Ships – Stamp Digest

Centenary of End of World War I – Philatelic rundown of a deadly period

November 12, 2018November 12, 2018stampdigestLeave a comment

Centenary of End of World War I – Philatelic rundown of a deadly period.

A Killing in Sarajevo on 28 Jun 1914 led to a deadly War in Europe from 28 Jul 1914 to 11 Nov 1918. It led to mobilisation of 70 million military personnel and death of nine million combatants and seven million civilians.

The Allied Powers – France,Russia,Britain and USA vs Central Powers -Germany,Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empire were pitched against each other in various battle grounds across Europe and elsewhere.

On 02 Aug 1914 , the 29th German Infantry Regiment stormed Luxembourg City.This was one of the Beginnings of World War I. Artist Pierre Blanc captured this storming in a pen drawing (now part of National Museum of History and Art in Luxembourg) which features on a stamp issued by Luxembourg on 23 Sep 2014 to remind us of the start of World War I.

FDC LUXEMBOURG WWI — FDC LUXEMBOURG -100 YEARS START OF WWI

Zeebrugge Raid – The Zeebrugge raid on 23 April 1918 was an attempt by Royal Navy to block the Belgian Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge. The British intended to sink obsolete ships in canal entrance to prevent German vessels including Submarines from leaving the port and interfere in Allied control of English Channel and North Sea. British Ships HMS Thetis, Intrepid and Iphigenia were used as block ships alongwith Submarines C1 and C3 and 4th Battalion of Royal marines. Submarine C3 commended by Lt R D Sanford was able to blow viaduct with an explosion and he was awarded Victoria Cross for this action. Allied promoted Zebrugge Raid as a Victory and eight Victoria Cross were awarded including a Victoria Cross for the entire 4th Battalion of Royal Marines.

British Forces Postal service a special cover on 23 Apr 1973 to mark 55th Anniversary of Zeebrugge Raid.

COVER DEBRUGGE RAID — COVER ZEEBRUGGE RAID -WW I

Victoria Cross awarded to Royal Naval Aviators for actions in World War I

Flight Lieutenant Reginald ‘Rex’ Warneford VC of Royal Navy was awarded Victoria Cross for his actions over Ghent ,Belgium on 07 jun 1918 by attacking and destroying German Zeppelin LZ37.

Squadron Commander Richard Bell Davies was awarded Victoria Cross for his heroic actions of saving his colleague Smylie at Ferrijik,Bulgaria in his single seater Nieuport on 19 Nov 1915.

Ascension Islands issued a set of stamps on these Victoria Cross awardees on 07 May 2009.

FDC ASCENCION IS VC WWI — FDC ASCENCION ISLANDS VICTORIA CROSS- WWI -NAVAL AVIATION.

Indians in World War I

Indian Army Personnel were awarded 18 Victoria Crosses in World War I in various sectors.

France -Belgium sector (10 Victoria Cross)- including Three Victoria Crosses to 39 Garhwal Rifles

Mesopotamia Sector (06 Victoria Cross)

Palestine Sector (02 Victoria Cross).

Battle of Jerusalem 1917

General Allenby also mentions in his report that he and his staff with mission heads and military attaches of France,Italy and USA entered the city on foot and received at Jaffa gate by Guards representing England,Scotland,Ireland,Wales, Australia, New Zealand, India ,France & Italy.

He received Christian,Jewish & Muslim Community Leaders to ensure sanctity and protection to all holy sites and even sent his Indian Muslim Soldiers to guard Islamic religious sites.

Israel issued a stamp on Centenary of this historic Battle 13 Jun 2017 . A First Day Cover is listed. The stamp shows the sergeants,Mayor of Jerusalm and General Allenby entering Jerusalem on Foot. The Cover also features the Allenby Memorial at Jerusalem.

ISR FDC ALLENBY — FDC ISRAEL -BATTLE OF JERUSALEM 1917 -WW I

Haifa Day

The Indian Army commemorates September 23 every year as Haifa Day to pay its respects to the two brave Indian Cavalry Regiments Mysore Lancers and Jodhpur Lancers that helped liberate the city following a dashing cavalry action by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade. In the autumn of 1918, the Indian Brigade was a part of the Allied Forces sweeping northwards through Palestine in what is seen as the last great cavalry campaign in history.

Israel issued a stamp on 06 Feb 2018 to commemorate the Centenary of Battle of Haifa with Indian Cavalry at Haifa.The Tab shows the Jodhpur Lancers insignia.

The First Day Cover Design Features the Memorial for fallen Indian Soldiers at Haifa.

IND CAV IN HAIFA — INDIAN CAVALRY IN HAIFA -WWI 1917.

Light Houses of Estonia on Stamps

October 14, 2018October 14, 2018stampdigestLeave a comment

Light Houses of Estonia on Stamps

Estonia issued a set of stamps on Light Houses.

05 Jul 1995 –Pakri Lighthouse– Located in Pakri Peninsula on the coast of Baltic Sea,Harju County

25 Sep 1996 – Vaindloo Lighthouse– located in Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland.This lighthouse serves as signal on the shipping route between the Estonian town of Kunda and Finnish town of Porvoo.

