Nov 14, 2014
Lot
Prestige Philately - Public Auction 197 - Australia in WWI
Page:1
Type Grading Description
Est $A
THE TROOPSHIPS
This is one of the strongest sections of the collection. Tony Finlayson has done a lot of personal research into the ships and the soldiers
who sent the mail. This valuable background information has been retained with the various lots.
Ex Lot 1016
1016 C
PPCs of vessels identified as troopships including "Beltana", "Grantully Castle", "Wandilla" and Hospital Ships
"Aquitania", "Dunluce Castle", "Grantully Castle", "Wandilla" & "Warilda", plus real photo types of "Ballarat" &
"Nevasa" x2 different, one card with the ship's name excised by the censor, plus mostly pre-WWI PPCs of ships that
were converted to troopships including advertising types for Aberdeen Line and Orient Line vessels, also a few
related photographs, condition rather mixed but many are fine to very fine, many unused. (64)
Ex Lot 1017
1017 C
1018 C
300T
FIRST CONVOY: "Argyllshire" (A8) cover with superb '2nd BATTY 1st FA BDE AIF' cachet & KGV 1d red tied by
Perth machine & unused PPC of the ship; "Euripides" (A14) defective PPC headed "HM Troopship Euripides" &
"We are at Albany" with '1ST AUST INF BDE FIELD PO/29OC14' cds, Perth machine of 16NOV14, 'T1D'-in-oval h/s
of Melbourne & Postage Due 1d cancelled at Sydney; OAS cover headed "Troopship SS Euripides" with '1ST AUST
INF BDE FIELD PO/24NO14' cds, Perth machine of 21DE-1914 & superb double-circle '1D' h/s with text Late Fee
inscription excised (not previously seen by us); "Hororata" (A20) Ceylon & Aden PPCs to Western Australia, the first
dated "18.11.14" with Melbourne cds of 21DE14 as a result of the mail from Ceylon being sent in a closed bag to
Melbourne; "Omrah" (A5) PPC of the ship to Perth with NSW 1d cancelled at Melbourne 29SEP14 (departed the
next day) & menu card; "Star of Victoria" (A16) stampless cover headed "No 132 ALHR AIEF" with Sydney arrival
b/s of DE21-1914 & '1D'-in-circle h/s. (11 items)
B
750T
Lot 1018
- "Argyllshire" (A8) OAS cover to Sydney with superb '2nd BATTY 1st FA BDE AIF' cachet in violet, Melbourne
machine of 21DEC14, mss "T1d" & Postage Due 1d manuscript cancelled.
250T
Page:2
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Nov 14, 2014
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1019 C
1020 C
B
B
Est $A
Lot 1019
- "Armadale" (A26) illustrated YMCA lettersheet with the message headed "SS Armadale/Colombo/15 November",
to Victoria with superb 'T1D'-in-oval h/s applied at Melbourne & very late usage of Victorian Postage Due ½d pair
(rare on cover) with mss "9/12/14". Very attractive. Acquired at our auction of 11/7/2008 for $747. [The writer speaks
of his goal of getting into the "ASC" (= Australian Signals Corps) & states "...this boat is a horrible roller ...Colombo...
is a very fine place, typically Indian, all Mosques & pillars..."]
600T
Lot 1020
- "Benalla" (A24) illustrated YMCA lettersheet with the message headed "HMT Ship Benalla/23.10.14" with
'ALBANY/24OC14/WESTN AUSTRALIA' cds & 'T' h/s, to Victoria with 'T1D'-in-oval h/s applied at Melbourne, vertical
fold. [The writer states "...we recon to reach Albany tomorrow...& stop there for 5 or 6 days...we would not be able to
get leave to go ashore...we are not calling at Freemantle they still think we are going to England...".
