SeSi" coll)

12 June 1940

Censored registered letter from the Post Office to France. The French 50c stamps is cancelled with PCH type 11. Image thanks to David Holmes, Auckland

Registered cover to Paris franked by 1938 French 5c. green and 20c. red-orange with British 1938 10c. orange and 15c. violet all tied by different Port Vila cds´s. Registration cachet at left and Reseal Censor and Noumea cds on reverse.

1940 stampless censored envelope to the USA cancelled French PM11A and British PM7C. Violet "PASSED BY CENSOR" cachet in French and English signed 'E Reid' on the reverse. Two small 'T's in triangle. 10c US postage due applied pencil cancelled.
Image thanks to Chris Rainey

Registered letter from Condominium Post Office to Paris France. Stamps tied with PM11A PORT-VILA 22 AOUT 40, registration cachet NR9 PORT-VILLA.
Backstamped NOUMEA 31 AOUT 40, GPO SYDNEY RS -7 SE 40. Australian censor label and violet handstamp PASSED BY CENSOR S 30. Rectangular cachet UNDELIVERABLE / RETURN TO SENDER in violet, GPO SYDNEY RS 10 SE 40 and 11 SE 40 , in red SYDNEY DEAD LETTER OFFICE 12 SEP 40. No postmark in return to Vila . Inside the correspondence from the Postmaster E. Reid . ("SeSi" coll.)

22 August 1940

Interisland cover to Tonkin. The French 10c stamp cancelled with PCH type 90. Censord in Australia and stopped in Indochina by the Military Authority cachets, "Acheminement suspensu par l'autorité militaire" because the letter came from a dissidenting colony. Returned to sender. A Noumea cancel 25.9.40 on reverse on the way back to Mallicolo but no Vila arrival stamps.(seen on Ebay)

3 September 1940

Cover with 1Fg both British and French issue from Vila to Batavia, Java. The French stamp tied with PCH type 11, the British with type 10A, both a second time at left on cover. No censor actions taken in the New Hebrides but in Java: Censor paper tape at bottom and left with Dutch "opened by censor" inscription tied with censor cancel dated 05.12.40 on front and reverse. (Yeomans coll.)

New Hebrides censored cover to Nicolas "Tiby" Hagen at a Sydney address. Cancelled with the MORINDA INTER - ISlAND cancel 29 NOV 40 and stamped Sydney 18 DEC/40 with a slogan canceller. Redirected to St. Vincent's Private Hospital. Backstamped with a company stamp : "C. SULLIVAN LTD. / 18 DEC. 1940 / 379 KENT ST. SYDNEY". (réf. F PETIT)

Showing the colonial rate of 10 gc to Tasmania, despatched by M.V. Morinda to Sydney, where it was transshipped to Hobart, Tasmania on a scheduled run. It was censored at Hobart, identified by the six dot censor tape and the number 6 censor strike; reaching the addressee on 6 January 1941, travel time seven days. (ex Stan Jersey coll. - now Treadwell coll.)

French 1938 series 10c stamp on a letter to Marseille, France, tied with PCH type 12, brown New Hebrides censor tape. Real nice commercial cover from Gubbay Frères, Port Vila. (Goron coll.)

Letter carried by Pan American Airways FAM 19 from Noumea to San Francisco and FAM 18 New York to Lisbon. From Lisbon it went surface mail to Marseille and was backstamped there MARSEILLE GARE BCHE DU RHONE 1 AVRIL 41. The other postmarks on the back are NOUMEA 22 FEV 41 and BRIGNAIS RHONE 2 4 41. Censored bilingual in the New Hebrides and in Marseille. ("Aore" coll.)

17 Februar 1941 reverse & Marseille censor cachet

Correct 10cg cover to Sydney. The Interisland Cancel was on board the Morinda which did the New Hebrides service in Februyry 1941. Possibly from a New Hebrides Island south of Vila so not censored there. Censored on arrival in Sydney with the NSW "2 OPENED BY CENSOR" censor strip and the diamond cachet "2 PASSED BY CENSOR 838". ("JGI" collection)

K.P.M cover from Vila to Shanghaï China. Non colonial rate 30c.or, the stamps tied by GK type PM7C. At left Brown NH censor tape Opened by censor-New Hébrides / ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles Hébrides. Mirrored (from a cover below this one possibly) Chinese cachet Shanghaï in arrival. Uncommon destination. ("SeSi" coll.)
The "KONINKLIJKE PAKETVAART MAATSCHAPPIJ" K.P.M. made monthly runs through the islands to Port Moresby, Java, Singapore and Saigon in 1941 with the motor vessels Maetsuycker and Tegelberg. Maybe one of these ships carried this cover.

reverse

backstamp re-mirrored and turned 180°

Air Mail to New Zealand franked 35 cg and censored in New Caledonia and cancelled on reverse on 1 May 1941. (ex Millet coll.)

25 April 1941

Censored air mail to Boston, U.S. The total franking 1F20cg is cancelled with Goyns-Klinger type PM7C. New Hebrides censor tape affixed. Non-colonial letter rate to the U.S. was 30cg until 1949 and the air rate of Sydney to the U.S. was added in Vila: 1/7d for the first half ounze (1/6d for the next). Assuming that the exchange rate was 1gf to 2/- the charge would be 79cg, mostly reduced to 75cg. (See 19 DEC 41 cover below). So the cover was overpaid about 25cg.
As there was no flight connection to New Caldonia in 1941 the cover came to Noumea by ship and received a transit marking 26 May 1941. FAM 19 Clipper started in Auckland on 6 June and arrived at Noumea on the same day. It left on June 7 with this cover arriving in San Fancisco on 11 June. From there the cover went on to Boston by a domestic internal U.S. air connection.

21 May 1941

Censored letter to Williamstown, Victoria, Australia. The 5c, 10c & 15c FRANCE LIBRE stamps cancelled with PM11A, one additional impression of PM11A and of PM7C. New Hebrides censor tape and a New Hebrides censor handstamp on reverse. Manuscript arrival date 23.6.41. (ex Millet coll.)

