Page 108 - Johnson_CapeOfGoodHope

Vryheid to which place this letter was addressed was occupied by British
forces in September 1900.

Johannesburg, where this letter was posted in Field Post Office 17 British
Army South Africa, was entered by British forces on the 31st May 1900.
Transvaal was annexed formally by Great Britain on the 1st September 1900.

Vryheid is to the south-east of Johannesburg in what was Zululand now
Kwa/Zulu Natal.

Guerilla tactics by the Boers after the annexation ofT ransvaal disrupted
British communications and this registered letter is an example of mail being
affected.

The marks are:

Double ring Field Post office Code 17 British Army South Africa October 23
1900
Transvaal type cds Johannesburg [probably 23] October 1900
Aberdeen Natal November 1 1900
RLO Natal6 November 1900

'Service Suspended' and 'Contents checked etc Nov 5' in manuscript

'R' with 'ZAR' in oval

Pink censor resealing labels have been used on a converted envelope 'In
Dienst' to 'OHMS'

Aberdeen is well to the south-west of Johannesburg and was probably sent
that way to avoid Boer activity.