Description

1943 (Apr 4 )Printed scarcer blue on pinkish Air Mail / Air Mail Letter Card with blue inlay to Fort Francis from Canadian Airman F/O M.H. Maltby, 265 Squadron RAF, East Africa bearing KUT 20c & 5c tied E.A. // A.P.O. 83 (7 Apr) & self censored with violet framed Wings / R.A.F. / CENSOR / 74 (Type R11) tied damaged PC90 OPENED BY / EXAMINER label imprinted 51-8628 applied in UK where presumably the red two Jusqu’a marking was applied cancelling the Air Mail…….

After Service during WW1 265 Sqn RAF was disbanded in Jan1919. 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 Sqqn RAF. The area of operation was so large that detachmments were deployed to many places including Tulear (South Madagascar), Pamanza (Mauritius), Aden,Masirah & St. Lucia (South Africa) while from the onset Kipevu (Kenya) was chose as the maintenance Depot. The Squadron was again disbanded 30 Apr 1945