9 June 1941

Censored registered letter from the Post Office to USA. The French 50,40,30 and 10c.or tied by PCH type 11. Registered cachet is R8. New Hebridean censor cachet on back with cds GPO Sydney 21JE41 in transit and New York Regy.Div 8-5-1941 and Aug 6 1941 on arrival . ("SeSi" collection)

10 June 1941

Censored registered letter from the French redicency to Australia, 10cg overpaid or heavier letter. On the reverse, censored with the bilingual Port Vila censor cachet in purple. Arrival SYDNEY RS 21JE41. ("JGI" collection)

Dual censored air letter with PANAM clipper to the Red Cross in Geneva. The British 2gF15gc stamps are cancelled with PCH type 12. New Hebrides censor handstamp on reverse and New Caledonian censor tape at left. The letter reached Nouméa by sea and was backstamped there at 17. July 1941, then went to Geneva via Lisbon (31. July 1941). ("JGI" coll.)

12 July 1941

Not censored in Vila. Censored on arrival in Sydney with the NSW "2 OPENED BY CENSOR" and the two line cachet "PASSED BY CENSOR S.90". ("JGI" collection)

40 cg on an air mail letter to New Zealand cancelled with Goyns Klinger type PM11A and censored in New Caledonia with a cachet Controle Postal Nouvelle Caledonie. Marked "By PanAir" (Pan American Flying Boat service). (ex Millet collection)

26 August 1941

Air Mail letter to New South Wales. A 10c stamp may be missing, two 5c, two 15c and a 10c France Libre stamps cancelled with PCH type 11. The cover is marked "By PANAIR", was dispatched to Nouméa by ship, most likely the Malaita. At Nouméa it was censored by French authorities and forwarded to Auckland on 9 November 1941, by Pan American Airways on FM-19. Dispatched from Auckland to Sydney via the weekly Trans-Tasman Air Service. At Sydney, the letter was opened, censored and resealed. Dispatched by the GPO to Manly, a town adjacent to Sydney. (ex Jersey coll.)

Cover with 1925 2/- and 1F cancelled with the other language cancel (type 36 / 38) each. It is interesting that the French type 37 cancel shows the English "AUG" instead of the French "AOUT". Both English and French registrations are used. The English registration label is type R34 and the French type R31. ("JGI" collection)

Censored surface cover to U.S.A. Sandafayre auctions

Censored Air Mail cover from Santo to California. The French 1936 issue stamps ( a total of 2 Franc gold) are cancelled with PCH type 38. ("SeSi" collection)

Simple cover censored to Australia. 10c ( = coloniual letter rate) cancelled PM11A.

25 October 1941
(new 2/2019)

60cg censored to Australia.

Cover registered to Sydney (NSW) bearing British 10c single and strip of two tied by Nouvelles Hebrides - Santo cds with both R/Santo/Nouvelles Hebrides/No registered handstamp at left applied in black together with the black on white Vila/R No etiquette label with Vila crossed out and Santo inserted in manuscript. Black on white bi-lingual Opened by Censor - New Hebrides / Ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles Hebrides label at right. Markers on reverse: Vila - New Hebrides 1.Dec.41 and G.P.O. Sydney - NSW-Aust 15DE41P. (Klinger coll.)

29 November 1941

Air mail letter from Vila to New York via Nouméa and Sydney with 6 various censorships . The 5c France Libre cancelled with PCH type 11 and the British 1Fg cancelled with PCH type 12 . (both repeated on the lower right front); unusual handstamp The Condominium Postmaster/Le Chef du Service Postal in violet with small characters on the left.
Opened the first time in Vila resealed with a brown paper strip free from text, New Hebridean bilingual censor cachet on front and on back, reopened in Nouméa at left resealed with New Caledonian censor tape "Ouvert par la censure -Nouvelle Calédonie" cancelled with circular " Contrôle postal Nouvelle Calédonie" on front and on back, opened for the third time in Sydney : Australian censor tape with imprint (front and reverse) "Opened by censor" affixed upon the NC tape. Violet diamond mark " Passed by censor 1234 ". Private date stamp FEB 21 1942 on arrival. ("SeSi" coll.)

19 December 1941

Letter from Santo to Sydney, the 10cg stamp cancelled with PCH type 38, censor label affixed at left tied with Autralian censor handstamp 1234. Backstamped on transit in Vila with PCH type 12 on 7 January 1942.
Image thanks to Compustamp, Gary DuBro.

2 January 1942

New Hebrides censored cover with 30c British issue from Vila to the Red Cross in Geneva.
Pale red "PT VILA NOUVELLES HEBRIDES" Red Cross handstamp, PCH type 10A. Red handstamp "COUPON REPONSE" maybe applied by addressee. (Aore coll.)

Underpaid mini-letter to Suva Fiji (maybe postage was correct when it was printed matter - the size of the letter speaks for this) to the British High Commissioner for the West Pacific, Sir Henry Luke. The stamp cancelled with Goyns Klinger type PM7C on reverse. Censored in Sydney indicated by the 2 in the diamond shaped censor cachet on front.
Ex Bill Holland coll.
Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatélie France.

Reverse

New Hebrides censored cover with 30c British issue from Vila to the Red Cross in Geneva.
Pale red "PT VILA NOUVELLES HEBRIDES" Red Cross handstamp, GK type PM11A. (ex Millet coll.)

Registered cover from a crew member of the SS MONTEREY in Vila to his father in San Francisco. Three vertical pairs of the 5,10 and 15c France Libre cancelled with PCH type 11 and 12. Registration handstamp PCH type R8. Australian violet diamond censor mark 2/PASSED/BY/CENSOR/1108 in front, New Hebridean bilingual censor cachet on back with SAN FRANCISCO.CALIF REG.SEC MAR 11 1942 and SAN FRANCISCO.CALIF.(PARKSIDE STA.) REGISTERED MAR 12 1942 on arrival. Rare example of letter originated from USN forwarded by civil mail . ("SeSi" coll.)

13 January 1942

Censored letter to the U.S. The two French 1941 10c Tax stamps and the British 1938 10c stamp are cancelled with Type 11. The overprint "CHIFFRE TAXE" on the two 1941 stamps has been barred to use th stamps for narmal postage. (Alain Millet coll.)

Censored registered letter to Australia coorectly franked. The sealing strip is an English one I suppose but why is it on a cover From the New Hebrides to Australia? Image thanks to Corinphila

Cover from New Hebrides to Sydney franked correctly 10cg colonial letter rate cancelled with GK type PM7C. Opened and resealed by censor (tape). Front also has diamond shaped cachet "PASSED BY CENSOR 1072". Backstamped on arrival Sydney 7 April 1942 and redirected on 8 April by Sydney Commercial Banking Coy. to the N.S.W. Masonic Club. ("Ruecker" coll.)