450T
Nov 14, 2014
Prestige Philately - Public Auction 197 - Australia in WWI
Page:3
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1021 C
1022 C
1023 C
B
A/B
C/A-
Est $A
Lot 1021
- "Geelong" (A2) pre-War PPC of the ship to Hobart with superb 'PAID/1D 26OC14/ALBANY WA' cds. Message
states "We are just four days out from Hobart...expect to touch at Albany in a couple of days time. Sighted several
whales...". [The message is dated 24/9/1914 which must be an error for 24/10/14. The "Geelong" departed Hobart on
20/10/1914]
150T
Ex Lot 1022
- Real photo PPCs of the "Geelong" (A2) showing 1) the crowded ship & a crush of well-wishers on the wharf, and
2) horse-drawn field guns waiting to embark, both unused; "Katuna" (A13) "Departure of Troops from Hobart",
unused; and "Omrah" (A5) "Embarkation of the Queensland Contingent...", used under cover: the writer states
"...though there are 1300 aboard we see the best of food and accommodation..." (4)
200T
Ex Lot 1023
SECOND CONVOY: "Ceramic" (A40) Egyptian PPC to Queensland with boxed 'A.I.F./POST FREE.' cachet
presumably applied in Egypt (not recorded by Emery & not seen by us) & 'PASSED CENSOR/15MR15/BRISBANE'
arrival cds in red, self-censored by Capt JF Richardson who states "Received the last 2 letters you addressed to
Broadmeadows at Aden...We are now in port of disembarkation...It was very interesting coming through the Canal...",
and a PPC of the ship from a later unidentified convoy; and "Ulysses" (A38) "Dinna Forget" OAS postcard to NSW
headed "At Sea", the writer states "...called at Aden where we stopped 12 hours..." (3)
200T
Page:4
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Nov 14, 2014
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1024 C
1025 C
B
A-
C
Lot 1024
- "Themistocles" (A32) real photo PPC of the ship headed "Dec -- 1914" with the day blotted-out by the Censor,
'Passed Censor...M' label with 'Australian Imperial Force' h/s in violet, Melbourne tax h/s obliterated with an ancient
'1' "killer" handstamp. [Mail was transferred from the other ships of the convoy to the flagship "Ulysses"]
250T
Ex Lot 1025
- "Ulysses" (A38) Ceylon PPC heaed "Private JT Gow" with 'Passed Censor...M' label & 'Australian Imperial Force'
h/s in violet below, to New Zealand with light Sydney machine of FE13-1915 & 'UPPER HUTT/23FE15/NZ' cds on
the face. With an unused Blue Funnel Line PPC of the "Ulysses". [The censor labels were used aboard the "Ulysses"
only & only for the Second Convoy] (2 items)
250T
Ex Lot 1026
1026 C
1027
Est $A
(B)
THIRD and FOURTH CONVOYS: Third Convoy - "Clan MacGillivray" (A46) Suez PPC with 'ON ACTIVE
SERVICE' & 'AIF/PASSED BY CENSOR 46' both used on this ship only, "Chilka" (A51) Ceylon PPC with seriffed
'AIF PASSED BY CENSOR ("51")' & 'PAQUEBOT/PORT SAID' cds, "Star of Victoria" (A16) with superb 'A.I.F.
PASSED CENSOR 16' h/s (89x7mm); Fourth Convoy - "Port Lincoln" (A17) PPC of "HMA Transport A17" sent
under cover with note "This is the boat we ar sailing [sic] in", and "Star of England" (A15) Ceylon PPC with superb
'A.I.F./PASSED CENSOR 15.' h/s (81x14mm) unusually in red; condition variable. (5)
350T
FIFTH CONVOY: "Hororata" (A20) creased pre-War PPC of the ship sent under cover, message with sender's full
military address states "26 4 15 Fremantle at anchor in the Swan River waiting for the WA units...still think Egypt or
Turkey will be our destination...If I join the Halo Crowd, drop a line to Miss Patricia Beverley Graham...". [The
message was written as the first Anzac assault at Gallipoli was in progress. The off-hand comment about death was
typical of the casual attitude of many recruits in this early stage of the War]
100T
Nov 14, 2014
Prestige Philately - Public Auction 197 - Australia in WWI
Page:5
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
Ex Lot 1028
1028 C
1029
C
1030 CL
Est $A
A-/B
C
SIXTH CONVOY: "Ajana" (A31) Melbourne YMCA postcard sent under cover with message headed "Bombay/28 6
15", "Berrima" (A35) unused PPC "HMT Berrima" & another with "fancy" 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No' h/s &
separate '35' h/s both in blue; "Borda" (A30) unused PPC of the ship & a cover with largely superb sans serif
'A.I.F./PASSED CENSOR 30' h/s & GB 1d tied by Base Army PO cds used at Alexandria; "Ceramic" (A40) PPC of
the ship with "fancy" 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("40")' h/s & KGV 1d red tied by Sydney machine of 19AU-15
(probably sent in a closed bag from Egypt), message states "...I am not allowed to tell you anything about our
destination or...military affairs; "Suevic" (A29) cover with "fancy" 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("29")' h/s & superb
'ADEN' b/s; and "Ulysses" (A38) PPC of the ship with "Ulysses" obliterated by the censor, sans serif 'A.I.F. PASSED
CENSOR ("38")' h/s (8)
500T
SEVENTH CONVOY: "Aeneas" (A60) beautiful Blue Funnel Line ship PPC identified in the message as the
"Aeneas" to Hobart with '7th INF BDE/17AU15/FIELD PO' cds applied in Egypt & cover - with contents - to NSW with
light 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor ("60")' h/s; and "Geelong" (A2) PPC of the ship to "Coolup/SW Rly/Western Australia"
with message headed "Military Camp Cairo" & light '5th TRAINING BATTALION' cachet in violet. (3)
150T
Lot 1030
- "Ascanius" (A11) 1915 (May 24) OHMS cover with '91st INFANTRY' imprint at lower-left to Claremont Camp
(Tasmania), forwarded to Melbourne then to "Transport/Ascanius" & endorsed "Austn Imp Force/Egypt" in red, part
'.../11-AU-15/FIELD PO' arrival b/s in violet.
