BFPS Commemorative Datestamps

[Michael Dobbs]

I suspect not for the majority of you who regularly view or paticipate on this forum - but something a bit different to the WW1, Navy or RAF and Russia-related topics which regularly appear on the forum!

Back in April 2020 under "Cover of the day 19/4/2020 BFPS commemorative covers" I mentioned that I was compiling a list of modern British Forces Postal Service (BFPS) commemorative postmarks and covers.  That work continues and I believe that I have compiled at listing right up to the present day.  In doing so I have discovered that a large number of numbers were not used for some reason (and I don't know the reasoning).  For information I have listed these numbers below:

1778 Although the late Alistair Kennedy records it for HMS Victory 1978 Portsmouth 21 October 1978 - could it be that it was allocated for this event but never actually used?

1792 Although the late Alistair Kennedy records it for a Falkland Islands Exhibition on Forces Postal History at the National Postal Museum - - could it be that it was allocated for this event but never actually used or the event was cancelled?

1795 The late Alistair Kennedy records that on 5 May 1983 the Ministry of Defence withdrew the cancellation, which was to commemorate the first anniversary of the sinking of the Sante Fe off South Georgia.

1844 1903 1926 1935 1950 1963 1977
1869 1905 1927 1936 1955 1965 1985
1871 1907 1928 1937 1957 1966 1986
1894 1909 1929 1938 1958 1969 1988
1898 1910 1930 1939 1959 1970 1991
1917 1931 1942 1960 1971 1993
1920 1933 1946 1961 1972 1994
1924 1934 1947 1962

2001 to 2022
2024 to 2029
2033 to 2099

2122 2218 2245 2345 2410 2456 2771
2148 2221 2246 2363 2414 2648 2776
2152 2223 2284 2367 2425 2686 2949
2155 2233 2288 2382 2426 2720 2953
2164 2243 2308 2391 2427 2760 2954
2244 2327 2400 2428 2769 2986

3003 3065
3005 3071
3076

Two of the above "not used" numbers were as a result of items previously listed as being allocated a number but when actually used they were under a different number as follows

2288 Listed for "Young Philatelists Day Dortmund Huckarde" but BFPS 2248 used instead.

2986 Listed for "362nd Anniversary of the Battle of Langport" but BFPS 2978 used instead.

Should anyone have any covers which may contradict this I would be grateful for details and a scan of the cover please.  I should like to thank member Pete Chapman who 2 years ago sent me his listing of such covers which has been of tremendous help in establishing the above details.

Mike