4 March 1942

Pictural C.F.N.H postcard (n°126 Baie de Nelson Nouvelles Hébrides) from Vila to Los Angeles California . The 10gc tied by PM7C and the 5c.or France Libre tied with PM11A. Underpaid 5gc : the correct non colonial rate was 20gc but no tax . Marked " RELEASED BY AUTHORITY OF / THE DISTRICT POSTAL CENSOR " in violet: a scarce mention on postcard. The addressee wrote on left corner: rec. may 30 - 42. Travel time 45 days. ("SeSi" coll.)

French 1941 series 10c x 2 stamps on a letter to Luganville cancelled with PCH type 90 on 9 March 1942. Censored with tape and handstamp. Taxed with a complete set of French 1941 tax stamps + 5c French 1938 tax stamp (1.80Fg) on arrival 29 AP 42 (type 36). ("Mele" coll.)

Letter to San Francisco underpaid by 10 cg, the four British 5 cg stamps tied with PCH type 12. The letter was opened at Vila and censored, sealed and dispatched to Nouméa for transmission to California. At San Francisco the item was opened again, re-examined and sealed by number 2433. (Jersey coll.)

Letter to Muncie Indiana USA. The French 30c.or stamp tied by PCH type 11. White New Hebridean censor tape OPENED BY CENSOR-NEW HEBRIDES / OUVERT PAR LA CENSURE-NOUVELLES HEBRIDES affixed at left. ("SeSi" collection)
Kitselman Brothers Co. in Muncie sold every kind of fence one could think of and roofing, paint, tools, gates, barbed wire etc.

28 April 1942

Letter to San Francisco underpaid by 20 cg, the British 10 cg tied with PCH type 12. It was dispatched on 25 May for Australia on the HMAS Manoora reaching Sydney 10 June 1942. The cover was opened there for censorship by examiner 1201, resealed and placed on a vessel bound for the United States. (Jersey coll.)

Letter to the San Francisco branch of Burns Philp & Co. Ltd. Censor tape and censor handstamp at left, the 10c stamp (letter rate to US : 30c) cancelled with PCH type 12. This cover was offered by Peter Singer, USA - sorry no URL available.

Date could be 16 June 1942 - the "2" unsure.
New Hebrides censored cover with 30c British issue from Vila to the Red Cross in Geneva.
Australian red censor label tied by "2 PASSED BY CENSOR 169" violet H/S, red "PT VILA NOUVELLES HEBRIDES" Red Cross handstamp, PCH type 10A. Red handstamp "COUPON REPONSE" maybe applied by addressee. (Yeomans coll.)

Nice censored local letter to Charles Anger, Vila. The British 1938 10cg stamp is cancelled with PCH type 11. (Merot coll.)
Charles Anger was an icecream and lemonade producer in Vila and directed a construction business. He later retired to Marseille.

Cover to the Vila Postmaster, 5c and 15c 1941 French issue cancelled with PCH type 36, censored with handstamp and tape and taxed in Vila with a complete 1938 British issue set plus 5c and 40 c tax stamps (2.20Fg)cancelled with PCH type 12 on 24 July 42. ("Mele" coll.) (See also French censored from 22 July 1942)

A nice multiple censored cover to Beyrouth, Syria, redirected to Sueida. Image thanks to Behr Paris

A cover similar to the 9 March 1942 Martin Treadwell cover above : Local cover to the Vila Postmaster L. de Gaillande stamped 20cg from Santo 22 July 1942 (type 28) to Port Vila showing postage due requirement of 1.90Fg met using all five France Libre overprinted tax stamps and two tax stamps of 1938, all cancelled with PCH type 11 Port Vila 24.JUIL 1942.
Bilingual Censor handstamp in purple and censor sealing strip. ("JGI" collection)

Registered cover to California. 1F10cg cancelled PM11B, reg cachet NR9, heavy cover ... Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions

23 July 1942
(new 9/2019)

Censored registered Service des Postes du Condominium cover to Springfield Massachusetts USA to the Tatham Stamp & Coin Co. (aka TASCO). The seven 10c.or France Libre stamps tied with GK type PM11A, registration cachet NR9, bilingual mark The Condominium Postmaster / Le Chef du Service Postal as sender.
On back the circular bilingual NH censor cachet. Cover opened by the Australian censorship and resealed with the white tape 2/Opened by censor tied with the violet diamond cachet 2/Passed/by/censor/738. Sydney RS 21SE42 and 22SE42 in transit and in arrival in USA San Francisco Calif OCT 22 1942, Boston Mass OCT 29 1942 and Springfield Registered OCT 30 1942.
The addressee is the Tatham Stamp & Coin Co. so the cover passed by customs: Linear mark SUPPOSED LIABLE TO CUSTOMS DUTY and rectangular cachet SUPPOSED LIABLE / TO CUSTOMS DUTIES cancelled by manuscript blue lines . Aside oval cachet PASSED FREE / US CUSTOMS / BOSTON MASS. ("SeSi" collection)

Letter to Sydney NSW. The 10c.gold stamp tied by PCH type 12. Grey-blue New Hebridean censor label OPENED BY CENSOR - NEW HEBRIDES / OUVERT PAR LA CENSURE - NOUVELLES HEBRIDES at the left side , covered with the Australian censor label OPENED BY CENSOR 2 (red on white) and the handstamp 2 PASSED BY CENSOR 1201 in violet. ("SeSi" collection)

31 August 1942

Letter to Sydney NSW. The 10c.gold stamp tied by GK type PM11A. Grey-blue New Hebridean censor label OPENED BY CENSOR - NEW HEBRIDES / OUVERT PAR LA CENSURE - NOUVELLES HEBRIDES at the left side , covered with the Sydney "PASSED BY CENSOR / S.82" cachet. (ex Millet collection)

31 August 1942

2 x 5c France Libre censored to Australia. Cancelled PM11A. Correct colonial letter rate.

Correct 30c rate to USA in mixed franking. The letter was dispatched on the HMAS Monoora to Australia where it was opened and examined at Sydney [as indicated by the sealing tape as number 2 and then forwarded. The cancel is PCH type 10. (Jersey coll.)

