The Postage Stamp in War

It may be well to give a brief outline of the methods of the Army Postal Service, that its work may be better known and understood. In addressing letters to the troops it is important to give the full military particulars of the addressee, viz:—Regimental number, rank, name, squadron, battery or company, battalion, regiment (or other unit), staff appointment or department, and title of the Expeditionary Force. With these details set out clearly on the envelope, the work of the Army Postal Service is facilitated and the letter stands every chance of going through without delay.

In France, as the postmarks already illustrated denote, the British Army Postal Service has several grades of post offices. The chief is the Base Post Office, the principal sorting establishment for all mail matter passing between our British Post Office and the Army Postal Service. The Base Office is quite a large concern and has a vast amount of clerical work to perform. In it letters are sorted, letters taking precedence over all other mail matter, after which the newspapers, and lastly the parcels are dealt with. Accounts of all the branch post offices are filed and the general routines and formulae of the Post Office at home are adhered to in detail. Letters, etc., for services, departments and units at the base are put into callers' boxes for delivery to the post orderlies. Those for more distant services and units are forwarded to the various grades of branch offices.

At the Base Office one of the most complicated and difficult tasks is the re-direction of letters. Here are kept hospital lists, giving names of men away from their units in hospital, and these hospital rolls are revised weekly. Here also records have to be kept of the movements of the units, and these records are constantly in process of revision, and frequent communication is maintained with every branch office in the field.

From the Base Office mails for field units are forwarded to the Advanced Base Post Office, which in its turn distributes them to the Field Post Offices serving the units to which the letters are addressed. There are several kinds of field post offices; those "with train" are attached to the headquarters of each train, and handle the letters of the units served by the train. Branch field post offices are attached to the general headquarters, and to the headquarters of armies, divisions, and brigades. Then there are stationary field post offices at various points on the line of communication, and in some cases travelling post offices on railway lines.

It devolves upon the Director of Army Postal Services, who is represented at general headquarters, and at the headquarters of each Army by an Assistant Director, to organise the service, and to supply to the various offices the information necessary to ensure the proper circulation of the mails. This, especially in a campaign like the present, is a delicate task, often complicated by the restrictions necessary in military policy to preserve secrecy as to the movements of the troops.

Naval Postmarks. Of the naval postal arrangements, reference has already been made to the cancellations used on letters originating with the British Fleet in the Baltic during the Crimean War (Fig. 20). Special navy post offices were in the early days established by local postmasters at various ports as a link between the land service and the Fleet in home waters. The letters were marked with Fig. 44, and the local postmaster collected an extra penny charge upon such letters for delivery to ships lying in the harbour or roadstead.

The late Mr. W. G. Hendy, of the Muniment Room, records that with the introduction of Uniform Penny Postage (1840) it was decided so far as Portsmouth was concerned, that such letters should be delivered free in the harbour as far as Spithead; but it was not until May, 1852, that the practice of charging the extra penny for delivery was abolished at Devonport and Plymouth, and free delivery extended to all vessels lying in the harbour (Hamoaze), although not to vessels lying in Plymouth Sound. The following are types of postmarks used after free delivery was granted. (Figs. 45, 46.)

The same authority states that a privilege was accorded to non-commissioned officers, seamen, and soldiers of sending and receiving within any part of the British dominions, under certain regulations, letters on their own concerns only, not exceeding half an ounce, at the rate of one penny each. Such letters had to be superscribed with the name of the seaman or soldier, his class and description, the name of the ship or regiment to which he belonged; and if they were the writers of the letters, they had to be countersigned by the officer commanding. When this regulation was not complied with letters were charged as ordinary, and postmarked with Fig. 47.

No doubt there are many more postmarks with a naval interest, including those valued by collectors as indicating stamps on letters originating in the various naval stations abroad from 1858 to 1870, recognised by the following letters and numbers:—

• A79 to A89. Pacific Naval Stations.
• A90 to A99. Atlantic Naval Stations.
• B03, B12, B56. African Naval Stations.
• B53 (Mauritius), B62 and C79 (Hong Kong), B64 (Seychelles).
• Also "B", "H", and the date stamp in the case of "Ascension".

