Description

1941 (Aug 11) Miniature 102 x 54 mm stampless envelope to Christchurch, N.Z. from 9549 L/Cpl. J. H. Farthing cancelled Feldpost /a cds & with red unframed Kreigsgefangenen & with on reverse Geoffnet /Obercommando der Wehrmacht . . b . . label (Riemer B – 55) tied red circular Eagle Swastika hand stamp overlaid by PC90 Opened By /Examiner label ……………………………………
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