Description

1941 (Mar 15) Compagnie Marseillaise de Madagascar / L. Besson & Cie. printed envelope badly opened along top (not affecting & cannot be easily seen) to Morondava bearing French Madagascar 10c & 90c (Yvert 165 & 218) tied Diego Suarez cds & with rare Mauritius OPENED BY / CENSOR label (CCSG 111A) applied by one of the 15 Mauritian examiners on temporary loan & a Diego Suarez (13 Jun) cds on reverse confirms this to be the 1st stage of British administration where according to CCSG no censorship markings have been recorded. On face is faint partial Recu le (Released) hand stamp with manuscript 27.11. 42 & blue crayon arrow & on reverse Tananarive(6 Nov 42) transit & Morondava (27 Nov ) arrival cds. After Japan bombed Ceylon in April 1942 the British worried that the Vichy French would allow Japan the use of the deep water harbour of Diego Suarez thus effectively cutting off Allied shipping of goods & munitions Eastwards so launched Operation “Ironclad” & landed at Diego Suarez 5 May 1942 with the Vichy at Diego Suarez surrendering two days later on the 7th & this extraordinary & rare item was part of the mails Impounded by the British after taking Diego Suarez & held until under of the French capitulated on 6 Nov 1942, almost one year & 9 months later…