CARRIED BY THE MV GRIPSHOLM?
This I received from Peter Harradine last December 24, 2006:

Dear Sir,

I am writing regarding a most interesting cover (to me, anyway!) which I managed to purchase from a dealer, here, in the UK. As you will see, from the illustrations I am enclosing with this letter, it was sent via the Japanese vessel, TEAI MARU which rendevoued with the neutral swedish ship,MV GRIPSHOLM at Mormugao, Portugeuse India, on October 15, 1943.

So far, nothing particularly important or out-of-the-ordinary, but if you take a look at the actual destination (Goldalming, Surrey, ENGLAND) instead of the much more normal U.S.A. addresses normally found, it starts to become somewhat intriguing.

As you will see, from the illustration of the reverse of the letter, this was sealed across the flap with an adhesive seal, bearing the legend: "OPENED BY / EXAMINER 7791" in two lines, plus the numerals "51-569" at the top left, and "P.C.90" at top right. I believe I am perfectly correct in assuming that mails from the P.O.W. camps (in this case, Los Banos) addresseed to destinations OTHER than the U.S.A. would have been sorted & dealt with separately. WHERE this actual sorting (& forwarding) took place is of importance, since it might have occurred after the MV GRIPSHOLM arrived in New York on December 1, 1943, OR could have happened en-route, since this vessel called at both Port Elizabeth, Union of South Africa, and at Rio de Janiero on it's voyage back.

The usage of an entirely different form of censorship label from the type used for P.O.W. mails to destinations in the U.S.A. is an obvious clue, but, to date, I have been unable to find any references to check this out. Also, where did it leave the MV GRIPSHOLM and how did it travel from then on? Did it take the Transiberia route to Teheran? Was it flown back to England from the U.S.A.??

Unfortunately, this is the point at which I am currently unable to proceed much further, due to lack of information, and is the main reason for writing to you, hoping that you can either shed some light on the matter, or, failing that, hopefully point me in the right direction to obtain the necessary information.

Naturally, I have no objection to your inclusion of the illustrations of this unusual destination P.O.W. cover in the Philippine Philatelist, but would be most obliged if you could help to answer any of the questions this throws up.

Wishing you a Happy Christmas & a Peaceful New Year!

I remain,

Yours Sincerely,

Peter Harradine
61 Elford Close
Ferrier Estate
Kidbrooke,
LONDON SE3 9YW
3.01.2007