New Caledonia postcard "Thio - Le Transbordeur - Ligne en mer" locally sent from Port-Vila to Mele. (The name is normally written "Rosiers", settler in Mele [Franceville]) The French 10c stamp cancelled by the Port-Vila GK Type PM2 with inverted year slug paid the French colonial postage rate - long message. ("SeSi" coll.)

5 February 1913

Cover from Vila to CHicago, U.S.A. The 2d stamp cancelled with PM2 - underpaid ½d (klinger coll.)

Part of a registered cover with the 1912 5sh stamp cancelled with PM2. Note: Year slug not inverted anymore. (klinger coll.)

Picture postcard Chef cancque to Noumea, the ½d stamp ancelled with GK PM2. (coll. Fred Petit)

19 February 1913

Picture postcard general view of Vila, the ½d stamp ancelled with GK PM2. (Merot coll.)

Letter from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to Erromanga, New Hebrides 1913. ***** ** tied by a partial black PORT MORESBY 21 FEB. 13 CDS and paying the correct 1 pence per ounce letter rate. Black "via. Sydney" routing instructions of the bottom.
5 line black manuscript: "This envelope contained a recent letter from my dear Son in British Newguinea H.A.R. June 14, 1913. Rev. H. A. Robertson from the Canadian Presbyterian Mission was missionary in Erromanga from 1872 until 1914.
Picture of this cover thanks to Greg Sutherland from Freeman's Postal History, Dayton, Ohio. Thanks for this fine contribution to our project, Greg! Roland. Image thanks to Freeman's Postal History, Dayton, Ohio

Short message postcard to France. The 5c stamp cancelled with GK Type PM2. Arrival at Morbidan on 2-6-13
Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatelie

11 April 1913

Postcard to France. The 10c stamp cancelled with GK Type PM2. Underpaid 5c as the colonial long message rate was 10c. (Albert coll.)

14 April 1913

Registered "Kiderlen" letter to Germany. Franked 75c. (ex Goron coll.)

Registered letter to Berlin Germany. The French 40c. and British 2d., 6d. stamps tied by PCH type 5. Backstamped Sydney 23 MY 13 in transit and Berlin 29.6.13 on arrival. ("SeSi" collection)

Postcard "Coprah Maker" to Dreux (Eure et Loir) France. The stamp has a PCH type 5 cancel. ("SeSi" collection)

An unusual local cover bearing the correct 1d - 10c local rate. The writing is most likely that of a native and could be decrypted as "To Mr. Jacomb Vila". Edward Jacomb was acting as a representative of native affairs in Vila at that time. ("JGI" coll.)

1d cover to England, the stamp cancelled with PCH type 84 in blue. ("Aore" coll.)

Pictural postcard " Habitation du Résident Français à Port Vila " to a postal clerk in Merau Tyrol Austria. Correct franking with French 1911 series 10c tied by GK type PM2 and machine cancel Sydney NSW JL 5 1913 in transit. Carried by " Pacifique " to Sydney ( arrival on 5 July ) then by " Nera " on her Sydney ( 5 July ) - Marseille ( 16 August ) run , by train to Austria from Brindisi or Napoli. ("SeSi" coll)

27 June 1913

Picture postcard to Austria franked with a French 1911 series 10c stamp cancelled with PCH type 5, machine cancelled Sydney on transit JL 5 1913. Adressee is a postal clerk in Meran, Tyrol, Austria (at these times!) whom the sender asks for more illustrated postcards with costumes. ("JGI" collection)

10c rate cover to France. Gaertner Auctions

Cover to Paris, the stamp paid the 10c letter rate to France and is cancelled with PCH type 5. Sydney cds 20 September 1913 on reverse. ("Aore" coll.)

1d letter rate to England, cancelled with PCH type 5. Backstamped straight line machine cancel SYDNEY SP 26 3pm NSW 1913, LONDON MA No 3 13 and NORWOOD SE 10.45AM NO 3 13. ("JGI" collection)

Cover to Manila - Philippines. The French 1911/12 30c stamp is cancelled with GK Type PM2. Overpaid 5c. No backstamps. Image thanks to Lugdunum Philatélie

Cover to New South Wales with the French 10c cancelled Vila, Dec 12, 13. (Treadwell coll.)

Cover to New South Wales with the French 10c paying the correct rate, cancelled Vila, Dec 12, 13.

