- £150.00
British Occupation of Italian Colonies. (Dodecanese). 1946. Air Mail envelope written from 'Patmos Island' headed 'B.N.A.A. Service via UK' addressed to Washington bearing Middle East Forces SG M18, 1s bistre-brown tied by Leros/ Dodecanese date stamp '19th Oct 46', hand-stamped 'By Air Mail/ Per Avion', routed via Rhodes/ Egro.
Lovely item cancelled on Leros and routed via Rhodes where the By Air Mail/ Per Avion was applied and sent By North American Air Services.
Leros and the Dodecanese were occupied by Italian Forces during WW1. During World War Two the Italians joined forces with the Germans. By 6th Sept 1943 Italy could not continue in the war on the German side and they sighed an armistice and came over to the Allied camp. British reinforcements arrived and heavy bombing of the island by the Germans took place leading to the British surrender of the island to the Germans between 12th and 16th November 1943. The Allies Greece and Britain finely retook the islands May 9th 1945 as the war came to its close.
