Personalities II

Indochina, Personalities II, Michel Nr. 343-345; Three stamps in nominals of 5C, 15C and 20C were issued on various dates and in perforation 11.5-12.

Here is the 15C value in a mint block of four.

Cancelled to order block of four.

Postally used stamp.

15C stamp with First Day Cancel.

Rare single franking of the 15C stamp on a domestic letter sent from Honouan (small post office) to La Dec in September of 1945. Japan’s surrender was announced on August 15th, 1945 so in September of that year the Viet Minh had already taken over the Indochinese postal service and the French were still imprisioned. The Viet Minh overprinted stamps did not exist yet and so a standard Indochinese stamp was used. Nevertheless this letter can be qualified as Viet Minh Mail.

Mixed franking of the 15C Rhodes stamps (2) together with the 10C Governors stamp paying the correct international tariff on a letter sent on August 13th, 1945 from Saigon to Hong Kong. Hong Kong was still occupied by the Japanese Army at that time so the letter was not censored. International letters during the Japanese occupation period are hard to find.

Mixed franking of the 5C Governors stamp (2) to gather with four 15C stamps from the Personalities set paying an overall postage of 70C on a rare international letter sent in August of 1945 from Mytho to China. The letter carries a transfer cancel from Saigon from August 27th, 1945. This date was just one week shy of the Japanese surrender in World War II. Since both Indochina and South China were occupied by Japan the letter was not censored.

Domestic letter franked properly with the 15C Rhodes stamp sent on September 22nd, 1945 from Bien Hoa to Cholon.

International letter sent from Saigon to India on November 16th, 1945. This was shortly after the French had returned to the city after World war II. Franked with the 15C Rhodes, the 20C Charner and 60C Air Mail stamps and paying an overall postage of 95C. Indian arrival cancel on the reverse.

Mixed franking of the 50C Sports stamp (3) together with the 15C Rhodes stamp paying an overall postage of 1.65P on an international air mail letter sent from Colon to the United States in July of 1947.

Mixed franking of the 40C de Lagree stamps (2) together with the 15C and 30C Rhodes stamps paying an overall postage of 1.25P on an international air mail letter sent through the military postal system to Metz in France. Cancelled with the “mute” Posted aux Armees T.O.E.” cancel from December 23rd, 1945. This is an early letter out of Indochina after World War II.