This page - Royal Events : Philatelic Events

Headlines - Germany invades Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France.... Dunkirk evacuation....  Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania occupied by Soviets.... Battle of Britain.... The Blitz begins.... Italy invades Greece.... Coventry hit by Luftwaffe, 568 killed.... RAF bombs Hamburg.... Hungary, Romania, Slovakia join the Axis Powers.

Royal Events

Britain in crisis and under threat of invasion. King George states that he will not leave Britain, though plans are drawn up for the evacuation of the Princesses to Canada, and for re-location of the King within Britain in the case of invasion.

10 May - George receives Chamberlain's resignation, and sends for Winston Churchill to be next Prime Minster.

9 September - Buckingham Palace first bombed. The King and Queen are resident at Windsor Castle during the nights and return to London during the day.

16 November - George visits Coventry and is dismayed by the devastation, he later has to visit many other bombed sites.

Philatelic Events

Commemoratives : Booklets : Airmail : Other : Postmarks

1 May - Change of postage rates for letters, postcards, printed papers, commercial samples, Empire rate surface letters, Foreign rate surface letters and postcards 

1 July - Change of postage rates for newspapers, parcels

Commemoratives -

6 May - Issue of Centenary of First Postage Stamps set.

Booklets -

June - 6d (series 6C) booklet issued

8 July - 2/6 (series 7) dated June 1940, booklet issued

17 July - 5/- (series 8) booklet issued

4 September - 2/6 (series 7) booklet issued

October - 2/6 (series 7) booklet issued

Airmail -

1 January - Isle of Man Air Services re-start the Liverpool / Isle of Man service.

January / February - Airmail services between London and New York via Lisbon are frequently disrupted. In the House of Commons, Captain Waterhouse (Assistant PMG) stated; "The Pan-American air service from Lisbon to New York is scheduled to operate twice each week, but I understand that owing to unfavourable weather conditions only seven flights were made during the period from 1st January to 8th February and that there have been intervals between flights of as much as 12 days. Consequently the times of transmission between London and New York have varied within wide limits, but the average time of transmission of correspondence conveyed by the flights actually made, excluding time occupied in collection and delivery, was about 14 days; the average in the reverse direction was about 12 days. I am informed that no westward flight from Lisbon has been possible since 8th February, but I am assured that mails which have accumulated at Lisbon in the meantime will be cleared as rapidly as possible when flights are resumed." Hansard 20 February.

29 February - In the House of Commons, Major Tryon [PMG] replied to a question about international airmails from the UK; "There are air mail services to most countries in the world by direct air services or by a combination of air and surface routes. Air mail correspondence for European countries (other than enemy and enemy occupied territory) is despatched daily by direct air services to France, Belgium and Holland, and correspondence for Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia and the U.S.S.R. receives onward air transmission from Holland. Air mail correspondence for most other European countries is conveyed by air to Paris and thence by surface route. Many of the air services have been subject to interruptions during the present winter and it is not possible on the basis of recent working to quote average transit times which could be regarded as representative under normal conditions.

The normal time of transit, excluding time occupied in collection, censorship (where applicable) and delivery, varies in the case of the European services, from a few hours for the service to Paris to 1 day, 3 days and 4 days for Stockholm, Moscow and Rome respectively. There are two services each week on the Empire air routes to India, Malaya, Hong Kong, Australia and East Africa and one service weekly to West and South Africa; the scheduled times of transmission are 6 days to India, 5–7 days to East Africa, 7 days to West Africa and South Africa, 8 days to Malaya and Hong Kong and 12 days to Australia. There is a twice weekly air mail service to North America by the Pan-American air service from Lisbon to New York; in the most favourable conditions transmission from London to New York should occupy only 3–4 days, but the service has been subject to interruption on account of weather conditions and the average transit time has recently been 14 days. There is a weekly air mail service to South America by a French air service from Marseilles, the correspondence being conveyed from Paris to Marseilles by surface route, and if no delay takes place at any stage of the journey the time of transmission from London to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Santiago should be 4, 5 and 6 days respectively. Air correspondence for South America may also be sent by surface route, or by air from Lisbon to New York for onward air conveyance to South America.

Air mail receives priority of treatment over other mail by the censorship and I understand that arrangements are now in progress which will, it is hoped, reduce to a minimum any delay which may be due to censorship."

March - Pan American flights to Bermuda are suspended over a disagreement concerning censorship (censor station on the island). The service to the island does not resume until November.

3 August - BOAC flying-boat Clare (G-AFCZ, piloted by Captain Kelly-Rogers), on northern route from Poole, via Foynes (where it was refuelled), Botwood (4 August), Montreal and on to New York (La Guardia - marine terminal) - official mail carried. Clare was an adapted Short C class S30 with long range fuel tanks so that in flight refuelling was not required. Return flight started on 8 August, arriving 10 August. Further flights by Clare and carrying official mail from Poole start on 14 August and 30 August. Civil and official mail is carried on the flight starting on 15 September.

August - flights start from the UK via Lisbon, Bathurst, Freetown, and Lagos.

23 September - flights to Lisbon changed from London (Heston) to Bristol (Whitchurch).

Other -

10 January - series of covers issued by Robson Lowe to celebrate the introduction of Uniform Penny Postage throughout the UK - 10 January, 1840.

18 January - In the House of Commons, 'Mr. Riley asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the regulations providing that greeting cards, Christmas and birthday cards, as well as newspapers for neutral countries, must be ordered and despatched from particular booksellers, printers and publishers, for submission to the censor, are causing great inconvenience to British subjects with friends and relatives in neutral countries; and will he consider some relaxation of these regulations?' This request was refused by Sir V. Warrender as, "the rule is necessary in the interests of national security". [From Hansard 18 January 1940].

January - shortly after the visit of King George to France, (December 1939), Sir Winston Churchill gave a speech proposing a Federal Union between France and Britain. Suggestions were then raised in France, and in letters to The Times, that an Anglo-French postage stamp should mark the close relationship between the countries.

For further information see British Philatelic Bulletin, April 1970, April, 1971, December, 1987 and January, 1988.

March - first King George VI 1½d reply paid card - and first King George VI 1½d letter card.

April - 1d postcard issued.

1940 blitz - mail was censored to stop and collect information about morale, etc., from bombed areas.

14 November - devastating bomber raid on Coventry. Incendiary bombs landed on the Head Post Office but were extinguished. A week later Birmingham's Head Post Office was hit twice.

26 December - instructions issued that mail delayed by the 'blitz' was to be impressed with a rubber handstamp DELAYED BY ENEMY ACTION. Cachet continued for about five months, (see postmarks 1 March 1941).

Postmarks -

All entries below, except those marked *, are taken from Special Event Postmarks of the United Kingdom by George R. Pearson. Published by the British Postmark Society, 1991 who give kind permission for reproduction.

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Contact : Malcolm Sanders :  kg6gb@hotmail.com