SOUTH SHETLANDS - DECEPTION IS. - 1d-RATE COVER TO G.B./AUST...

SOUTH SHETLANDS - DECEPTION IS. - 1d-RATE COVER TO G.B./AUSTRALIA CENSORED BY SUB. LT. "ALAN REECE"; 23 Jan. 1945 much-travelled env. (understandable dusting & slight creasing) ex Deception Is. Base B to "HMS Biter c/o GPO, London" but redirected at least twice; to "Naval Party 500" and to "Admy CW Branch" and censored (tombstone Naval mark) by "Alan Reece" (signed & dated at lower left by him as censor) with S. Shetlands 1d tied by a fine purple "South Shetlands" cds, having overlapped fine P. Stanley (16 Feb.) and "BASE FLEET/MAIL OFFICE/SYDNEY" backstamps as well as London 16 May 1945 + 13 Apr. 1946). Seemingly successfully delivered eventually! HMS Biter was on transatlantic convoys in WWII, but in August 1944 she suffered a bad fire and thereafter was a merchant ship. Australia is a rare destination from Tabarin in the South Shetlands.Cross Reference: FALKLAND ISLANDS DEPENDENCIES, MILITARY - WWII, MILITARY - CENSORED MAIL