In the present war the naval postmarks promise to be of exceptional interest. The postmarks for both Army and Navy give no clue to the locality in which the correspondence originates; this, of course, applies to mails coming from the field or area of operations; there is no occasion to disguise place of origin of letters going out to sailors or soldiers. Most of the naval marks at present in use bear no inscriptions of any kind, though there is a type inscribed Fleet Post Office (Fig. 48).

Even the machine cancellation, doubtless used in some large centre of naval concentration, has had bars (or type turned base upwards) in lieu of the lettering and date (Fig. 49).

Other naval marks introduced in the present campaign, in accordance no doubt with a secret code, are in various devices, such as a propeller, a target, and various arrangements of rings, etc. (Figs. 50-57).

Chapter II.

The Army Postal Service forms a highly organised branch of the Indian Army organisation. It dates from 1878-1880, when, during the Afghan War, a mail cart route was set up between Peshawar and Jellalabad, and a horse post was conducted thence to Kabul, in all about 176 miles. Jhelum and Peshawar were also connected by rail, a military transport train being run by the Post Office between these points. Even earlier than this date there were postal arrangements for Indian Expeditionary Forces, including that operating in Abyssinia (1867-68), the type of postmark being lettered F.F. (Field Force), as in Fig. 58.

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.).

The postmarks used on the expedition were Fig. 62 for the base office, and Fig. 63 for the advanced base, similar marks inscribed at top "FIELD P.O. No. ..." or "F.P.O. No. ..." or single line circular marks inscribed F.P.O. (Figs. 64, 65). There are also a single-line circular date mark of the base office, and registered marks (Fig. 66).

Fig. 67 illustrates the postmark of the present base post office of the Indian troops in China, located at Tientsin.

On the suppression of the Boxer rising the troops of the Allies were in occupation of Chihli, and the Pekin Shanhaikwan railway was divided up between the English, Japanese, Germans and Russians. By February, 1901, the administration of the whole of the line was in the hands of the British, but it was under the control of a Board consisting of a British director and two deputies, one German and the other Japanese.

At this period the Allies had about 100,000 men in Chihli, but the British troops were stationed at various stations on the line. To facilitate the prompt delivery of the letters of these British troops, the postal superintendent of the British force applied for a sorting van to be attached to the train so that letters could be dealt with en route.... To this application the reply was that no concession could be given to the British which was not given to all the other forces, and that as the service was then restricted to one train a day, such a concession might result in the train consisting largely of mail vans. But to meet the general convenience, subject to the British postal authorities undertaking to receive and deliver the letters of all nationalities posted at the stations or in a box attached to the van, thus making the service international, a van was placed at their disposal from April 20, 1901. The new facilities were announced in the circular, of which a facsimile is given (Fig. 68), and the extra fee was collected by surcharging and selling a number of ½ cent Chinese stamps "B.R.A. 5 Five Cents" in black or green (Fig. 69). The B.R.A. stands for British Railway Administration.

Indian stamps were also used by the forces engaged in the Somaliland campaign of 1903-4, at first without overprint, of which the following are types of the postmarks (Figs. 71, 72):

and during 1903 stamps of India appeared overprinted for use in British Somaliland (Fig. 73).

Colonel Younghusband's mission to the Tibetan Government was accompanied by army postal service which set up its base in the Chumbi valley, and during the occupation of the forbidden city a field post office was set up at Lhassa. Indian stamps used on this mission are recognisable by the postmarks of Lhassa, including two mis-spellings of the name LAHASSA (Fig. 74), and LAHSSA (Fig. 75).

The Indian forces in South Africa also had their own postal establishment, with a special series of postmarks.

