Description

1943 (Jun 23) Printed scarcer blue on pinkish Air Mail Letter Card with Blue inlay to Fort Francis, Ontario from Canadian Airman F/O M.H. Maltby, 265 Squadron, RAF, East Africa bearing KUT 20c & 5c tied E.A. / A.P.O. 83 (25 Jun)& self censored with violet framed Wings / R.A.F. / CENSOR / 979 (Type R 11) allocated to 209 Sqn RAF located Kipevu (the maintainence depot of 265 Sqn) tied PC90 OPENED BY / EXAMINER 1243 label imprinted 1-929-W. & S applied in the UK where presumably the red two lined Jusqu’a marking cancelling Air Mail was applied at office of Exchange …

209 Sqn RAF left for East Africa 30 March 1942 & were based at Kipevu from 15 Jun 1942 – 12 Jul 1945. 265 Sqn RAF after Service during WW1 was disbanded in Jan 1919. Yet 11 Mar 1943 HM Transport “Lancashire” arrived Mombasa with personnel to reform 265 Sqn RAF without planes so initially the men kicked their heels until 30 Mar when an Advance Party arrived Diego Suarez to prepare for the arrival of Catalina’s on 25 Apr & Diego Suarez remained the Headquarters Base for 265 Sqn RAF. The area of operation was so large that detachmments were deployed to many pplaces including Tulear (South Madagascar), Pamanza (Mauritius), Aden,Masirah & St. Lucia (South Africa) while from the onset Kipevu (Kenya) was chosen as the maintenance Depot. The Squadron was again disbanded 30 Apr 1945