The Wreck & Crash
Mail Society
The Wreck & Crash Mail Society is a recent Affiliate of the American Philatelic Society
Publishers of "La Catastrophe", issued quarterly in March, June, September & December - Vermeil medal winner at Stamp Expo 400, Albany, New York - September 2009
The Wreck & Crash Mail Society was formed in the latter part of 1994, and is devoted to the collecting and study of all aspects of delayed and/or damaged mail and interrupted mail services. Currently the Society is composed of four study groups, namely: the Air Crash Study Group, The Railroad Wreck Study Group, the Ship Wreck Study Group, and the Suspended Mail/Conflicts Study Group.
The Society publishes a quarterly journal "La Catastrophe", which contains articles on all aspects of wreck and crash mail, as well as news on new cover discoveries, auction realizations on wreck and crash mail, and questions from members who are seeking information on their crash and wreck covers and the stories behind them.
The Wreck & Crash Mail Society normally holds an annual meeting (so far, all have been held in London), where members display parts of their collection, meet other collectors of wreck and crash mail, and exchange information and material with fellow members.
If you have an interest in
this area of postal history, we believe that the Wreck & Crash Mail Society
will fulfill your interest. Annual membership dues are UKŁ15.00 or
US$25.00, which includes a subscription to four issues of "La
Catastrophe".
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THE HISTORY OF MAIL BOMBS
A Philatelic & Historical Study
by Dale Speirs
A new book from the Wreck & Crash Mail Society
Winner - Vermeil
medal - APS Philatelic Literature Exhibition - Richmond, Virginia, USA - August
2010
This 128 page soft
cover book, with 60 color pages, provides a complete history of letter &
package bombs. Hacking communications systems is not a new thing that
came in with the Internet. The postal system is just as susceptible to
abuse of trust, be it theft, fraud, or striking out at enemies via mail
bombs. Philatelists seldom write about mail bombs for the obvious reason
that there is little material available. Successful mail bombs are
usually shredded by the explosion, and unsuccessful devices are confiscated by
police as evidence. The closest one can get to exhibition material are
handstamped postal markings and labels, indicating that a letter has been
inspected by security forces. Mail bombs are invisible postal history.
The first recorded
mail bomb was in 1764 in Denmark. A mail bomb is known from 1881 in
Australia, and in 1895 a letter bomb was sent to Baron de Rothschild in France,
which exploded when he opened it. Letter bombs and package bombs have
been sent through the mail for various reasons, such as revenge, political
causes, terrorism, personal vendettas, or crazy people who have a grudge
against society, like the famous unibomber.
The book gives a
history and background of all types of mail bombs and the people who sent
them. Many different types of letter bombs are shown and described, as
well as the various types of markings and labels used by postal authorities to
indicate that a letter or package has been inspected to check against bombs or
chemicals, such as anthrax.
The book provides a
fascinating look into an often overlooked aspect of the postal service and
philately.
The
book is available for US$37.50 or UKŁ26.00 plus postage. Postage
within the USA is US$3.00 (media mail), to Canada is US$6.00 (1st
class), and to the rest of the World is US$13.45 (Global Priority Mail).
Payment may be made by US$ check or money order made payable to Ken Sanford, or
by PayPal to: kaerophil(a)gmail.com.
For PayPal payments, please add $1.75. For orders in UKŁ, please inquire
on postage and payment.
Order
from:
Ken
Sanford
613
Championship Drive
Oxford,
CT – USA 06478-3128
Telephone
& Fax - +1 203 888 9237
Email:
kaerophil(a)gmail.com
Published in the 2nd quarter 2009 edition of The Philatelic Communicator, Journal of the APS Writers Unit #30
Attendees at Annual General Meeting of the Society - London
- May 2010
Webmaster -
Ken Sanford - 
revised 31 August 2010
