Bristol ½d Postage Due

One would normally expect that the minimum postage due would be 1d, being double a deficiency of ½d, for example from the ½d postcard rate.  However there are some cases where the surcharge of ½d was not applied, one of them being Military Mail on active service.

The postcard above was posted in April 1915 as Private Castle was embarking to go to Egypt and then on to Gallipoli.  It was unfranked but was only charged ½d as Private Castle was "On Active Service".  If he had posted it earlier on his journey to Avonmouth he would probably have been surcharged and the recipient would have had to pay 1d, while if he had waited until he was abroad the postcard would have been free - as long as Private Castle had got an officer to counter sign the card to authorise the free postage.

Private Frank Castle survived Gallipoli  but may well have been injured because he was discharged in April 1916 having "Both feet deformed".