Ex Lot 1031
200T
Page:6
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Nov 14, 2014
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1031 C
A/B
ELEVENTH CONVOY: "Hororata" (A20) NZ Shipping Co PPC of the ship with message headed "TSS Hororata/Red
Sea/25.10.15" & manuscript "Censored" possibly applied after arriving in Egypt, and an Egyptian PPC written on
board but posted ashore; and "Port Lincoln" (A17) Commonwealth & Dominion PPC of the ship & a gorgeous
"Allies in Defence" PPC both with faint but obvious "fancy" 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("17")' h/s. (5)
1032 C
1033 CX
1034 C
B
B
A-/B
Est $A
250T
Ex Lot 1032
FOURTEENTH CONVOY: "Beltana" (A72) two Egyptian PPCs both with message headed "Suez" and "fancy"
'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("72")' h/s, 'PORT TAUFIQ/8XII15' or very fine 'AIF INTER BASE PO/13DE15/CAIRO'
cds; "Ceramic" (A40) PPC of the ship with the name censored & plain postcard both with "fancy" 'A.I:F./Passed by
Censor No' - with colon after 'I:' - & separate '40' h/s both in purple, one with Melbourne 'A.I.FORCES/POSTAGE
FREE' slogan; and "Persic" (A34) two different PPCs of the ship one with "[signature]/Asst Censor 15 Bty" at
upper-left & 'A.I.F./POSTAGE/FREE' h/s applied at Perth on return to Australia, the other with oval 'PASSED
BY/LIEUT COLONEL/CHIEF CENSOR/THE CENSOR' h/s & initials at upper-left. (6)
250T
Lot 1033
- "Beltana" (A72) PPC "Troopship A72 Transport for 30th Inf Battn 11th Refs of 1st 2nd & 3rd Fld Engrs" with "fancy"
'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("72")' h/s in violet, the viewside absolutely festooned with numerous autographs of
members of the sender's company.
150T
Ex Lot 1034
- "Persic" (A34) PPC of the ship with the message headed "Troopship A34 at Sea 11.12.15", superb oval
'[crown]/PASSED BY/LIEUT COLONEL/CHIEF CENSOR/THE CENSOR' h/s & "[signature]/Asst Censor" at
upper-left, 'PORT TAUFIQ/21.1X.15' cds; & an unused "White Star Line, SS Persic" PPC. (2)
200T
Nov 14, 2014
Prestige Philately - Public Auction 197 - Australia in WWI
Page:7
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1035 C
1036
C
B
B
Est $A
Ex Lot 1035
FIFTEENTH CONVOY: "Mooltan" (no 'A' number) Indian PPC with "fancy" 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("initials")'
h/s; "Orsova" (A67) PPC of the ship with similar h/s & mss "67"; and "Orontes" (no 'A' number) Ceylon PPC with
message headed "Red Sea 20.12.15" & similar h/s in blue, & Egypt PPC with message headed "Zeitoun
Camp/Cairo" and very fine "fancy" 'A,I,F,/Passed by Censor No ("B Details")' h/s (three commas!). [Several
troopships that had previously been mail contract vessels were requisitioned for specific voyages only and were
therefore not allocated an 'A' number] (4)
200T
- "Mooltan" (no 'A' number) Indian PPCs all with "fancy" 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No' h/s in magenta & each
initialled in a different hand, cancelled at Bombay, Aden or Cairo x3. [From the one sender who writes "...on the
Mooltan everything is up to date and of the best quality", makes favourable comments about Bombay & disparaging
remarks about Aden. (5)
200T
1037
C
A-
- "Orontes" (no 'A' number) Egypt PPC with message headed "Zeitoun Camp/Cairo" and very fine "fancy" 'A,I,F,/
Passed by Censor No ("B Details")' h/s (three commas!; ERD) & 'AUSTRALIAN BASE/9-1-16/DETAILS PO' cds.
