Free Postage to or from HM SHips in WW2

[Colin Tabeart]

My knowledge of WW2 concession rates to/from HM Ships is woefully inadequate. Here is a "Forces Letter" sheet sent to the British Pacific Fleet's flagship, probably still lurking at Sydney. Apparently sent surface mail since it does not say Air Letter or anything similar. I thought surface mail was free to/from HM Ships by early in the war, so why the 1½d rate please?

[Michael Dobbs]

Colin

It is a lightweight Forces Letter form and would have been sent by air - the following information extracted from Post Office Circulars explains:

The Post Office Circular (Special Edition) of 2 February 1945 advised that with effect from 4 February 1945 all letters not more than 1 ounce (1 oz) in weight prepaid 1½d and postcards prepaid at 1d (i.e. the existing Forces' surface rates) would be carried by air to the following command addresses:

Ceylon Command
India Command
South East Asia Command (SEAC)

In addition, so far as air services were available, mail for the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy in all parts of the world abroad would also be carried by air.  Royal Navy mail for HM Ships was to be addressed ℅ GPO London (or ℅ GPO Reading) whilst mail for Merchant Navy vessels was to be addressed ℅ the Owners or Owners' Agents in the UK.  No air mail label or other marking which indicated air transmission was required on these letters and postcards.

It followed that there was no advantage in using for these destinations the 3d airgraph, 6d air letter or the air mail letter at 1/3d a half-ounce.  Post Office counter staff were advised that any enquiries on the subject were to be answered accordingly.  However, airgraphs were still to be accepted under the existing conditions if the sender specifically wished to make use of that means of communication.

[u][b]1½d postage "Forces Letter" sold for 2d form: 1945[/b][/u]

In referring to the revised arrangements (i.e. the conveyance by air of ordinary letters up to 1 oz prepaid 1½d to Ceylon, India and South East Asia Commands and the Royal and Merchant Navies abroad) the Post Office Circular of 21 February 1945 advised that it was proposed, in the interests of economy of aircraft capacity, to provide a light-weight "Forces Letter" form similar to the air letter but bearing a printed 1½d stamp impression for communication with the Forces concerned.  The form was to be sold at 2d each.  The Circular instructed counter clerks to bring the 1½d form to the notice of purchasers of the 6d air letter and describe the destinations to which it could be used.  If the charge of ½d for the actual form was questioned they were to say that the fee of 6d covered stationery but 1½d did not. 

However, the Circular went on to state that the "Forces Letter" would not be available for some weeks but that in the interim arrangements had been made to supply all offices with unstamped air letter forms to be sold as from Monday 26 February 1945 with a 1½d stamp affixed at the inclusive price of 2d.  It was emphasised that these air letters were not to be handed out or sold without a 1½d stamp having been affixed.  At the same time it also stated that unstamped air letter forms had a value of ½d each.

The Post Office Circular of 11 April 1945 advised that in view of the then recent extension of the arrangements for the carriage of letters by air up to 1 oz pre-paid at 1½d to certain Forces abroad (see above), applications could be expected from members of the public to exchange 6d air letters purchased before the extension was announced.  Counter staff were authorised to accept such forms, if unspoiled, up to 30 April 1945 in payment for 2d Forces Letters (or 2d air letters bearing a 1½d stamp) at the rate of three Forces Letters or 2d air letters for each 6d air letter.  However, the 6d air letter forms could not be exchanged for cash !  No other stamped stationery or stamps could be accepted in payment for Forces Letters (or 2d air letters).

The same Circular went on to state that the "Forces Letter" with 1½d printed stamp supplied as stamped postal stationery would be issued to Post Office counters shortly in banded packets of 120 forms, in lieu of the then existing packets of 60.  The unit of issue from the Stores Department at Wolverton and Motherwell therefore became a banded packet of 120 forms, priced £1 and this unit was to be used in the preparation of requisitions.  The forms were also available in parcels of 360 (3 packets) priced £3 and packages of 3,600 (30 packets) priced £30.

I hope this answers your query!

Mike  ;)

[Colin Tabeart]

Wow! That is what I call a five star answer! Fantastic. Many thanks, Colin