WWII CHINA/MALAYA 'FAILED MAIL' EX GB: Group inc. long 1 Dec...

Hammer

£170

WWII CHINA/MALAYA 'FAILED MAIL' EX GB: Group inc. long 1 Dec. 1941 env. from Ipswich by "AIR MAIL" to "CHEEFO [sic], NORTH CHINA" (GB KGVI 1/- - fault - with 1d + 2x2½d) but with v. fine purple boxed "NO SERVICE/RETURN TO SENDER" on the front and London transit machine cancel(8 June 1942) on reverse; plus 5/22 Nov. 1941 pair of envs. ex Ventnor (IOW)/Kent to "Shanghai, China" at 3d Surface Rate but both with purple boxed "NO SERVICE/RETURN TO SENDER" and 16/23 Mar. 1942 London machine marks. Stopped due to Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. Also Dec. 1941 pair of envs. ex GB with KGVI 2½d's (ex Glasgow/Manchester) addressed to Singapore but both returned with differing "SERVICE SUSPENDED" or "< NO SERVICE >" marks. Stopped due to invasion of Singapore. (5)