100T
1038
C
B
SIXTEENTH CONVOY: "Demosthenes" (A64) cover with largely fine strike of the small 'Passed by/Censor/
["signature']' h/s in violet overstruck with the scarce 'AI FORCES POSTAGE FREE/8FE16/VIC' cds.
100T
1039 C
A-
EIGHTEENTH CONVOY: "Commonwealth" (A73) cover to Queensland with superb sans serif 'A.I.F./PASSED
CENSOR 73' h/s in green.
150T
1040
C
A
- "Orsova" (A67) cover with Fremantle machine of 22MAR16 & 'A.I.F./POSTAGE/FREE'-in-circle h/s.
100T
1041
C
A-/B
NINTEENTH CONVOY: "Kanowna" (A61) Ceylon PPC with Ceylon 6c & initials of censor; "Makarini" Tyser Line
PPC of the ship with name erased by the censor but endorsed "RMS Makarini 1.4.16" on the view side!; and
"Nestor" (A71) "War/Special" postcard with 'A,I,F,/Passed by Censor No ("71")' h/s (with three commas!) &
British skeleton 'BASE ARMY POST OFFICE/ B /15MY16/ T ' cds. (3)
150T
TWENTIETH CONVOY: "Clan MacCorquodale" (A6) Ceylon PPC with very fine sans serif 'A.I.F./PASSED BY
CENSOR 6' h/s in violet; and "Euripides" (A14) PPC of the ship with very unusual 'A.I.F./CENSORED' h/s. (2)
100T
1042
C
A-/B
Lot 1039
Page:8
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Nov 14, 2014
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1043 C
1044 C
1045
C
1046 C
A/B
B
A
B
Est $A
Ex Lot 1043
CONVOYS via SOUTH AFRICA: Convoy 21 "Afric" (19) South African PPC with superb strike of an unusual
'A.I.F./Passed by Censor' h/s & an unused PPC of the ship; "Argyllshire" (A8) Cape Town PPC with light 'A.I,F,/
Passed by Censor No...' h/s (with two commas), message states "...We are not at CT now but we can't say where we
are; "Demosthenes" (A64) PPC of the ship with caption excised by the censor (light h/s) & South African PPC with
fine strike of the huge 'A.I.F. PASSED/CENSOR.64' h/s in violet; "Hororata" (A20) Ceylon PPC with 'A,I,F,/
Passed by Censor No ("20") h/s (with three commas); "Suevic" (A29) South African PPC with superb sans serif
'A.I.F./PASSED BY CENSOR ["AWhite Capt"]'. A very desirable group. (7)
300T
Lot 1044
- Convoy 22 "Barambah" (A37) YMCA envelope with sans serif 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("37")' h/s - another
strike on the reverse - to California with 'LARKHILL CAMP/29AU/16/SALISBURY' cds, New York tax h/s &
precancelled Postage Due 10c affixed, redirected on arrival with 'SUNNYVALE/1916/SEP/18/CAL' cds on the face. A
most unusual troopship item. [The free postage privilege did not extend to foreign countries]
200T
- Photograph album of a soldier aboard the "Barambah" with five shipboard shots including an hilarious emergency
drill during bath parade, group at Durban, then mostly of Salisbury Plain, London & other tourist spots. Both the
album & the 96 small photos are remarkably fine.