Postcard to Paris. Short message but overfranked as long message French colonial postcard rate. Cancelled Sydney on the picture side. (ex Millet coll.)

12 March 1914

Notice of receipt from the Condominium Postal Service. The British 1d stamp is cancelled with PCH type 5. (Merot coll.)

This postcard with no message to Switzerland has 10c (1d) non-colonial rate. (unknown coll.)

27 March 1914

1d or 10c rate to England, cancelled with PCH type 5. Backstamped in transit with Sydney roller cancel SYDNEY NSW AP 22 1914-NOON.
Note manuscript marks in indelible pencil. Similar ones are on the 14 August 14 letter below. Their meaning is not evident to me. ("JGI" coll.)

Registered cover to Sydney, overpaid 5c? The four stamps cancelled with PCH type 5, backstamped Sydney 22 April 1914. ("Aore" coll.)

1d or 10c rate to Paris, cancelled with PCH type 5. Backstamped 2 PARIS RP 2 DISRIBON 28 JUIN 14. ("JGI" coll.)

1d or 10c postcard rate to Sweden, cancelled with GK Type PM2. Correct non-colonial postcard rate in 1914. (Image thanks to Argyll Etkin )

12 May 1914

Solomon Islands picture postcard with the French 5c stamp mailed from Port Vila to Paris. (Klinger coll.)

Note: The text reads "Portrait d'un descendant des singes", = "Portrait of a descendant of the apes", not a very friendly comment from our point of view. A very strict interpretation of Charles Darwin!
No sender is given so maybe the sender mailed the card to himself at a Paris address for his philatelic interests.

28 May 1914

Cover to New South Wales with the British 1d cancelled Port Vila, 11 Juin 14. (Treadwell coll.)

Postcard "Campagne du 'Kersaint' - Chef de Vao" to Caudry, departement Nord, France, the French 10c stamp cancelled with PCH type 5. Blind (without ink) Sydney band-cancel on the address side. Picture darkened so the Sydney cancel can be seen. Card is a bit shorter at top. (Klinger coll.)

26 June 1914

Postcard "Campagne du 'Kersaint' - Hòpital dAmbrym". I'm not sure if the stamp is tied to the card. But it's a nice view of the hospital which sunk into the water when the volcano erupted on December 6, 1913. (réf: F. Petit)

Slightly overpaid maybe (grin)! Registered to the German Senf Stamp Co. at Leipzig cancelled with Type 5.

Registered cover from Port-Vila to Leipzig, Germany franked with a French 5F stamp. Must have been a very heavyweight cover, a whale maybe... Image thanks to Gaertner auctions, Germany.

Registered cover from Port-Vila to London franked with five 1/2d Fiji stamps in combination with two weapons and idols NH stamps : 1d and 1/-, cancelled with PCH type 5 . Registration cachet type R1 in black. ("Sesi" coll.)

22 July 1914

22 July 1914

22 July 1914

A shame that the stamp is missing - but the postcard has a nice routing: Sent from Port Vila (PCH Type 5 cancel on front) on 24 July 1914 to Lucien Dautigny (*1894 / +1980) in Ribemont (Aisne) in France - transit Sydney on 1 August 1914 (this is the date of the arrival of the Burns Philp & Co. Ltd steamer MAKAMBO from the New Hebrides) - (Location of addressee occupied by German troups) + RETOUR A L’ENVOYEUR + PARTI SANS LAISSER D’ADRESSE (probably applied in VILA). Back to PORT VILA : 26 July 1915 (on the address side). At last in Noumea 17 August 1915 (picture side) at the caserne d’infanterie. A travel time of more than one year. (Alain Millet coll.)

24 July 1914

Normal cover to Sydney, the French 10c stamp is cancelled with PCH type 5. The address gives us some headache: "S. K. Geography Girl" ???. (Treadwell coll.)

British 2½d stamp on a letter to England (the rate was still 1d) cancelled with PCH type 5. Backstamped roller SYDNEY AU 25-11-AM-1914 in transit and on arrival LEIGH ON SEA ESSEX 2.15pm 6 Oc 14 (54 days). Again these pencil numbers! Not censored in spite of beginning of WWI. ("JGI" collection)

Cover to France. 10c colonial letter rate cancelled with GK type PM2. Backstamped Sydney 8 November (PACIFIQUE) and Flers Orne 23 December 14. (ex Millet coll.)

31 October 1914