In the present campaign the Indian forces are accompanied by fully-equipped field postal arrangements, and following up the precedent of the China Expeditionary Force, the Indian Expeditionary Force in Europe is furnished with a set of current Indian postage stamps, cards, etc., overprinted I.E.F. (Figs. 76-85). The Indian troops enjoy free postage on unregistered letters and postcards posted to the United Kingdom, France, and India, but correspondence to all other countries, such as Switzerland, Holland, Scandinavia, and the rest of the world has to be prepaid with I.E.F. stamps, as also the parcels and registered letters for all countries.

The next figure (85a) illustrates the type of base post office mark used in France, and no doubt similar marks are being used on these stamps supplied to the Indian forces engaged in Egypt and elsewhere during the present war. Fig. 85b although not definitely identified is probably an Indian army postmark in use in France.

The first instalment of the "I.E.F." Indian stamps issued to troops included:

and the following supplies of postcards and envelopes.

Chapter III.

Transvaal. The stamps of the Transvaal illustrate the important changes through which the country has passed during the past forty years. Fig. 86 represents an early stamp of the Republic, while the next figure (Fig. 87) is just one example of several denoting the annexation of the country by the British in 1877. There are several types of the "V.R. Transvaal" overprint, as in Figs. 88-90.

A great blow to British prestige was struck in 1881, and the result of the disaster of Majuba Hill was the establishment of a Second Republic which in its turn overprinted the Queen Victoria stamps with a Dutch inscription "Een Penny" (Fig. 92), subsequently returning to the original Arms design of South African Republic stamps (Fig. 86).

Just before the outbreak of the last South African War in 1899 the ascendancy of President Kruger had led to the ambition to see his features depicted upon the postage stamps of his country, and a new stamp design (Fig. 93) was prepared for this purpose, and a special paper was manufactured watermarked Z.A.R. (Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek) as illustrated in Fig. 94. But the stamp was never issued, and the quantity of the "Z.A.R." paper was sold and used for purposes very different from that for which it was prepared. In 1900, after the late Lord Roberts' march to Pretoria, the contemporary South African Transvaal stamps came under British control again, and were issued at first with the overprinted initials of Queen Victoria, V.R.I. (Fig. 95), and later of King Edward, E.R.I. (Fig. 96). These were superseded in due course by the London printed issue of Transvaal stamps bearing the portrait of King Edward (Fig. 97).

Orange River Colony. On March 17, 1900, Field Marshal Lord Roberts issued the following

The stamps of the Orange Free State were successively overprinted "V.R.I." and "E.R.I." (Fig. 98), and later on new stamps were issued with the portrait of King Edward (Fig. 99).

Cape of Good Hope stamps were also used in the new Colony with a special overprint reading "Orange River Colony" (Fig. 100).

A sixpence blue stamp of the Orange Free State (type of Fig. 98) was in readiness for issue at Bloemfontein when the British forces took over the control, and a few of these escaped the "V.R.I." overprint. The stamp is familiar to collectors with the overprint, and strictly speaking, without the overprint it has no record of postal use.

A type-set label was issued by the Orange Free State early in the war to indicate the franking of official correspondence probably on military service. The stamp has a border of fancy type ornament and simple type inscriptions in three lines "IN DIENST—R.D.M.—O.V.S."

The so-called "Commando Brief" stamp alleged to have franked the correspondence of burghers on commando is a bogus production.

Krugersdorp. The South African Republic stamps alleged to have been used in this Transvaal town with V.R.I typewritten across them are believed to be purely fictitious creations.

Kuruman. During the siege of this town in British Bechuanaland Cape of Good Hope stamps were overprinted "KURUMAN BESIEGED" and the date, but they are not fully credited by philatelists as bonâ fide issues.

