Mail Call

Camp Deolali, India. 9 March 1943. One week in India.

   Camp Deolali is located in western India, about 100 miles northeast of Bombay.  During World War II it was used as a transit camp for soldiers arriving in India and awaiting assignment in the CBI Theater.  Deolali also has an unusual claim to fame.  During the 19th century it was a rest camp where British soldiers who had completed their tour of duty were sent to await transportation home.  It was a long wait, often many months, before they were to be picked up by ships to take them to England.  Consequent boredom, and heat, turned many a soldier insane, and the word Doolally was coined.  At first the term was used in the form He's got the Doolally Tap, from the Sanskrit word tapa, meaning heat or fever.  Later, it became To Go Doolally, meaning insane, eccentric, or at least very odd.  Go Doolally and get the Doolally Tap.  
 
 
 

The blanked-out word is most likely Doolally which was the common (and wrong) English spelling of Deolali.
This card was actually sent to the Linden Observer and may have been published.
 
 
 
 
Greetings from India   1943 Victory Mail
 

 
  Note the Return Address: 48th Evac. Hospital, Malaria for Christmas 1943.
  84% of American Servicemen had Malaria during their first year in CBI.
 


Cpl. W. Weidenburner
48th Evac., Hosp. APO 689
Postmaster, New York, N. Y.
18 Nov., 1943

Mr. Joseph Weidenburner
213 East Blancke Street
Linden, New Jersey



  From the diary of Colonel John M. Tamraz, Services of Supply Surgeon and 2nd highest ranking medical officer in CBI:
First of all I visited the 48th Evac. Hosp. This hospital is inactive (reserve) they have a camp just off the Assam Truck highway, about 1 mile from Margherita, between the latter town and Digboi. The Personnel live in Bashas and tents. It consists of 47 officers, 53 nurses and 235 Enlisted men.
Read more of the Colonel's diary.   
  


Merry Christmas from India   1944 Victory Mail
 

 
  "And a Happy New Year, old timer.  Love, Warr"

 


Sgt. W. Weidenburner - 32557327
Hq. Co. Adv. Section 3
APO 689 %PM, New York
Nov. 9, 1944

Mr. Joseph Weidenburner
1586 York Avenue
New York City, New York



The V-Mail System
 


  This is the form used by servicemen and family back home to send mail to each other. Once received by the Post Office it was photographed and transferred to microfilm with other forms addressed to the same area. One microfilm could hold hundreds of letters, resulting in weight savings for the transport planes carrying mail. At the destination the film was developed, the letters recreated and then delivered to the recipient.
Learn more about World War II Victory Mail.




A closer look at the V-Mail logo shows the dot-dot-dot-dash Morse Code for the letter V indicating Victory.




Most of the pictures of India were sent by Dad to his Father and had to pass the censors.
 
 
 
 
Christmas Greetings Card
 



A more traditional Christmas Card although with a CBI theme.
Christmas 1943 or 1944.  
 
 
 

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