VERY EARLY P.O.W. CAMP IN G.B. - 7 YEARS WAR - COVER EX TOPS...

Hammer

£260

VERY EARLY P.O.W. CAMP IN G.B. - 7 YEARS WAR - COVER EX TOPSHAM CAMP (DEVON) TO FRANCE: 19 Jan. 1759 EL (full typed transcript) sent unsealed - as per censor regulations? - from one "Gobbe de la Gaudinais" in "La Prison de Tapson [= Topsham] proche Excetere" to his father in Redon (Brittany) noting that this was the 33rd letter that he had sent without receiving a single reply! This shows how hard it was to send mail to or from P.O.W. Camps in Britain at this early date. It was sent by the Camp authorities via a special cartel vessel (with letters of authorisation) from Exmouth(?) to "S.MALO" (84 miles to the north of Redon, also in Brittany) - mainly fine transit mark on the front - with "4" charge. It is remarkable that the prisoner continued to write letters even though he never had a reply. Rare 7 Years War cover from a British POW Camp. [Illustrated in Renollaud, p. 48.] Cross Reference: FRANCE, MILITARY - P.O.W. MAIL, DEVON