Lydenburg. During the temporary occupation of this South African Republic Town in September, 1900, the stamp commemorative of penny postage (Fig. 101) was surcharged "V.R.I. 1d." and the ordinary Transvaal stamps were locally overprinted "V.R.I." (Fig. 102). The values are ½d. green, 1d. carmine and green, 2d. brown, 2½d. blue, 3d. on 1d. carmine and green, 4d. sage green and deep green, 6d. lilac and green, 1s. ochre and green.

Mafeking. During the memorable siege of Mafeking, a Bechuanaland town but under the Cape postal administration, arrangements were made for a local post, and for occasional transmission of letters to Cape Colony, Natal, Rhodesia, and the United Kingdom. The postal arrangements of the town had only been transferred to the Cape Colony shortly before the siege, a fact which explains the variety of Bechuanaland and Cape stamps available in the town during the siege. Payment of postage at the special rates chargeable for the service in the town and beyond was payable in the stamps of either "British Bechuanaland," "Bechuanaland Protectorate," or of the Cape overprinted "Mafeking—Besieged," and the new value (Figs. 103-114). As will be noticed from the illustrations, the Bechuanaland stamps were chiefly created by overprinting the name "BRITISH BECHUANALAND" or "BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE" on English stamps.

The foregoing stamps were chiefly used for letters sent by native runners who had to dodge through the enemy's lines and get either to Buluwayo in the north or Kimberley in the south. A special penny and a threepence stamp were prepared by a photographic process in the town, and these form the most interesting philatelic souvenirs of the South African War. The penny stamp, designed by Dr. W. A. Hayes, shows a portrait of Sergeant-Major Goodyear, of the Cadet Corps (Fig. 115), and there are two sizes of threepence stamp, designed by Captain Greener, the Chief Paymaster, showing a portrait of the gallant defender of Mafeking, General Baden Powell.

Pietersburg. This town in the north of the Transvaal provided an interesting set of type-set provisional stamps during the Boer occupation, from March until April 9, 1901, when the British troops occupied the town and district. The stamps, which were but roughly printed in the office of De Zoutpansberg Wachter in the town, are inscribed "POSTZEGEL" at top "Z. AFR. REP." at each side, and "1901" at foot. The value is expressed in figures and word in the rectangular opening of the frame of printer's rule (Fig. 118). The values issued were ½d. green, 1d. rose, 2d. orange, 4d. blue, 6d. green, and 1s. yellow, and owing to the crudity of the printing, specialists find a very extensive range of minor technical varieties amongst this issue of six denominations.

Rustenburg. After the relief of the British garrison by Baden Powell's force in June, 1900, the British hand-stamped South African Republic stamps with the sans serif initials V.R. in violet, the values known being ½d. green, 1d. carmine and green, 2d. brown and green, 2½d. blue and green, 3d. purple and green, 6d. lilac and green, 1s. ochre and green, 2s. 6d. dull violet and green (Fig. 119).

Schweizer Renecke. This Transvaal hamlet, in which a British force under Colonel Chamier was besieged from August 19, 1900, to January 9, 1901, overprinted some Cape of Good Hope ½d. and 1d. and Transvaal ½d., 1d., 2d., and 6d. stamps with a handstamp, reading "BESIEGED" in violet, but this scarcely alters the postal status of the stamps (Fig. 120).

Volksrust. Here also in June, 1900, a number of Boer stamps were overprinted "V.R.I." in serif letters. The stamps used for the overprinting were fiscal stamps of the type of Fig. 121, converted for postal use by the overprint "POSTZEGEL" (postage stamp) (Fig. 122). The values overprinted V.R.I. were 1d. pale blue, 6d. carmine, 1s. olive-bistre, 1s. 6d. brown, 2s. 6d. purple.

Vryburg. In November, 1899, the Boers occupied this town in Griqualand West, and they surcharged some of our Cape Colony stamps in stock there with the initials of the South African Republic (Z.A.R.) and a new value (Figs. 124, 125, 129).

The town was retaken by the British in May, 1900, and certain stamps of the South African Republic left behind by the Boers were overprinted with an English inscription (Figs. 126-128).