Unfranked cover to Athens, Greece from a first lieutenant with the 3rd Hellenic Infantry Regiment operating at Omurlu Heights, SE of Aydin in Turkey (areas under Greek administration, 1919-22). No sender’s details on cover; only the despatch postmark shows origination from a unit of I Inf. Division (Postal Sector 908), most probably the 1/38 Euzone (Light Infantry) Regiment, while he noted in the enclosed message dated 30 August 1919 that he was in the 10th Company.
Addressee is Miss Georgia Despotopoulou -written with G.D. initials in Greek- known along with her two sisters Nefeli and Ioanna for having kept correspondence with Greek enlisted men in all fronts from 1912 (Balkan Wars) to 1923 (shortly after the expedition to Turkey).
[The large handwritten pencil number “40” on cover indicates addressee’s incoming serial number, placed on each new letter received and filed for reference as each letter was always answered later.]
Postmarked for despatch with “ΣΤΡΑΤ. ΤΑΧΥΔΡΟΜΕΙΑ 908 / 31 ΑΥΓ. 19” military date-stamp [(Greek) Army Post, Sector 908, 31 August 1919] allotted to I Infantry Division.
Backstamped with s.l. “ΑΘΗΝΑΙ ΚΕΝΤΡ. ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΙΚΟΝ -5 ΣΕΠ. 19” [Athens Central ΑPO, 5 September 1919] on arrival in Athens, and entered the Greek civil postal stream.
Passed by Greek censor when opened and inspected on arrival in Athens, Greece; sealed with tape printed ‘ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΛΟΓΟΚΡΙΣΙΑ / CENSURE HELLENIQUE’ tied with two-line h/s reading in Greek/French ’ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΛΟΓΟΚΡΙΣΙΑ / CENSURE HELLENIQUE / 30’ in black. Cover bears single circled ‘241’ examiner handstamp.
Double-stamped with s.l. ΑΘΗΝΑΙ -8 ΣΕΠ. 19 (ΑΦΙΞΙΣ) [Athens, Arrival 8 September 1919] on arrival at final destination (Poste Restante counter).
All dates in Julian Calendar.
Item condition: Very good; see scans.