Lot 20116 – 1904 Cover with contents written from a Zemstvo Fi

1904 Cover with contents written from a Zemstvo Field Hospital set up at STATION KAIYUAN, N. of Mukden, on Line 265/266 of Chinese Eastern Railway, to Rostov-on-Don, free-frank Red Cross cachet and violet inscription on reverse, reading HEAD OF BASE MEDICAL DETACHMENT MOSCOW ZEMSTVO, postmarked DALNY KWANTUNG OBLAST/1/RAILWAY POSTAL BRANCH 24 IX 1904. Cover roughly opened at right just infringing on red cachet. Dalny was evacuated by the Russians in May 1904 ahead of the Japanese advance, but continued to function behind the lines at KUNGCHULING, on Line 265/266, 400 miles NE of its home base. (see Casey, BJRP 91, 2004, p.46)