Description

1941 Miniature 107 x 65 mm stampless envelope to Otago, N.Z. from Spr. H.J. Smaill 32232 with red unframed Kreigsgefangenen Lager /Kreta (V1) & with on reverse Geoffnet /Obercommando der Wehrmacht . . b . . label (Riemer B – 55) tied red circular smudged Eagle Swastika hand stamp ……………….. German airborne forces captured 2100 New Zealand troops when Crete was invaded & occupied in May 1941 & an initial POW Camp was set up on the island to hold these..The 1st Capture cards were issued on 26 June. The POW’s were moved in batches to a holding Camp at Corinth, Greece prior to being sent to Germany…The Crete camp was cleared by January 1942 so this can be reliably dated between July – Dec 1941 ……..Mail is very scarce