1945
 

 

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This page - Royal Events : Philatelic Events

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 Headlines - Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin at Yalta Conference.... US/British victories in Far East.... Horrors of concentration camps broadcast.... Roosevelt dies; Truman President.... Mussolini hanged.... Hitler commits suicide.... V-E Day.... British take over Lebanon, Syria.... Germany divided by Allies.... Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.... V-J Day.... US occupy southern.... Korea, Soviets occupy north.... United Nations founded. 

Royal Events

8 May : Victory in Europe Day - ecstatic crowds stand at Buckingham Palace to greet the Royal family and the Prime Minister. The King makes a broadcast in the evening.

Visit to the liberated Channel Islands.

5 July - election day and the surprise defeat of Winston Churchill, (announced 25 July). Clement Atlee (Labour) becomes the new Prime Minister. George is naturally very saddened to see Winston go.

15 August : Victory over Japan - George gives his thanks to all who served and those who suffered, he goes on to remind the people of the need to now rebuild the nation and the Commonwealth.

Philatelic Events

Airmail : Other : Postmarks

As the war came to an end at the start of 1945, many people considered how victory would be celebrated. The idea of a special stamp issue was widely supported, but all efforts continued to be focussed on finishing the war and the country was in a very bad economic situation - the idea that a stamp issue would raise funds from abroad seems to have been rejected. Victory postmarks went ahead using dies that had been issued back in 1943, but stamps would have to wait.

Cover for VJ Day with rarer 15 August (a Bank Holiday) Victory bells postmark >

Many members of the public submitted calls for Victory stamps to the Post Office - some even sent in their own designs.

Airmail -

 

Map showing British Transport Command Air Routes in 1945. Routes for British military, and official service air mails.

 

March - 1½d forces air-letter on sale. Use extended from 13 July to send to forces in Australia, New Zealand and South West Pacific area, replacing the 6d air letter.

 

29 March - announcement that all 1½d prepaid letters up to 1 ounce, and 1d prepaid postcards to be sent by airmail to armed forces in British Northern Africa, Central Mediterranean, Malta, Middle East, Persia, Iraq, East Africa, Aden, Gibraltar and the Palestine Police Force. [see also 27 April].

 

21 April - first civil air service between London and Scotland since outbreak of war. Railway Air Services daily Croydon - Prestwick.

 

27 April - airmail [see 29 March] now extended to West Africa, Northern and Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and South Africa. 

 

June - special airmails sent to services overseas for the Parliamentary Election. Envelopes printed in red with 'Official Paid' frank in red containing ballot paper, declaration of identity, airmail envelopes for return, and information about the candidates. No despatch date postmarks, but most mail backstamped.

 

2 July - Scottish Airways commence Stornoway to Glasgow (one way only) 'Airway Letter' service. Cachet applied. 4d fee. (Until 1947 when Scottish Airways taken over by BEA).

 

3 July - new air service between Gothenburg and London.

 

9 July - end of airgraph service to Canada.

 

31 July - end of the airgraph service

 

9 August - airmail accepted for Iceland; 5d first ounce, 3d each additional ounce, postcards 2½d.

 

6 September - airmail accepted for Dodecanese Islands; 5d first ounce, 3d each additional ounce, postcards 2½d.

 

7 September - airmail accepted for France and Switzerland; 5d first ounce, 3d each additional ounce, postcards 2½d.

 

10 September - resumption of first class airmail to Channel Islands. Mail carried by Channel Islands Airways Ltd, formed from the pre-war Jersey Airways and Guernsey Airways

 

14 September - airmail accepted for all-air services to  Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Portuguese East Africa, Reunion, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzibar; 1/3 per ½ ounce for letters, postcards 7d, air-letters 6d, (except Madagascar and Reunion).

 

25 September - limited airmail service to Australia and New Zealand (arriving in NZ on 5 October) for businesses only. Maximum we