Lot 8085
1875: 1873/80, 6 d. grey, pl. 14, a horizontal pair used on cover endorsed 'via San Francisco' addressed to 'H.M.S. Curlew, China Station' tied by Belfast / 62 duplexes (June 28) in black. Reverse with HONG-KONG cds (Sept 5) in black. 'HMS Curlew' was on the China Station and carried British Officials to the Bonin Islands which had been claimed by Britain (1827), China and Russia and were transferred to Japan in 1875. Reverse flap with sensible repair, a most unusual cover.
W.H.Callwell was born in Ireland ca. 1852 and died ca. 1910. In the mid 1860ties he was training in HMS Britannia at Dartmouth, when he was raised to midshipman in 1867. In December 1870, he was appointed the HMS Cadmus, on China Station. He became sub-lieutenant in August 1874. In 1875, he joined HMS Curlew on the China Station. HMS Curlew was a „Plover class gunvessel“ (a wooden gunboat) launched in 1868, mostly served overseas. Callwell was promoted to lieutenant in October 1875. He retired in soring 1876.
