Unfranked cover to Athens, Greece from an officer of the 3rd ‘Serres’ Regiment stationed at Serres region.
Sender’s details (in Greek) on flap: ‘‘Εμμαν. Βασιλάκης, Ανθ/γός 3ου Συν/τος Σερρών, Τ.Τ., 912” [Postal Sector 912].
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, and one such case here was “Εθνική Άμυνα” [National Defense].
[The large “18” handwritten pencil number on cover indicates addressee’s recorded incoming serial number, placed in arithmetical progression on each new letter received and filed for reference as each letter was always answered later.]
Postmarked for despatch with d.r. “ΣΤΡ. ΤΑΧΥΔΡΟΜΕΙΑ Τ.Τ. 912 / 24 ΝΟΕΜ. 18” (year inverted) military date-stamp [(Greek) Army Postal Sector 912, 24 November 1918] allotted to Serres 3rd Regiment.
Backstamped with 10-line wavy mc “ΑΘΗΝΑΙ 28. ΝΟΕ. 28. ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΟΝ” [Athens civil Central PO, 28 November 1918] postal marking upon arrival in Greece; single line “ΑΘΗΝΑΙ 28 ΝΟΕ. 18 (ΑΦΙΞΙΣ)” [Athens Arrival, 28 November 1918] was applied for delivery to its “Poste Restante” counter.
Number ‘36’ black handstamp in small circle applied by the delivering postman.
All dates in Julian calendar.