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Overprints: Orders were given by Hauptmann Gussek, the German Commandant (left later in 1940), for British stamps to be overprinted with a swastika and ‘JERSEY 1940’. Stamps (£22 4s 2d worth) were taken by the acting head postmaster, Mr Oscar F Mourant, to Messrs.J.T.Bigwoods, the printers for the States of Jersey, in mid July. Proofs were made on the George VI definitive range, Postal Centenary stamps (½d, 1½d, 2d, 2½d and 3d), the Edward VIII 1½d, and the 2s6d, 5s and 10s values. The Bailiff of Jersey, Sir Alexander Coutanche, protested to Captain Gussek about this intention to deface the King’s head and the matter was referred to Berlin. Berlin had no wish to antagonise the Islanders and instructions were issued for the stamps to be destroyed. Very few copies escaped - there are many fakes. In Guernsey it was suggested that Guernsey's bisected stamps should be overprinted with a swastika and specimens were sent to Berlin. Again this was rejected and only a few of the specimens escaped destruction.
On Guernsey, supplies of stamps soon began to run out, especially the ½d and 1d local rate stamps. The German authorities suggested that 2d stamps should be bisected diagonally until new stamps could be produced. This was authorised on 24 December, 1940 with the first cancellations occurring on 27 December after the Christmas holiday. 5 stamps were officially bisected - the 2d definitive, (est 16,000); 2d postal centenary, (est 100,000); the 2d King George V 1912-22 and 1924-26 (est 600); and the 1934 2d (est 500) which were in the hands of private collectors, but still valid for postal use. These bisects were used until 22 February, 1941 (22 was a Saturday, so many covers were cancelled on 24 February). Many were sent by philatelists. Several thousand unaddressed covers were produced to order by a German officer who obtained George VI 2d stamps from Germany. After the Liberation, these covers went back to Germany and then on to a London stamp dealer - most of these covers have since had names and addresses added. Postmarks on bisects are known from the Head Post Office (fakes known dated 2 JA 41) and for the following sub-offices : Braye Road, Cobo, Les Gravées, Market Place (fakes known dated 19 FE 41 and 7 AP 41), St.Andrew, St.Martin's, St.Peter in the Wood, St.Sampson's (fakes known dated 27 DE 40), St.Saviour's, The Vale (fakes known dated 18 FE 41) and Ville au Roi. There is 1 known example of a used 2½d bisect, and a few 1d bisects being used as ½d - though used without surcharge, these were not authorised. Jersey did not issue bisects.
Occupation stamps: Realising that new stamps would eventually have to be produced, various trial essays were made, on the Islands starting in 1940. Guernsey - It was decided in October 1940 to issue locally produced stamps in Guernsey. The Guernsey Press Company was asked to print the stamps. Mr E.W.Vaudin, the company artist, prepared a design. As the King's head would obviously be unacceptable to the Germans, he used the Arms of Guernsey, (3 lions on shield - also the Arms of the Sovereign of England). The designs were sent to Paris for German approval, this decision was delayed until February, 1941, hence the need for Guernsey to issue bisected stamps in the meantime. Mr Charles H.Toms prepared the printing plate for 30 1d stamps. Sheets of 60 (6x10) were produced by printing the top half first, then the bottom, (some sheets have the 5th and 6th rows mis-aligned due to the inaccuracy of the automatic printing press). The first printing used pre-war Samuel Jones paper already gummed. For later printings and values, the paper was locally gummed by being brushed by hand. The sheets were rouletted 7, (or 14 due to blunt points).
The ½d and 2½d stamps were later printed in sheets of 60 from two joined plates of 30. The 1d stamp was first issued on 18 February, 1941 - there were 15 printings during the issue. The ½d stamp was issued on 7 April, 1941 - 13 printings during the issue. The 2½d stamp was issued on 12 April, 1941 with a restriction of 10 copies per person - there were 4 printings.
