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At the Versailles Peace Conference following WW1, it was agreed to transfer a portion of Western Hungary to Austria in August 1921. To prevent the transfer, and with the knowledge and tacit support of the Hungarian government, a 'Free Corps' occupied the Hungarian territory intended for Austria and prevented the Austrian Army from entering the area.

For three months, they exercised military and civil power over the area and proclaimed the independent state of Laitabánság. In the end, Austria and Hungary negotiated a more peaceful resolution.

But, during the almost three months of the occupation, the insurgents issued nine series of stamps -- seven of which were put into circulation (to some extent). Most were produced for speculative purposes but some were used as postage. As the Hungarian MPIK catalogue puts it, "Everyday items are rare, philatelic items are more common."

Here is the third series, issued on October 10, 1921.They're all on piece to preserve what is very likely just a courtesy cancel. What makes this particular issue of interest to me, however,  is that the insurgents printed a surcharge on the backs of the stamps. Fifty percent of the face value of each stamp went to the military HQ of the insurgents. I've added a couple of examples from my collection, not on paper, where the black overprint is easier to see. 

Stamp:
Western Hungary / Insurgency [Banate of Leitha = Lajtabánság]
October 5, 1921 / Series: Overprinted on Hugarian Harvesters definitives
Front Overprint, in black: Lajtabánság-posta [Lajtabánság Post]

Two singles showing ...
Back Overprint, in black: 50% felár. / Fövezérség [50% surcharge / Commander-in-cheif's staff, i.e. High Command]
20f, Brown and Green
MPIK 22 and 24

   
   
   
   
   

I am a transplanted Torontonian who enjoys looking at a Kingston I never knew. I came across this postcard showcasing the buffet at the LaSalle Hotel in 1959. It looked very much like the cards I saw as a child in Toronto advertising a “famous” buffet there. 

I sought out a card with a picture of the hotel. It’s from 1938. It has a lovely slogan cancel celebrating the Old Home Week held to celebrate Kingston’s centennial. When I bought this card I was not a slogan collector. Now I have to look at all the cards I bought before 2024 to see what other slogans have gone unappreciated!

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This is a thread for posting FFC ... here is one to start us off:

A first flight cover between Embarras Portage and Fort Chipewyan.

   

Despite the temptation to ask why a portage was so embarrassing, the name actually comes from the Embarras River -- which, in turn, comes from a French word for 'barrier'. 

The town of Embarras Alberta was founded in 1913 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. It was a siding on the Coal Branch Line. It and other similar sidings have been Ghost Towns since the decline of coal mining in the 1960s. Nothing much remains today except this cancel. 

On December 17, 1931 a post office was opened at Embarras Portage between Fort McMurray and Fort Chipewyan as a stop along the existing air service between Fort McMurray Alberta and Aklavik, NWT. The government contractor was Canadian Airways, Ltd. 

Pilot A. M. McCullen made the first trip and FFCs were created by adding an 'Inaugural Flight' cachet, in black, to covers pre-paid at the then current airmail rate of 6c per ounce.

Source: American Airmail Catalogue, Vol 2., Section 17 - Canada Specialized (1940)

Stamps: Canada
King George V, Arch / Leaf Series
Die I, Issued on December 6, 1930
1c, Deep green
UNITRADE 163b

Airmail - Two winged figures and globe
Issued on September 21, 1928
5c, Brown Olive
UNITRADE C1

Cancel:
Receiving: Single ring CDS
Outer EMBARRAS PORTAGE / ALBERTA
Centre 10 / DE 17 / 31

Backstamp:
Arrival: Single ring CDS
Outer FORT CHIPEWYAN / ALBERTA
Centre 11 / DEC 17 / 31

Hugh here ... glad to join the KSC forum. 

I''m a big believer in online discussion boards. I've been active on another one and I can honestly say that as a result of my participation on that board I've learned more in the last couple of years than in all my other years of collecting. I hope that this space will provides all of us with the same opportunity to share our collections, get and give feedback and, especially, have fun as we all learn more about our favourite areas of collecting.

In my case that's a moving target. I tend to bounce around a bit as I explore things that look interesting. Mostly, however, I'm interested in Postal History - especially the 19th century; WW1 - especially soldiers' letters and field posts; and, worldwide stamps and covers relating to occupations, civil wars and insurrections including (and especially) provisional and local issues. I'm also rather fascinated by cross-writing on old letters and postcards and by cancellations and instructional markings. As I said, I bounce around. 

I'll be posting about some of those areas and I welcome comments (or corrections - that's how you learn). I look forward to seeing your stuff. 

Cheers, Hugh

I bought a batch of letters a young RAF serviceman sent home to his parents during WW2. He was based in India. The stories he shares with his parents as he - a young fellow who before the war only knew his corner of England - explores the food and culture of India are charming and funny. You can’t read some letters without seeing a movie in your head!

I would like to know more about his unit and his record. Is any of this information publicly available?

I would love this to be a place where club members share information - all sorts of information. It might not be “pure” philately as collectors defined the hobby in the 19th century, but as long as it is philately adjacent, I think facts and ideas of all kinds could have a home here. 

For anyone who has been in a study group, there is an opportunity to continue sharing information long after the formal sessions have ended.

Have you recently acquired a cool cover or postcard? Show it and share a fact or two. 

If you have found something at the bottom of a box, and want to know more about it, ask the club.

I estimate that our members have at least 12 centuries of combined philatelic experiences!

Sponsored by the Eastern Ontario Postcard Club - Saturday, September 13, 2025; 10 am to 3 pm - club members enjoy early admission at 9 am

Wall Street United Church Gym, 5 Wall Street, Brockville, Ontario

Postcards, postal history, stamps, books …

Please see Janet MacDonald for membership info. Digital membership is only $10 and allows early access to the show.

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Mark your calendars! What an OPPORTUNITY! BUY kiloware at bargain prices! SELL your duplicates! START a new area of collecting!

Below some postings there is an 'email' icon, and a 'PM' icon, by which someone reading the posting can reply directly to the poster by either email or 'private message' without a new posting appearing in the thread. Without these options, the only way to get in touch with a poster is to reply to the post and add another message to the thread. So, 1) how does one get these option to appear below a posting, and 2) how do they work? They must both send out an email message of some kind? To which address?

I've just tried to attach a pdf file to a posting, but I received the warning that 'this file type is not allowed'. Is there a way to do this which is not obvious?