COVER N. 590 - ALGERIA

Postmark:  Annaba 13.05.2025

Posted on the  13h May; Received on the 27th May 2025

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Thanks to a bit of good string pulling by my friend the Ghost Who Walks, I opened my letterbox to find this beautiful cover sent from Algeria. Thanks a lot, Alex and let me also extend my thanks to Khaled, for a great cover to my collection. 

The Algerian War of Independence,  lasted from 1954 to 1962, the year when France finally decided there was no point in going against the tide of history and Algeria obtained its independence following negotiations that De Gaulle had started with the FNL, the Algerian National Liberation Front, in 1960.

During its course, the terrible Algerian war caused a number of Algerian causlaties that is estimated to be in between 400,000 and 1,500,000 (depending on whose numbers you give more credit, the French, or the Algerian) as well as 25,600 French Soldiers.

Its effects, though, transcended the battlefield having caused the fall of the 4th Republic in France, and the replacement of a largely parliemantary regime, (the prime-minister, head of the government, was chosen by the parliament)  with the current semi-presidential system, the 5th Republic, wherein  the president has the prerrogative of naming the head of the government .

Also the social consequences of the war arising from the unexpected and sudden return into mainland France of about  1 million descendents of  European French, those that would be pass on to history as the Pieds-Noirs, fleeing the war, were many, something we portuguese are also well aware of, since we had to deal with the same situation when about 500,000 portuguese, the so called "Retornados" returned to mainland Portugal, following the independece of our former colonies in Africa.

The main opponet of the French Army during the Independence war was the Algerian National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the FLN. 

Given the desert nature of large extensions of the Algerian territory, camel caravans were used to to ferry weapons and other essential supplies for the members of the NLA.

This fact is highlighted in the one stamp (100 Dnar) souvenir sheet issued on 04JUL2024 on the cover, which bears the legend Caravans of the National Liberation Army transporting Weapons Across the Sahara..

It should also be noted that the envelope is in total agreementg with the stamp since it is also illustrated with a similar scene.

The postmark was issued at Algerias third largest city, Annaba, located on the mediterranean coast, close to the border with Tunisia.