Unfranked cover to “Poste Restante” counter at Athens Central PO, Greece from the 3rd Hellenic Air Force Squadron based at Eski Sehir (Turkish: Eskişehir, Greek: Dorylaion) in northwestern Turkey under Greek administration from 6 July 1921 to August 1922.
For sender’s details, his ms signature appears with Greek text below on reverse: ‘‘[Π. Παπαδόπουλος] Γ’ Μοίρα Αεροπλάνων, Τ.Τ. 905” [Postal Sector 905]. Enclosed letter dated “Eski Sehir, 14 April 22” refers mainly to the Easter festive mood in both Eski Sehir and Athens.
Addressee is Miss Georgia Despotopoulou, 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 young lady used also different pseudonyms for special cases at times, and now she was presented as “Mary Christou”.
[The large handwritten pencil number “4” on cover indicates addressee’s incoming serial number, placed on each new letter received and filed in arithmetical progression for reference as each letter was always answered later.]
Item inspected prior despatch to Greece, and cover was backstamped with blue large s.r. cachet texted ‘ΛΟΓΟΚΡΙΣΙΑ / ΤΑΧ. ΤΟΜ. 905’ [905 Postal Sector Censorship] around crest.
Postmarked for despatch with “ΤΑΧ. ΤΟΜΕΥΣ 905 14 ΑΠΡ 1922” military date-stamp [(Greek) Army Postal Sector 905, 14 April 1922] allotted to VIII Infantry Division.
Backstamped with 10-line wavy ΑΘΗΝΑΙ ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΟΝ 21 ΑΠΡ. 22 [Athens Central PO, 21 Αpril 1922] machine cancel on arrival in Greece, and also the s.r. ΑΘΗΝΑΙ 21 ΑΠΡ. 22 (ΑΦΙΞΙΣ), presumably on delivery to its “Poste Restante” counter.
All dates in Julian calendar.
Item condition: Fine; see scans.