CANADIAN FORCES EXERCISE RENDEZVOUS 89
This item comes from Dave Hanes who recently acquired the
illustrated cover and says it is hard to come by.
A special philatelic cover was issued to commemorate RENDEZVOUS
89, a Canadian Armed Forces division level army field
training exercise at Camp Wainwright, Alberta.
The concentration took place from 14 April to 12 June 1989,
under the direction of Lt.-General James A Fox, CMM, CD, Commander
of Mobile Command (FMC). Overall, 15,000 military personnel,
and more than 5,000 vehicles and aircraft from 40
units across Canada met for training. The U.S. Army with more
than 1,800 troops also took part.
The RV cover depicts the stylized blue and red logo of RV 89
as designed by the Graphic Arts Section at FMC Headquarters.
The 38 cents postage stamp was cancelled with a special and
unique bilingual postmark bearing MPO 515, FMC logo, 4 MAY 89
and CAMP WAINWRIGHT, AB.
This was the fifth and last in the series of RENDEZVOUS EXERCISES
which began at CFB Gagetown, N.B. in 1981, and also the
fifth and last of the RV series of philatelic covers. Only
one style of cover was produced for RV 89.
RV 89 was served by four Military Post Offices: MPO 511, for 1
Canadian Brigade; MPO 515, for 5e Brigade du Canada; MPO 513,
for FMC Division Troops; and MPO 512, for the RV Postal
Detachment and Third Line Units. Historically, all these
MPO's had been activated for use except MPO 515 which had
never been used. MPO 511 was first used on 22 June 1959, 30
years ago; MPO 512 on 15 May 1983 and MPO 513 on 15 April
1985.