Censored cover to the U.S., the 5c and 15c France Libre overprints cancelled with PCH type 11. (réf.: F.Petit)

6 October 1942

Censored Postmaster cover to Cuba, censored and wqithout postage. Backstamped 19 January 1943 Habana Cuba.(Klinger coll.)

6 October 1942

Censored cover from the British Solomon Islands to New Zealand backstamped Port Vila. From Stan Jersey's "Hell's Island": "Other mission workers at the village of Takwa in north Malaita, included Father Claude Palmer and James Wall from Australia and Father Joseph Halbswach (=Halbwachs) from France. The nuns came from three countries: Sisters Mary Xavier from France, Mary Duguay from the United States and Sister Mary Xavier from France."
They worked there in spite of the Japanese being around. This is one of the rare covers brought to the New Hebrides by private carriers or the U.S. military postal system as the civilian postal system ceased to operate for about 18 months (Jan 1942 - July 1943). ("SeSi" coll.)

13 October 1942

Inter-island cover to Victoria. The French 10c.or stamp cancelled with PCH type 90 with a rectangle of solid colour for the single figure day instead of a dash. Opened at left and resealed with a censor tape "ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles Hébrides". ("SeSi" coll.)

1FG air mail rate to England from a member of the British Residency staff to his parents in Bristol. Censored on transit in Sydney with "2 OPENED BY CENSOR" strip tied by ""2 PASSED BY CENSOR 1259" diamond cachet. ("JGI" coll.)

Posted under the mutual British and French Condominium 10c rate to Australia. Mailed from Vila to Canberra and cancelled with PCH type 11. The item travelled on the HMAS Manoora, an armed transport to Sydney, the first port of call in Australia. The cover was initially censored at Port Vila and again at Sydney. The New South Wales tape OPENED BY CENSOR covers the New Hebrides tape. (ex Jersey coll. - seen again in 2007 as offer from an Australian dealer)

Sometime in 1943:
New Hebrides cover to Australia, correct 10c rate. Dumb oval cancellation. Sydney censorship, redirected to AFPO 71 Townsville. Backstamped Lane Cove 18 October 1943. The addressee, Geoffrey Seagoe, son of Ernest Goldfinch Seagoe - former secretary of Captain Rason - was a brillant R.A.F. officer in WWII, bought the motor cruiser Avalon in 1948 and was a settler at Malekula. (O'Reilly) - ("Aore" coll.)

This item was sent from the Seventh Day Adventist Mission on Aore Island located in the Segond Channel south of Espiritu Santo, just across from the main Santo military complex. It was censored by the Army Base Censor (0088) and posted to Sydney via military channels. At Sydney, the letter was re-examined, sealed and forwarded to the addressee by the GPO. The only known wartime item from Aore. (Treadwell coll.)

Sometime in 1943 or 1944:
New Hebrides cover to Australia, correct 10c rate. Dumb oval cancellation. Sydney censorship over Nouméa censor tape. (Millet coll.)

1943 / 1944

New Hebrides cover, the French 10c stamps marked with the (Australian) PCH type 216 dumb cancel. Maybe to some military unit in Australia.(Mele coll.)

Sometime during WW II:
New Hebrides censored cover, the two British 5c stamps marked with the (Australian) PCH type 216 dumb cancel. It was censored by US Army censor. I reconstructed the lower right part of the cover graphically as it was overlapped by an other cover. ("Mele" has so many that he has to pile them on his pages <vbg>). (Mele coll.)

Sometime during WW II:
New Hebrides censored cover, the British 10c stamp marked with the (Australian) PCH type 216 dumb cancel. It was censored by US Army censor. I reconstructed the lower left part of the cover and part of the address graphically as it was overlapped by another cover. You can clearly see where I added some letters. I wanted to give you a nice impression of the cover. (Mele coll.)

Posted at Tangoa Island the next to Aore. Censored by 1500 and cancelled by the end of a four-bar date stamp (US Army) similar to the example above. Dispatched to the USA by air, courtesy of the U.S. Army via the island chain. Very scarce wartime item from Tangoa. (Klinger coll., ex Jersey coll.)

Air Censored cover with 30c British issue from Vila to New York. Cancelled with PCH type 11. (Treadwell coll.)

Interisland cover from Santo to Vila, franked with 1938 10c French issue tied by PCH type 38. Circular bilingual "PASSED BY CENSOR" cachet. (Ruecker coll.)

5c, 10c British and 10c French 1938 issue plus 5c and 15c of the "France Libre", the British stamps tied with PCH type 12, the French with PCH type 11. Registration label PCH type R8. New Hebrides, Austalian and US censor labels affixed. Backstamped with the New Hebridean censor handstamp, Sydney G.P.O. dated 9 April 194?, San Francisco 8 MAy ??, Pittsburgh registered and Pittsburgh Etna both 12 May 1943. ("Mele" coll.)

18 March 1943

Registered cover to California. 50cg cancelled PM11B, reg cachet NR9, correct rate 20g registered. Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions

Vila and Noumea censored letter to Australia, the 10cg stmap tied by GK type PM11A.
Image thanks to Steve Drewett incorporating Empire Stamp Auctions.)

Red Cross envelope with a boxed cachet "Pt Vila (Red Cross sign) New Hebrides" addressed to the Red Cross at Geneva. The three 10c French stamps are cancelled with PCH type 11. Bilingual New Hebrides censor tape and a seldom seen "Censure alliée Nouvelles Hébrides /4" triple ring handstamp. Backstamped Type 11 17 AVRIL 43. Routed via U.S.A. (Klinger coll.)

Letter to Australia, the stamps paid the 10cg letter rate and 20cg registration fee and are cancelled with PCH type 90 (INTER-ISLAND). Registration cachet PCH type R56. Backstamped REGISTERED SYDNEY 12 May 1943. Censor endorsement in manuscript. ("Aore" coll.)

