Description:

MANILA: 1945 (Sep 21) use of stampless formular aerogramme endorsed "Liberated POW" & the letter headed "Manila/ Philippine Is", to Sydney with very fine 'AUST ARMY PO/243' cds & 'PASSED FREE/OF POSTAGE' cachet, Sydney arrival b/s of 9OCT/1945. The writer states "I suppose as you will have thought me killed in the battle of Java...80% of my unit were killed" & proceeds to give a travelogue of his movements to Japan via Singapore, Indo-China & Taiwan, "...[Ikuno]...is a copper & silver mine...Food became very scarce. B29s dropped us parcels by parachute...The devastation is terrific here. People's homes consist of corrugated iron sheets laid onto drums or boxes...After a 9 day passage we arrived at Luzon. Our camp is 15 miles from the town. Everything is free..."