11 Feb 1997 – Ruhnu Lighthouse-Located on the Island of Ruhnu (Gulf of Riga)

20 Jan 1999 – Vilsandi Lighthouse -Located in the island of Vilsandi on the coastline of Baltic sea in Saare County

ESTONIA LT HOUSES PAKRI — ESTONIA LIGHT HOUSES PAKRI

ESTONIA LT HOUSES VILSANDI — ESTONIA LIGHT HOUSES VAINDLOO & RUHNU

ESTONIA LT HOUSES VILSANDI1 — ESTONIA LIGHT HOUSES VILSANDI

Inauguration of Niuafo’ou Airport – Tonga Tin Can Mail Study Circle 1983

September 4, 2018September 4, 2018stampdigestLeave a comment

Inauguration of Niuafo’ou Airport – Tonga Tin Can Mail Study Circle 1983

The Inauguration of Niuafo’ou airport in 1983 marks the end of Tin Can Mail.Tonga issued a set of Four stamps on 11 May 1983 to mark the inauguration of airport.

Tonga Tin Can Mail study Circle issued a First Day Cover with a 29s stamp which has Tin Can Mail Printed on the stamp. This stamp was not part of four stamps issued on airport but printed separately ????.

The Cover is listed. Stamps shows a De Havilland Twin Otter Aircraft.

FDC TONGA TIN CAN MAIL STUDY CIRCLE 1983

Museums in Guernsey – First Day Cover Guernsey 1986

September 4, 2018September 4, 2018stampdigestLeave a comment

Museums in Guernsey – First Day Cover Guernsey 1986

On 18 Nov 1986 Guernsey issued a set of Four stamps on 100 Years of Museums in Guernsey (1886-1986). The Four Museums featured on the stamps are

14p – Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery

29p- Fort Grey Maritime Museum

31p -Castle Cornet

34p – National Trust of Guernsey Folk Museum

A First Day Cover is listed.

Tin Can Mail – Centenary – First Day Cover Tonga

September 4, 2018September 4, 2018stampdigestLeave a comment

Tin Can Mail – Centenary – First Day Cover Tonga 1982

Kingdom of Tonga in South Pacific has a large number of Islands and one of them Niuafo’ou is very special in history of Philately and Mail .It is commonly known as Tin Can Mail Island for the way the mail was sent and delivered. The Concept of Tin Can mail was started in 1882 by William Travers when he realized as a plantation manager that he had no means to receive mail from outside world .The Island had no harbour as it was very steep and ships would not come. Then he tied up with Tonga Postal authorities to get the mail thrown overboard the ships in ships Biscuit tins and a swimmer from Island would swim for almost six hours and collect the mail and also deliver the outgoing mail.

Prior to this even Rocket Mail was tried mail fired through a rocket from the ship -but it was not successful.Slowly this Tin Can Mail became popular and ships with passengers would come to see this Mail Delivery system.

Arthur Tindall who traded in his ship and had established Coconut plantation at Niuafoou had a major role in Tin Can Mail (TCM) history. He used ships of Union Steamship company of Auckland to pick and deliver mail from 1902 to 1918. Later Tindall invited Charles Stuart Ramsey who acted as famous ” Swimming mailman of Tin Can Island” for 12 years-112 swims for postal delivery with natives from 1921 onwards.

Niuafo’ou PO cancellation on mail during 1920s was circular date but ramsey did not use any catchet hence not much is known about exact mail dates. However use of of simple cachet “TIN CAN MAIL” & “NIUAFOOU” is known since 1927 after arrival of Walter George Quensell a German trader on the Island.

Ramsey and Quensell became competitors .In April-1931 a swimmer was attacked by a shark and mail delivery by swimmers was suspended and stopped in Jul 1931 . After that delivery resumed as ” Canoe Mail” from Aug 1931 onwards.

Tin Can mail continued till 1946 when a Volcano erupted on the Island and it was evacuated but the period from 1931 -1947 had WWII and other stories. Quensell sent Tin Can mail around the World which are rare and valuable .He died in 1956. This type of mail delivery continued till 1983 when a small airport came up on the Island.

Tonga issued a set of Four stamps on 29 Sep 1982 to mark 100 Years of Tin Can Mail. A First Day Cover with stamps is listed -the cover front and back illustrates a large number of cancellations used on Tin Can mail in those 100 years.

FDC TONGA TIN CAN MAIL1 — FDC TONGA TIN CAN MAIL CENTENARY 1982

FDC TONGA TIN CAN MAIL2 — FDC TONGA TIN CAN MAIL CENTENARY 1982

Europa stamps – Ireland, The Faroe Islands & Iceland Joint Issue -1994 – Discoveries

August 5, 2018August 5, 2018stampdigestLeave a comment

Europa stamps – Ireland Faroe Islands & Iceland Joint Issue -1994 – Discoveries

Voyages of Saint Brendan – Ireland,The Faroe Islands & Iceland are linked historically by the voyage of Discovery made by Saint Brendan (484-577 AD) hence this joint issue. These voyages are recorded in many medieval manuscripts and in the Icelandic sagas.

Following the fall of Roman empire Irish monasteries had become the chief repositories of religious learning and culture in Europe and Irish monks or saintly sailors began to bring these back to mainland Europe. Many Irish monks also sailed along the coasts of British Isles and Europe and beyond spreading the christian faith and establishing monasteries .These saintly mariners had a knowledge of astronomy to aid their navigation but no charts or compass.

St Brendan was one of these and there are many legends about his voyages. The landing of Irish monks in the Faroe was the first notable geographical discovery of the middle ages and by 795 AD Irsih monks had reached Iceland .In the Brendan legend one of the Faroe Islands is described as the “Island of Sheep “and Iceland as the ” Island of Fire”.

Brendan Discoveries is the theme of three Miniature sheets jointly issued by Faroe Islands ,Iceland & Ireland. A Presentation pack containing all the three miniatures is listed.