New Hebrides double censored Red Cross cover from Vila to Genova with 30c. French issue tied by PCH type 10A. "PT VILA / croix rouge / Nouvelles Hébrides" handstamp in red and messages civils handwriting in black. NH censor label "OUVERT PAR LA CENSURE NOUVELLES HEBRIDES" at left and transparent U.S. censor tape "EXAMINED BY / 1115" at right . Red handstamp coupon reponse in front. ("SeSi" coll)

13 May 194y

Censored cover to New Zealand. The 10cg stamp cancelled with GK type PM7C. Correct rate.
Image thanks to Chris Rainey Postal History

O.C.S cover from Service des Postes / du / Condominium / Post office to a crew member of USS CYGNUS. PCH type 12 and handstamp CHARGE. No censor mark. Backstamped US NAVY REGISTERED JUN 23 1943, SAN FRANCISCO.CALIF.REG.SEC. JUN 23 1943 in transit and US NAVY 182 REGISTERED JUL 22 1943 on arrival. ("SeSi" coll)

20 May 1943

Big and heavy registered letter from New Hebrides Condominium Post Office to Montréal Canada. The 9 France Libre stamps tied by GK type PM7C, registration cachet type NR9. Locally censored with the circular bilingual "Passed by censor" cachet in violet, at left Canadian censor label EXAMINED BY / DB/C.54 and red sealing wax. Backstamped San Francisco JUN 22 1943, Chicago JUN .. 1943 in violet, Montreal 29 JUN 1943 on first arrival, Ottawa JUN 30 1943 for censorship and at last Montreal 1 (July 43). Total franking 1F.or 25c.or : registration 20gc, letter rate per 20g : 10gc so may be underpaid 5gc for a 220g letter but nevertheless the war didn't stop the stamps business! Travel time 42 days. ("SeSi" coll.)
(P.S.: Robert Furn was born in 1900 and died on February 26, 1976.)

21 May 1943

Nice commercial double censored cover from Vila to Noumea. The French 10c definitive is cancelled with PCH type 11, the cover has been censored and taped in Port Vila and in Noumea. Censor No. 5 handstamp applied in Noumea. Sender is the Union Électrique Coloniale (UNELCO), Secteur Port Vila, which was responsible for the installation of electricity in Vila at then end of the 30s and beginning of the 40s. The addressee is the director of the same company, Noumea branch, J(ehan-Brieuc) Morault.
His son Jehan Moreau married a daughter of the Port Vila postmaster for many years, Ludovic de Gaillande.

Cover with 1938 British 10c, PCH type 12 to Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia. Australian red censor label affixed over New Hebrides black bilingual label, tied by "2 PASSED BY CENSOR 1148" violet H/S. Note: The two digits in the year are transposed. (Ruecker coll.)

Cover Tanna to the USA, underpaid by 20cg, dumb oval Sydney cancellation of 10 bars, Sydney censorship mark. Remark in manuscript: "Recd 12-9-43". ("Aore" coll.)

Cover with 1938 British 10c, PCH type 11 to Kings Cross, Sydney, Australia. Australian red censor label affixed over New Hebrides black bilingual label, tied by "2 PASSED BY CENSOR 153" violet H/S. Ludovic de Gaillande was a well known New Hebridean settler and from 1928 until 31 January 1947 director of the New Hebridean Postal Service. I suppose that "The Commodore" was a hotel in Kings Cross and maybe he was on vacation there with his wife. (Klinger coll.)

Censored letter from Vila to Sydney. 20cg colonial letter rate up to 20g. Image thanks to Steve Drewett

Letter from the trader and settler John Leslie Mitchell at Ranon, Ambrym to Nicholas Hagen at Nouméa. 60 cg British stamps paid for a 60 gram letter. It was sent to Efate by the sender's vessel; at Port Vila the adhesives were struck with the Inter-Island PCH type 90 date stamp and PCH type 11 (date not readable). Registration cachet PCH type R8 ("Villa"). It was opened, censored, resealed and placed on the next Burns Philp vessel to Nouméa. It was again censored "Censure Alliée Nouvelle Calédonie 6" at that destination. (ex Jersey coll. - text from his collection too)

Another letter from John Leslie Mitchell to Nicholas Hagen.60 cg British stamps too to pay for a heavy letter. Most likely it was sent to Efate by interisland steamer and received the Inter-Island PCH type 90 cancels and the "Villa" registration cachet. Cancelled PCH type 11 dated 6DEC43 at Vila. It was censored in Vila and again in Noumea. ("Mele" coll.)

Cover to the Red Cross at Geneva, written fron Santo, the French 30c stamp cancelled with PCH type 12. New Hebrides censor tape and "Examined by / 1166" tape, Swiss censor cachet and tape applied on arrival. (seen in an old dealer's offer 40 years ago)

After a couple of decades resurfaced: censored by the Germans too. (Treadwell coll.)

7 December 1943

Registered cover to California. 50cg cancelled PM7D and PM11B, reg cachet NR9, correct rate 20g registered. Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions

Cover to Dundas, NSW, redirected on arrival to Bondi North, bearing 10 gc French "France Libre" issue and 5 gc British issue utilizing a "Croix de Lorraine" cacheted envelope. The stamps tied with PCH type 14 (Fr. stamp) and PCH type 13 (Br. stamp). It was censored locally (the stamps applied and cancelled after censoring) and again at Sydney. (Treadwell coll.)

Cover with 1938 British 10c, PM11A to Noumea. New Hebrides censor tape and handstamp, New Caledonia censor handstamp. (ex Millet coll.)

20 December 1943

Cover with 1938 British 10c, PCH type 12 to Burns Philp & Co. in Sydney. I wonder if this Mr. Black was a son of the BP Black who wrote cover [3.1.3.-97JY24a]. Australian red censor label affixed over New Hebrides black bilingual label, tied by "2 PASSED BY CENSOR 1187" violet H/S. (Klinger coll.)

Letter from PROCURE VILA to Couvent Sainte Thérèse BEDFORD Mass. USA. British 5 and 10cg and French 15c.or stamps cancelled with PCH type 12, tape censor "ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles Hébrides" at left. ("SeSi" coll.)

Registered cover to San Francisco. The cover ist franked correctly. (30c and reg. 30c). Cancelled GK type PM7C.Censored in Vila and in Australia. Backstamped G.P.O. Sydney 27 January, Sydney registered 27 January, San Pedro 26 February and San Francisco on 27 January.
Image thanks to David Moss and Northwich Philatelic Society | Northwich, Cheshire.

