The story of the joint Canada-U.S. First Special Service Force (FSSF), which was also known as the “Black Devils,” was recently added to the British North America Philatelic Society (BNAPS) Online Resources and Exhibits (ORE).
Written by Ken Ellison and published on the ORE this July, the article explores the history of the Black Devils through contemporary covers from its Canadian members with usages from all points where the FSSF served.
The FSSF formed in 1942 and disbanded in December 1944 and “consisted of a combat force of three small regiments of which Canadians comprised one third of the strength,” plus a service battalion, Ellison writes.
“While the covers will look very similar, they are all identifiable by their cancellations, and each one helps to tell the story of the Force.”
To read the two-part article, which is available online for free online, visit bnaps.org/ore/Ellison-FSSF/Ellison-FSSF1.htm.