Mysterious correspondence to Paris from British destroyers in the Mediterranean during WWI

Abstract

Recently I obtained two covers addressed to the same address in Paris, both franked with GB adhesives and with ship censorship marks, of which one was cancelled in Valletta. British sailors did not enjoy the privilege of free postage, like the other armed forces, until late in 1918. There was no cancelling of mail carried out on any of HM ships afloat. The ship's office collected the mail and sealed it in bags for onward transmission. Once ashore, the mail was handled exclusively by the civilian post offices as the naval mails were taken directly to the town's post office. Censorship was carried out by officers on board ships, or in shore bases, before the mail was bagged for onward transmission. Each ship probably possessed one or more handstamps which did not come standardised. The interest now is to find the relationship with Malta and what ships were involved.