Dual censored air letter to Benoni, South Africa. The British 40c stamp is cancelled with PCH type 13, the French 50c stamp and the "France Libre" 5F or stamps are cancelled with PCH type 14. The registration handstamp is PCH type R8. New Hebrides censor handstamp on front and reverse and Syney censor mark on front. P 201 in manuscript on front, meaning unknown to me. Backstamped G.P.O. Sydney on Feb. 1, 1944, G.P.O. Sydney Air on Feb. 2, 1944, Registered Perth, West Australia on Feb. 4, 1944 and Benoni on 11 April, 1944. The last leg does not look like air mail to me. (Klinger coll.)

26 January 1944

Censored cover with 1938 British 30c, PCH type 12 from the New Hebrides postmaster to the censor officer of APO 717, at this time in Munda, New Georgia, Solomon Islands. Interesting: the postmasters name was "Ludovic de Gaillande" but on this letter (and on another one I have) he gives himself the name "Maurice de Gaillande". New Hebrides black bilingual label. (Klinger coll.)

Censored cover from a Santo/Aore plantation via Vila to Sydney 10cg colonial letter rate. (Fred Petit coll.)

Letter to New Zealand, the 10c stamp pays the letter tax and is cancelled with PCH type 12. New Hebrides bilingual censor tape at left, a Wyndham 6 March 1944 receiving cds on reverse.
This cover was sent by Reverend Ken Crump on Nguna (the successor of Rev. W.V.Milne). There being no postal facilities on Nguna, it would have been transported by Crump's Mission Launch Dove to Vila, where it was placed in the ordinary post. (Treadwell coll.)

10 February 1944

Registered to Noumea franked 30cg = 10cg colonial letter rate and 20cg registration fee. Censored in Noumea. (ex Millet coll.)

Letter from Service des Postes du Condominium to Riceville Iowa USA. The French 20c.or and the British 10c.gold stamps tied by PCH type 13. Circular handstamp PASSED BY CENSOR * PASSE PAR LA CENSURE NEW HEBRIDES CONDOMINIUM DES Nlles HEBRIDES on front. ("SeSi" collection)

Seen on Ebay in 2007. If these numbers left of the stamps have the meaning to count the covers then there are more of them out there (5, 32, 37).

Post Office cover to USA, the British 30 cg stamp cancelled with PCH type 13, New Hebridean censor cachet on front.
Picture thanks to Postal History dealer Peter Singer - sorry no URL)

Cover with two 15cg cg mixed stamps from the Post Office to USA. I don't know what the number 32 means aside the sender address. Violet censor cachet applied below the stamps. The stamps are cancelled with PCH type 13. (Klinger coll.)

Letter from Vila to Narrabeen/Sydney and redirected from there to L.P. Atkin, who served in the 455 Sqdn there from July 1941 until Jan 1945. Cancelled and backstamped Narrabeen 8 May 1944 when resent and R.A.A.F. Base P.O. No. 4 at 24 May 1944. Probably censored in New Hebrides and surely in Australia. The manuscrpt date 4/4/44 given on the reverse my be a typo for 4 May. (Yeomans coll.)

2 March 1944

O.C.S stampless cover from Service des Postes Port-Vila to a member of the 1653rd Ordnance Company, 9th Service Group Air , APO 709 Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands. "The Condominium Postmaster / Chef du Service Postal" and the bilingual Passed by the Censor NH handstamp cachets with PM11A on front. No army cachet. Scarce destination. ("SeSi" coll.)

Letter to Australia, the stamp paid the 10cg letter rate, cancelled with PM7C. New Hebrides censor tape at left.
Image thanks to Chris Rainey

Local censored cover Vila - Tanna cancelled PM7C. (ex Millet coll.)

Letter to Australia, the stamps paid the 10cg letter rate and 20cg registration fee and are cancelled with PCH type 90 (INTER-ISLAND). Registration cachet PCH type R56. New Hebrides censor tape at left. Backstamped Sydney 30 June 1944 and Artamon 1 July 1944. ("Aore" coll.)

Letter from the New Hebrides to Australia, redirected from there to the northmost city in New Zealand, Kaitaia and from there back to Narrabeen/Sydney. The 10c New Hebridean stamp is cancelled with the PCH type 216 dumb cancel in Australia, the two Australian stamps with a Sydney cancel and the five New Zealand stamps with a Kaitaia cds. Censored on the first run in Australia. (Klinger coll.)

Cover from the "Société de Ranon" in Ambrym posted in Port Vila to Nouméa. The British 10cg stamp tied with PCH type 11. Handstamped "Censure Alliée Nouvelle Calédonie" with the number 8 on front and backstamped on arrival ? July 1944. A New Hebridies censor tape at right and a New Caledonia censor tape at left. No other use of censorship in this form reported so far. (Yeomans coll.)

3 July 1944

a 30cg censored cover to the U.S. cancelled with PM 7C. Image thanks to Victoria Stamp Comapany Ridgewood, NJ, U.S.A.

Cover to New Caledonia, 10c surface rate, cancelled with Type 11. Opened and censored and resealed with tape in the New Hebrides and in New Caledonia. The mauve circular cachet of the Censure Aliiée No. 5 was struck on the front. (seen in a 2007 SPINK auction.

2 letters from AORE via SANTO to South Australia. The 10c.or France Libre tied by GK type PM16. At left the white tape OPENED BY CENSOR - NEW HEBRIDES. ("SeSi" coll.)

22 July 1944

2 letters from AORE via SANTO to South Australia. The 10c.or France Libre tied by GK type PM16. At left the white tape OPENED BY CENSOR - NEW HEBRIDES. ("SeSi" coll.)

Double censord cover from Ambrym to Dorn, Los Angeles. The 10c.or tied by GK type PM9B. Arrived 26 SEP 1944.
Source: Gaertner Auctions

1 August 1944

Registered OCS cover from Service des Postes du Condominium addressed to a member of the 115th Medical Bn at APO 40 New Britain Island, Solomon Is. It was put in the military mails at APO 708 the main Army Postal facility on Espiritu Santo on 8 AUG 1944. The 50gc franking tied by PM7C. Underpaid 10gc as non colonial rate was 30gc and registration 30gc. Registration cachet NR9 and 2 bilingual NH censor cachet. Backstamped in violet the registry datestamp APO 708 AUG 8 1944 Jersey type 37. "Incoming mail to any of the Pacific islands during the war is scarce" S.Jersey. ("SeSi" coll.)

