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One of the more unusual incidents during World
War II was the communication via a post office box between German occupied
Europe and the free world. This service originated with Thomas Cook
& Son Ltd., the British travel agent, commenced after May 1940.
Mail destined to the Faroes from Denmark sent to this post office box was
collected by Thomas Cook & Son, brought to London where the mail was
opened by British censor (it had already been censored by German censors)
and forwarded to the ultimate addressee either by the application of an
address label and British postage stamps or in an entirely different envelope.
The number of covers sent via Post Office Box 506 is not known; certainly
not very many have survived. This cover was mailed on November 26,
1940, was transported to Lisbon in 12 days, arriving on December 8th.
The boxed 5210 on the front of the cover is the imprint of the number the
German censor. |
