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The postmarks used on letters despatched from troops accompanying the numerous Indian military expeditions form a very considerable range for philatelic exploration. They include Egypt, Miranzi, Kurrum, Hazara, Waziristan, Suakim, Tochi,
Chitral, Malakand, Tirah, China, Tibet, Somaliland, and South Africa. The system of the Indian Army Postal Service is similar to that already described for the British Expeditionary Force on the Continent. A base office is established at each military base, and works as a head office, communicating with India and with the field. Field post offices of 1st and 2nd class are attached to brigades, divisional troops, and divisional headquarters, and these fly a distinguishing flag by day and display a distinguishing lamp by night. The establishment of base and field offices varies according to the size of the force which they are to serve, but ordinarily the establishment of a base office is: 1 postmaster, 2 deputy postmasters, 15 clerks, 2 khalassis, 6 packers, 1 sweeper. First class field post offices are accompanied by 1 postmaster, 2 clerks, 1 packer, 2 tent khalassis, and 1 sweeper, while for second class field post offices the establishment consists only of a postmaster, a packer, and a sweeper. In addition there are supervising officers for each division, and in the event of the post office making its own arrangements for transport between the base and the field offices, a number of overseers are required. The officers and men all have the word "POST" in brass letters on the shoulders of their uniforms.
Postage stamps of India (including postcards and embossed envelopes, both ordinary and "official") are stocked by all field post offices, and ordinarily a six-months' supply is sent out with the force, and is distributed from the base office to the field post offices. It is part of the duty of the base office to see that each field office maintains a sufficient stock of stamps, in accordance with a minimum determined by the chief superintendent in respect of each field post office.
In 1900, in connection with the Boxer Troubles in China, Indian troops were despatched to assist with contingents from all the Powers in the relief of the Legations, and with them went their Army Post Office. Since the settlement of the troubles a permanent Legation Guard has been maintained by the Indian Army in China. On reaching China, the Indian Army Post Office established its base at Hong Kong, but this was temporarily shifted to Wei-hai-wei on account of objections raised by the Postmaster-General of the British colony of Hong Kong. The new base did not prove satisfactory, however, and ultimately Hong Kong became the permanent base, and the
Army Post Office worked in harmonious co-operation with the British Post Office and the Chinese Imperial Post. Field post offices were set up at Pekin, Tientsin, Shanghai, Stonecutters' Island, Wei-hai-wei, Tongshau, Matao, Ching-Wang-Tao, Yangstun, Tongku, Sinho, Hanku, Shan-hai-Kwan, and many other points, sometimes consisting of a couple of tents, but often during this campaign in more substantial structures, and even (according to Mr. Ashley C. Vernieux) in the Temple of Heaven at Pekin.
With the troops sent to China in 1900 the Indian Post Office started the supply of specially overprinted Indian stamps, so that stamps bought in China could not be subject to speculation and sale in India by reason of varying rates of exchange. The Queen Victoria stamps then current, values from 3 pies to 1 rupee were overprinted with the initials C.E.F. (China Expeditionary Force), and the successive issues of Indian stamps have been similarly overprinted for the use of the troops still maintained in China (Figs. 59-61.).