10 April 1945
(new 4/2020)

Cover from the Condominium Postmaster to New York USA. Correct franking 30c. gold for a 20g non colonial letter. The stamps tied with PM11A. On front and back "THE CONDOMINIUM POSTMASTER / LE CHEF DU SERVICE POSTAL" in violet with the circular bilingual NH cachet of censorship. Only on back the australian label 2 OPENED BY CENSOR stamped with the diamond cachet 2 PASSED BY CENSOR 1187. ("SeSi" coll.)

9 August 1944
(new 10/2020)

Censored registered cover to USA from Reverend Gillan, Tangoa.

25 August 1944
(new 1/2019

Cover to Pittsburg cancelled on 25 October 1944. Carried to Sydney on HMS "Moonara2, backstamped September 7, 1944. Backstamped San Francisco Octobt 10, 1944 and Pittsburg October 16, 1944. The cover was written by the Reverend John Gillan. 60cg surface rate and 40 cg reg fee. Cancelled with PM7C and PM 11A. Reg cachet NR9.

Letter to Australia, the stamps paid the 10cg letter rate and 20cg registration fee and are cancelled with PCH type 90 (INTER-ISLAND). Registration cachet PCH type R56. New Hebrides censor tape at left. Backstamped Sydney 30 June 1944 and Artamon 1 July 1944. ("Aore" coll.)

4 September 1944

4 September 1944

Censored cover to USA - french censor strip at left. The 30c stamp paid the foreign rate and is cancelled with PCH type 12. Sender of this letter was Soeur Marie Bertha, Montmartre, Vila. ("Aore" coll.)

Local censored cover from Vila to Paama. The censor cachet below the stamp is very light - at bottom left a graohiacel enhancememnt.

5 November 1944
(new 4/2020)

Registered censored letter from Port Vila to Chatswood, N.S.W., the French 15 cg and the British 5cg & 50 cg tied with PM11A & PM7C. Registration cachet is the famous "PORT VILLA" RN9. Image thanks to Chris Rainey

Registered censored letter from Port Vila to Chatswood, N.S.W., the French 40 cg and the British 20 cg tied with PCH type 11, and the British 15cg stamps tied with PCH type 10a cancel. Registration cachet is the famous "PORT VILLA" PCH type R8. (old auction catalogue.)

Registered censored letter from Port Vila to Chatswood, N.S.W., the French 5 cg and 40 cg tied with PCH type 11, and the British 15cg stamps tied with PCH type 12 cancel. Registration cachet is the famous "PORT VILLA" PCH type R8. (Ruecker coll.)

Registered censored letter from Port Vila to Chatswood, N.S.W., the French 50 cg and the British 10 cg tied with PCH type 11, and the British 15cg stamps tied with PCH type 10a cancel. Registration cachet is the famous "PORT VILLA" PCH type R8. (old auction catalogue.)

7 November 1944

Censored cover to USA franked with a French 10c stamp which caused someone to place a triangle Tax cachet besides it - the normal rate was 30c. It has the white New Hebrides censor tape affixed at left which I saw only on cover [A.3.9]. The cancel is PCH type 12, the cover is backstamped one day later with the same type. (Klinger coll.)

Cover with 10c British issue from the New Hebrides to Sydney, INTER-ISLAND, Hals/Collas Postmark #47, no postmark on reverse. Censor tape with imprint (front and reverse) "OPENED BY CENSOR", blue diamond mark "(P)ASSED BY CENSOR 1614". (Klinger coll.)

Collecting can be wonderful: Years after the other 15 Nov. letter above I found this one: From Mother Margaret in Lolowai to England, same date, same ship. Cover with 10c British issue, INTER-ISLAND Hals/Collas Postmark #47, no postmark on reverse but sender and a handstamped "7" on the censor label. Censor tape with imprint (front and reverse) "OPENED BY CENSOR", blue diamond mark "PASSED BY CENSOR 1148". (Klinger coll.)

Censored cover to Australia franked with a French 5c cancelled with PCH type 90 (Inter Island). It is possible that the letter was unsealed and the stamp paid a printed matter rate and was sealed by the censor. Censored at Sydney - buff censor tape over backflap, diamond "2" censor cachet. (Ruecker coll.)

17 November 1944

Double censored inter island mail to NSW. The 10gc. tied by PM9B on board SS Morinda . Censored in transit on 23 NOV 44 at Port-Vila (PM11A on back) : NH censor tape at left covered with Australian censor tape and diamond cachet 2 Passed by censor 1725. ("SeSi" coll.)

17 November 1944

Censured commercial letter from Comptoirs Franç de Nouvelles-Hébrides Port Vila to Burns Philp Company San Francisco USA. The 10 and 20gc stamps tied by GK type PM7C. At left the white censor tape ouvert par la censure - Nouvelles Hébrides. Backstamped VILA 13 DEC 44: so delayed one day for censorship. ("SeSi" coll.)

Registered censored letter from Port Vila to Burlingame, CA - USA. Two postmarks on back: San Pedro, Calif. Jan 18, 1945 and Burlingame, Calif., Jan 19, 1945. There's a not very common mark on the front which reads "The Condominium Postmas(ter?) / Le Chef du Service P(ostal?)". Hals/Collas write about this cachet when describing the post 31.10.43 covers of the 1941 "France Libre" stamps. (Klinger coll.)

15 December 1944

15 December 1944

Registered censored cover to USA - three reg. letters before the above one! The 50c stamp paid the 30c foreign rate and the 20c registration fee. It has the same postmaster and the same registration handstamp as well as the circular bilingual "PASSED BY CENSOR" cachet. Cancelled with PCH type 11. Backstamped San Pedro 18 January 1945, Oakland 19 January 1945 and Emeryville 20 January 1945. ("Aore" coll.)

