06-11-2025, 03:21 PM
How about a 'cancel' that's not really a cancel?
Modeled after similar use in the Royal Navy, this would appear to be a RCN cover from WW2. It looks like a censor hand-stamp that doubles as confirmation that it has been stamped on mail from a seaman on active service on HMCS (not-going-to-tell-you-for-reasons-of-security) and thus is entitled to free franking for mail back home.
In this case, 'back-home' appears to have been to a Mrs. J. Brazill at 2741 Masson St. Montreal, Quebec. This is a major east-west street in the Rosemont district.
I'm assuming that this was the sailor's wife, that his name is John, that he survived the war and returned to live in Rosemont. If I do that, and then do a search, I find an obituary notice for a John B. Brazill (1922-2002) who died in Montreal, aged 80, and was interred at the veterans' cemetery in Pointe-Claire. The notice mentioned that Mr. and Mrs. J Brazill lived in Rosemount. His birth date, on the Find a Grave site is November 21, 1922. And, sure enough John Brazill (1922-2002) was a Leading Signalman with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) during World War II. He shares his plot at the National Field of Honour with his wife, Martha Farrell (1925-2018).
The envelope is heavily foxed. Foxing results from metallic impurities (e.g. iron) and mold growth in the paper encouraged by humidity. I collect antiquarian books and I see it much more often in old books than coves. However, warm, damp air at sea is the perfect environment for long-term foxing. If this cover had ever been exposed to seawater spray, the salt would have retained moisture and encouraged the long-term oxidation of the kind we see here.
That's about as far out on a limb as I want to go (smile). With no contents, not dated cancel and no ID on the ship ... there is a limit to how far we can go. The censors and the security service of the RCN would have been proud.
Two-line unframed censor hand-stamp, in red
FROM H.M.C. SHIP
EXAMINED BY DB/N 667
Modeled after similar use in the Royal Navy, this would appear to be a RCN cover from WW2. It looks like a censor hand-stamp that doubles as confirmation that it has been stamped on mail from a seaman on active service on HMCS (not-going-to-tell-you-for-reasons-of-security) and thus is entitled to free franking for mail back home.
In this case, 'back-home' appears to have been to a Mrs. J. Brazill at 2741 Masson St. Montreal, Quebec. This is a major east-west street in the Rosemont district.
I'm assuming that this was the sailor's wife, that his name is John, that he survived the war and returned to live in Rosemont. If I do that, and then do a search, I find an obituary notice for a John B. Brazill (1922-2002) who died in Montreal, aged 80, and was interred at the veterans' cemetery in Pointe-Claire. The notice mentioned that Mr. and Mrs. J Brazill lived in Rosemount. His birth date, on the Find a Grave site is November 21, 1922. And, sure enough John Brazill (1922-2002) was a Leading Signalman with the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) during World War II. He shares his plot at the National Field of Honour with his wife, Martha Farrell (1925-2018).
The envelope is heavily foxed. Foxing results from metallic impurities (e.g. iron) and mold growth in the paper encouraged by humidity. I collect antiquarian books and I see it much more often in old books than coves. However, warm, damp air at sea is the perfect environment for long-term foxing. If this cover had ever been exposed to seawater spray, the salt would have retained moisture and encouraged the long-term oxidation of the kind we see here.
That's about as far out on a limb as I want to go (smile). With no contents, not dated cancel and no ID on the ship ... there is a limit to how far we can go. The censors and the security service of the RCN would have been proud.
Two-line unframed censor hand-stamp, in red
FROM H.M.C. SHIP
EXAMINED BY DB/N 667
Hugh MacDonald, Wolfe Island
Member: BNAPS. PHSC, Auxiliary Markings Club, Postal Stationary Society, British Postmark Society,
AMG Collectors Club, China Stamp Society, France and Colonies Philatelic Society
ArGe Deutsche Feldpost: 1914-1918 e.V.