On October 11, 1899, the Second Anglo-Boer War broke out, with Boer incursions into the British territories of Natal and Cape Colony. The ensuing disruption of mail service required the creation of various handstamps to be applied to mail that could no longer be delivered.

Price: SOLD

One type is recorded having been used in Durban: it is a two-lined boxed marking “Stopped by Censor, Return to Sender.” A second, recorded as used later in the War (1901), is a rubber “Communication Suspended” handstamp with an accompanying “Undeliverable at” marking, followed by “a manuscript word, as well as the returned letter-postmarks of Bloemfontein and Natal.” (Rich, Philately of the Anglo-Boer War).

Shown here is the most well-known of the handstamps, though nevertheless an uncommon strike.

The cover is franked with a 1p QV definitive, cancelled with a DURBAN 30 OC 99 cds, addressed to HEIDELBERG, Transvaal. It bears the violet boxed MAIL SERVICE SUSPENDED handstamp, with a RETURNED LETTER OFFICE 16/11/99 cds. There is a small adhesion at left, but it is otherwise sound.

An attractive and scarce Boer War item.

PRICE: SOLD