Quantities produced - ½d - 750,000 printed; 1d, 1,000,000. On 12 May 1942, the acting head postmaster reported to the Bailiff that supplies of stamps of other values were running out. The President of the Island's Essential Supplies Committee, Major E P Le Masurier, also reported to Feldkommandant Colonel Knackfuss that supplies of paper for new stamps was nearly exhausted. Colonel Knackfuss contacted his Military Commander who said that paper could be supplied for new stamps. In late 1942 / early 1943 Colonel Knackfuss suggested to the Bailiff that a new series of stamps based on local views should be issued, and the acting head postmaster was contacted to initiate this. Edmund Blampied, a Jersey artist was paid to prepare designs of views of Jersey, (the drawings are in the National Postal Museum). On 7 January 1943, a Dr Casper of the OKVR (war administration department) signed approval for the new designs. It was decided that the stamps would be produced in Paris (who by and why?) and photographs of the designs were taken there by Major Le Masurier to be handed over to the Manager of the State Printing Works. A French engraver, Henri Cortot, amended the photographed designs to a design suitable for reproduction - both his and Blampied's names appear on the stamps. The ½d shows Old Jersey Manor Farm; 1d Portelet Bay; 1½d La Corbière lighthouse; 2d Elizabeth Castle; 2½d Mont Orgueil Castle; 3d Gathering vraic (seaweed) near La Rocco tower, St.Oen’s Bay. Essays were examined and amended during February and March, 1943. The stamps were printed at the French Government Printing Works in Paris. The size was originally proposed as 25 x 20 mm, but this was considered to be too small. A size of 27 x 21 mm was then proposed and accepted, though this required the purchase of special machinery. Perf 13½. The proposal that sheets of 100 stamps would be produced was also rejected as penny values were easier to calculate in 60's or 120's. Finally they were printed in sheets of 120 with 4 panes of 30 (10 rows x 3) then separated into two sheets of 60 (2 panes of 30 side by side). The ½d and 1d were issued on 1 June, 1943; the 1½d and 2d on 8 June, 1943; the 2½d and 3d on 29 June, 1943. Quantities issued:
The Jersey Post Office paid the French Government Printing Works 85,000 francs for the work.
Franks Postage stamps ran out at various times in both Guernsey and Jersey and PAID franks were used. On 13 April, 1945 all the local stamps on Guernsey had run out and a meter frank was used until liberation in May.
German Feldpost The first occupying forces were from the 216th Infantry Division. Soldier's post was collected and sent to the feld post office (Feldpostamt) for the division based at Montmartin-sur-Mer in France. The division's code 205, can be found as the last three digits left of the date in the date stamp. A feldpostamt was set up in Falle's shop at 12-14 Beresford Street in Jersey on 8 January, 1941. As the 216th Division were replaced by the 319th Infantry Division, a new code, 712, was used on Jersey. A feldpostamt was established in Le Jardinet, Guernsey, using the code 937. All civilian mail to the continent went through these offices to areas controlled by the Germans - 25pf for letters and 15pf for postcards. German soldiers were able to use free letter sheets. Letters from Germany to soldiers on the Islands were sent at the German internal rate of 12pf for letters an 6pf for postcards. Letters from Guernsey were taken to Granville where a 1f50 French stamp was affixed and cancelled and the letter sent on by the French Post Office. In Jersey, German stamps were used. In November, 1941, the skipper of the SS Normand ( a Jersey man) was put in jail for carrying unofficial letters to France from Jersey and posting them in that country. From January, 1943, parcels up to 15kg were allowed to be sent to internees. Declaration forms were obtainable from Post Offices, with parcels being handed in to the German FPO's. The Feldpost in Jersey was closed for several weeks after D-Day, then re-opened on 1st August, 1944.
Red Cross Mail From October, 1940 Red Cross communications were established. At first only a name and address could be transmitted. By the end of 1940 messages of not more than 25 words were allowed. The forms were censored at the Feldcommandantur office and then forwarded to the Red Cross Bureau. From spring 1941, one message per family per month was allowed - 10,000 monthly average of sent messages. Codes were often used in the messages such as ‘Uncle Joe’ and ‘Uncle Jerry’. In December 1940 the first Red Cross messages arrived in the Islands. 3 types of Forms were used - 1. Supplied by the Comité International de la Croix Rouge at Geneva were printed in English, French and German. Spaces for names and addresses for enquirer and addressee and for the message. The reply was to be written on the back.
Internee Mail Approximately 2000 civilians were deported to Germany during 1942 / 1943. Mail from temporary camps was sent from Compiègne and St.Denis in France, and Stalag VIF, Dorsten in Germany. Internee camps were established at Biberach/Riß (Ilag VB); Wurzach/Allgäu (Ilag VC); and Libenau in Württemberg - Laufen Obb (Ilag VII) in Bavaria - Kreuzburg (Ilag VIIIZ) in Silesia - and Walzburg-Weissenburg (Ilag XIII) in Bavaria.
Postmarks There were 13 postmarks for Guernsey - Smith Street, St.Peter Port (the main Post Office) and 12 sub offices - Braye Road - Cobo - Forest - Les Gravées - Market Place - St.Andrews - St.Martin's - St.Peter-in-the-Wood - St.Sampson's - St.Saviour's - The Vale - Ville-au-Roi. There was also a sub-office at Sark. During 1941, as the postmaster at the main office in St.Peter Port did not have a replacement '1' for the cancelling machine, the '0' of 1940 was cut in half. For the following years the final digit was re-made. There were 22 postmarks for Jersey - St.Helier (the main Post Office) and 21 sub offices - Augres - Beaumont - Beresford Street - Carrefour Selous - Cheapside - Faldouet - First Tower - Five Oaks - Georgetown - Greve d'Azette - Havre de Pas - La Roque - Millbrook - St.Aubin's - St.Brelade's Bay - St.Martin's - St.Mary's - St.Ouen's - St.Peter's - Sion - Stopford Road.
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Contact : Malcolm Sanders : kg6gb@hotmail.com
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