Lot 20079 – 1904 Decorative card “From the Manchurian Army” to

1904 Decorative card “From the Manchurian Army” to Dvinsk, written from bivouac at village of MAKHUNDZTSIDZY, near KAIPING, on Line 265/266, 11 June 1904, posted on POSTAL WAGON No. 266 (train ‘2’) next day. Wax seal of 8th COMPANY 1st EAST SIBERIAN RIFLE REGIMENT applied top right hand corner on reverse. The 1st E. Siberian Rifle Regiment was part of a force which attempted to relieve beleaguered Port Arthur by engaging the Japanese at Telisze, on Line 265/266. Defeated, the Russians fell back on Kaiping on 17 June. They remained there until driven out on 9 July 1904, the southern Terminus of Line265/266 then moving northwards from Kaiping to Tashihchiao. This usage of a wax seal is unusual and probably means that the unit handstamp had been lost during the campaign.