Sunday 23 April 2023

1943. III.Konjanički sklop to Bihać



 1943. Letter from 4.Sat. III.Konjanički sklop. (4th.company. III cavalry batallion) stationed in Vitez to Bihać . Postage paid in full 3,50 kn , postal cancel Vitez badly visible , official military cancel is straight at the front of cover and round one at the back. 

Zagreb cavalry regiment with 3 battalions was stationed in Central Bosnia in 1943, its III. Batallion was stationed in Travnik with some units in Vitez. At the time total Regiment strength was 2700 soldiers , of those 1200 were fighting in central Bosnia dispersed in 3 cavalry batallions (konjanički sklop).

Sunday 16 April 2023

6.1917. K.u.K Marinefeldpost: SMS Prinz Eugen to Fiume



 26.06.1917 letter to Fiume(Rijeka) from SMS Prinz Eugen. Mailed via Marinefeldpostamt Pola, cancel in the upper right corner. On the left is purple censor cancel from SMS Prinz Eugen. Arrival cancel Fiume is on the back of the cover.

Sunday 9 April 2023

09.12.1942. Croatian Legion(369.Inf.Rgt) in Stalingrad to Croatia



 09.12.1942 feldpost letter from Stalingrad to Zagreb Croatia. Sadly feldpost cancel was cut out by someone most probably because there was a Luftfeldpost stamp. Units feldpost cancel with Fp.46511 is clearly visible, it was used by Stab u. 1.-4. Batterie leichte Kroatische Artillerie Abteilung of 369.Kroat.Inf.Rgt. (Croatian Legion). Sender is Obergefreiter A.Jurković from Fp.46511B - 1st. Battery of Artillerie Abteilung.

Letters content has very interesting message.



Anton Jurković writes that he returned to the unit sometime before, that he was promoted and decorated with a medal. He doesnt writes that German and Croatian forces were surrounded by Bolshevik forces at the time in Stalingrad, but he notes that he mailed a (Luftfeldpost) stamp to adresse that he can used it for mail. He writes: "there is bitter fighting here, but we hope for the best..."

Small piece of letter where a place of writing was stated was cut out by censors, ordinary censorship as well as chemical censorship was carried out by German censors and noted by censors tape and multiple cancels.

Anton Jurković is mentioned as recipient of military decoration in book Hrvatska Legija, the best book about 369. Croatian Infantry Regiment. 




Saturday 1 April 2023

6.1944 Breza to Fp.46786

 




15.06.1944 card from Croatian coal mine in Breza to Fp.46786 - Kriegslazarett-Abteilung 637 confirming coal shipment to lazarett . Kriegslazarett 637 was stationed in Sarajevo, Croatia at that time. Card was mailed via Croatian civilian postal service with all charges paid.