50
Ex Lot 1046
- "Seang Bee" (A48) Cape Verde PPC with autographs of 15 servicemen mostly from the Medical Corps & quoting
their enlistment numbers, headed"HMATS Seang Bee" & "At Sea/Sep 4 1916"; and "Seang Choong" (A49)
Sydney YMCA cover with superb 'A.I.F:/PASSED CENSOR 49.' h/s (81x14mm) in violet. (2)
200T
Nov 14, 2014
Prestige Philately - Public Auction 197 - Australia in WWI
Page:9
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1047 C
1048 C
A-
A-
Est $A
Lot 1047
- Convoy 24 "Seang Choong" (A49) most unusual usage of an OHMS envelope with superb 'A.I.F./PASSED
CENSOR A 49.' h/s (86x13mm) in blue, superb 'A.I. FORCES POSTAGE FREE/23SE16/VIC' cds (rated RR) of
Melbourne. The only troopship cachet we have noted that includes the prefix 'A' in the inscription. [23/9/1916 was the
date the "Seang Choong" departed Melbourne]
Lot 1048
THIRTY FIRST CONVOY: "Boorara" (A42) Ceylon PPC with superb 'A.I.F./ PASSED CENSOR' & separate '42' h/s
both in violet, British skeleton 'ARMY POST OFFICE/22JU17/TM1' cds in use at Ismailia & exceptional 'A.I.F.
/POSTAGE/FREE'-in-circle h/s applied on return via Perth.
The "Boorara" was formerly the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamer "Pfalz", captured on 5/8/1914 after what is called "the
first shot of the war" was fired across her bow from the fort at Point Nepean (Vic).
1049 C
1050
C
B
A-
200T
150T
Lot 1049
- "Ulysses" (A38) real photo PPC of the hull being repaired with massive steel plates, endorsed on the reverse
"HMAT A38 TSS Ulysses/Hole caused by the SS Suffolk colliding with us at Durban SA 14th June 1917", reinforced
upper-right corner.
100T
CONVOYS via PANAMA: Convoy 33 "Themistocles" (A32) 4pp letter on YMCA stationery from Sgt WJ Holden
who writes: "...there are at present four Troop Ships laying here in Colon harbour...the Anchises...the Medic...the
Miltidies [he meant "Militiades"]...& Themistocles...The troops are not allowed to go to the town of Colon but are
allowed to go on the beach for a swim...the Lunatic...I had under my charge has been placed in Ancon
Hospital...there are two towns for the white people & one for the Blacks...that awful decease meningitis has found
one or two of our men..." [How odd that he could spell "meningitis" but slipped up on "disease": a Freudian slip
perhaps? Also included is an Aberdeen Line PPC of the ship sent under cover] (2 items)
150T
Page:10
Website:www.prestigephilately.com
Nov 14, 2014
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1051 C
1052 C
1053 C
B/A
A-
Est $A
Ex Lot 1051
- Convoy 37 "Nestor" (A71) Australian YMCA envelope & 'LETTER CARD' (a small piece missing from the reverse)
both with superb sans serif 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("71")' h/s in violet, the latter item speaks of crossing the
International Date Line "...most of the boys are at a loss as regards having two Wednesdays of the same date in the
same week..."; also an unused Canadian PPC of the ship. (3 items)
200T
Lot 1052
- Convoy 38 "Persic" (A34) Australian YMCA envelope with superb sans serif 'A.I.F./Passed by Censor No ("34")'
h/s in violet & 'CRISTOBAL CZ/PAQUEBOT' datestamp; and Convoy 40 "Orontes" (no 'A' number).
150T
Ex Lot 1053
The balance of the troopships collection including shipboard usages of PPCs of the "Borda", "Ceramic",
"Euripides" (with superb 'A.I. FORCES POSTAGE FREE/6NO15/VIC' cds of Melbourne), "Kyarra", "Mahano",
"Persic" & "Suevic" plus another with the ship's name trimmed off by the censor, other unused PPCs of various ships,
a good range of shipboard censor handstamps including a few superb strikes, several YMCA items & a cover with
'CHURCH OF ENGLAND/SOLDIERS INSTITUTE/SEYMOUR' imprint, also three New Zealand troopship items,
condition rather mixed but many are fine to very fine. Mostly on Tony Finlayson's attractive exhibit pages with lots of
background information. (78 items)
2,000T
Nov 14, 2014
Prestige Philately - Public Auction 197 - Australia in WWI
Page:11
THE TROOPSHIPS (continued)
Lot
Type Grading Description
1054 C
A-
Est $A
Lot 1054
- DIC (Hobart) real photo PPC "Departure of SS Manuka from Hobart with Tasmanian Troops on Board", unused.
[The "Manuka" is not recorded as carrying Australian troops. It probably operated between NZ & Australia]
100T