And here I found another one. Registered censored cover to USA with a 50c stamp. The registration number is 390, so there should be aome others too. It has the same postmaster and the same registration handstamp as well as the circular bilingual "PASSED BY CENSOR" cachet. Cancelled with PCH type 11. Backstamped San Pedro.
Image of thanks to Soler y Lllach, Spain

Cover to India, cancelled in the New Hebs with PCH type 90, the inter-island cancel. The US Air Mail stamp is cancelled too. It was possible to prepay US air rates if there was an US Air Mail service on the way and there was no rule saying who was responsible for the cancelling. (Please see cover F.1.-30MR26). But I doubt that this service was available in India. The date of the cancel is 22.DEC.(44), the month a bit misaligned upwards, year not legible but deducted from the arrival cancel which reads BARAMATI 5 APRIL 45. Travel time does not support the idea of any Air Mail. The addressee was B.V. Coventry in BARAMATI. Mr & Mrs. Coventry where South Australian missionaries of the Australian Church of Christ in a Bhamptas mission in BARAMATI from 1943 on. The district should read correctly "Pune".
DHC/733 is an Indian censor mark. Exists as "tombstone" handstamp with a crown too. DH is the letter code for India in the censor mark and C is the letter code for the censor station in Bombay. The C8 may have something to do with censoring too I think.
A contribution from an Australian collector - Thanks Ron! /H3>

22 December 1944

Letter from Port Vila to the U.S. The total of 30c stamps cancelled with PCH type 11. Post Vila censor cachet. Image thanks to David Holmes, Auckland

Letter from Santo to Paris, the 10c stamps pays the rate and is cancelled with PCH type 38. Censor tape at left. (Ruecker coll.)

Censored cover to the USA, sender was Mère Marie Alexis from the Vila hospital. The 15c pair is cancelled with PCH type 12. (Klinger coll.)

15 January 1945

Letter from Port-Vila to the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. The French 1938 30cg stamp is cancelled with PCH type 11. New Hebridean and Australian censor label at the right and left side. "PASSED BY CENSOR 1187" handstamp. Some helping hand reconstructed the word "Comité" on the left censor label. (Klinger coll.)

Censored sea mail letter from an outer island to NSW . The British 10cg stamp cancelled with a machine cancel SYDNEY6 22JAN/1945 6 NSW AUST in a square and six broken wavy lines horizontal to the writing. At left the Australian censor tape 2 opened by censor and violet diamond mark 2 passed by censor 1643. ("SeSi" coll.)

Censored cover to U.S.A., the 30c stamp (= non-clonial letter rate) cancelled PM7C.

Letter from AORE to South Australia . The 10gc. tied by GK type PM16. At left white australian censor tape from Adelaide : 4 OPENED BY CENSOR in red and violet diamond handstamp 4 PASSED BY CENSOR 61 . ("SeSi" coll.)

Censored letter to France. New Hebrides censor tape and New Caledonia censor hnadstamp, cancelled PM7C. (ex Millet coll.)

24 January 1945

Letter from Santo to Sydney . The two 5c.or France Libre stamps cancelled with GK type PM16. Censor tape 2 opened by censor and violet diamond mark 2 passed by censor 71 on the left. ("SeSi" coll.)

Inter-Island letter to Sydney . The French 10c.or stamp cancelled with PCH type 90 New Hebrides/inter- island 22.FEB.45. Australian censor tape at left and censor 690 mark in violet. ("SeSi" coll.)

Mail from a member of the British Residency Vila to Sydney. The 10c.or stamp cancelled by PM7C. At left Australian censor tape 2 opened by censor and diamond cachet 2 passed by censor 1422. On back an unusual number 4 (10mm x 14 high) in violet on the censor tape. ("SeSi" coll.)

14 March 1945
(new 4/2020)

Inter island cover from AORE to South Australia . The French 10c.or stamp tied by GK type PM9B. At left the Adelaide censor tape 4 OPENED BY CENSOR and violet diamond handstamp 4 PASSED BY CENSOR 17. ("SeSi" coll.)

Censored to the U.S: I doubt that it was air mail. 30cg was the normal non-colonial letter rate to U.S.A. Sandafayre auctions

O.C.S Service des Postes du Condominium cover from Vila to André Leralle Paris (8). with PM7C, circular bilingual NH censor cachet and at right a British censor tape P.C.90 OPENED BY EXAMINER 703. Uncommon double censorship for an official cover on april 1945. No backstamp. ("SeSi" coll.)

10 April 1945
(new 4/2020)

The rate to USA paid by the British 30 cg stamp tied with PCH type 11 and the Framingham Massachusetts arrival cancel. Forwarded to East Harpswell, Maine. The sender is the very well known Marist Bishop Jules Halbert (1886 - 1955) in Vila. (Jersey coll.)

Cover with 10c French issue from the New Hebrides to Noumea, stamp tied with PM11A. New Hebrides censor handstamp at left. Image thanks to Chris Rainey Postal History

Cover with 10c British issue from the New Hebrides to Sydney, stamp tied with PCH type 12. Brown New Hebrides censor tape affixed at left. (Ruecker coll.)

Postmaster Cover without stamps to the U.S. Vila censored and postmaster handstamp. Taxed 10 cents (how was this calculated?) at Springfield, Ohio. (Klinger coll.)

1938 10c stamp on a censored cover to Sydney cancelled with GK type PM7C. (Clemens Albert coll.)

Letter from Mgr Halbert Bishop of Vila to Father Lemay Bramingham Mass. USA. The French 10c.or and the British 20c.gold stamps tied by PCH type 11. New Hebridean censor label at the left side. Forwarded to N.Lawrence Mass. on 20 AUG 1945. The stamps recancelled with Bramingham killer 1. On back : John 3:16 verse. ("SeSi" collection)

1 June 1945

Censored sea mail letter from an outer island to NSW . The British 10cg stamp cancelled with a machine cancel SYDNEY6 19 JNE/1945 6 NSW AUST in a square and six broken wavy lines horizontal to the writing. At left the Australian censor tape 2 opened by censor and violet diamond mark 2 passed by censor 700. ("Aore" coll.)

Cover with 50c French and 30c/50c British issue from the New Hebrides to Los Angeles, stamps tied with PCH type 12. New Hebrides bilingual censor tape affixed at left. I suppose that the sender was J. L. Mitchell, planter in Ambrym as there are later letters from him to the same addressee. (Klinger coll.)

Censored to USA, correct postage 30cg stamp cancelled with PCH type 11. At left the New Hebrides censor handstamp, which is a very late use of this device. Sender: Soeur Marie Bertha, Montmartre, Vila. (Yeomans coll.)

Mère Marie Alexis mail from Vila to Mère Marie de la Mercie in Sainte - Foy - les - Lyon Rhône France.
The French 10c stamp cancelled with GK type PM7C, correct colonial rate for a 20g letter.
The circular bilingual Vila censor handstamp on right front. 17 AUG 1945 is the latest known use so far for the NH censor cachet. ("SeSi" coll.)

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