Lot 20474 – The only registered mail recorded from Crete with a military cachet

1899 (June 17) Registered cover to Cetona, with registration notation and date “R. N. 100 – 17.6.99”, franked by “Umberto” 45c (creased) paying the concessionary rate corresponding to the domestic Italian fee, tied in transit at Catania in Sicily with cds, repeated on reverse, showing blue “49° Reggimento Fanteria/2° Battaglione” military cachet in blue, arrival on back; the only registered mail recorded from Crete with a military cachet.

Note: The service of registered mail in Crete was not conceived to be indicated with the required registered label or marking and cancellations on dispatch, therefore the franked email was dispatched without postal markings and had to only indicate the registration number and the date in manuscript. Consequently the stamp had not to be tied by any military or postal marking, as the franking had to be cancelled in Catania as per postal rules for Crete, Catania was the Italian P.O. in Sicily from where the military correspondence originating from Crete had to be forwarded to the final destination in Italy.