The French, in 1934, were the first in Europe to launch a mobile postoffice. Other countries followed soon, but it took the Dutch PTT a bit longer to get going. However, when they did, in 1939, they did it right. They just didn’t converge an old bus as other countries had done, no, they had a special bus built by Van Doorne Autofabrieken (DAF) in Eindhoven. The truck pulling the bus was a Chevrolet C.O.E. (Cab Over Engine).
The 40 ft long bus setup was very efficient. There was room for four or five clerks. Three windows were open to service the public, but it also had three phone booths, a mailbox, a self service postcard dispenser, and two self service stamp dispensers. Add to that chairs and tables and you realize how much was cramped into this small place. The truck not only pulled the bus, it served as generator as well.
The setup made its debut during the T.T motor races at Assen during June 1939. Although the actual race day was July 1, the mobile postoffice was already open the day before. A special cancel was used on all mail dropped off at the mobile postoffice.
The first experiences were very positive and the next stop was the “4 Daagsche” in Nijmegen. The “4 Daagsche’ is an event where people walk a long distance every day, four days in a row. In 1939 it took place from July 25 through July 28. Again a special cancel was used.
From Nijmegen the truck moved on to Rotterdam where on August 3 the NCRV (radio broadcasting organization) in the Feyenoord Stadium held what was called a Generaal Appèl (General Appeal). All outgoing mail was canceled with a special (red) cancel.
As can be seen from the cancels used at the various events the first three are very similar, except two dashes ( “ - ” ) in the date cancel for the Feyenoord cancel. The Olanto cancel showed a significant change; besides a date, it also shows the approximate time of day the postal piece was canceled. In the cover shown here the time of day was “25.VIII.39.12” (noon).
What happened to the bus after Olanto? On September 1, 1939 the second world war broke out but the bus was still being used during the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht end of September 1939. Since there already was a ‘regular’ postoffice at the Jaarbeurs no special cancel was used by the mobile postoffice. The outbreak of the war caused a shortage of gasoline, and it was decided to temporarily store the bus in The Hague at the RAC (Rijks Automobiel Centrale), and later in a smaller garage in Voorburg (near The Hague). It stayed there until 1994 when the bus was discovered by the Germans and claimed by them, under the promise that it would be returned. This never happened and it is assumed that the bus was destroyed during an air raid over Kassel (Germany).
It was not until 1948 that a second mobile postoffice came into use.
J.M. Hager, De Nederlandse autopostkantoren 1939-1994, Posthistorische Studies # 18, PO&PO, 1996