| Post Office: | Persian Field Force |
| Date Opened: | 01-Dec-1856 |
| Date Closed: | 26-Feb-1858 |
| Comments: | Against the advice of Great Britain, the Shah of Persia decided to occupy the western part of Afghanistan, including Heart. In response to this occupation, A British expeditionary force was sent out from India to occupy Bushire, Kharg Island and Mohammerah. <br /> <br /> A field post office accompanied the force and came to represent the first time that Indian postal personnel worked abroad – the first Indian post office abroad. <br /> <br /> The Field Post Office sold postage stamps and paid mail was obliterated with a 12-bar diamond shaped rhomboid numbered 131 along with a date-stamp applied in red, while unpaid mail only had the date-stamp applied in black. <br /> <br /> Ultimately three POs were established – the first at Bushire is December 1856, the second at Mohammerah in March 1857, and the third on the Island of Kharg in June 1857. There is no way to distinguish between mail from these places unless it is stated in manuscript on the cover or in the accompanying letter. <br /> <br /> The exact date the post office was opened and closed is not known with the date of closure representing latest recorded use of the Field Force date-stamp. |
