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You are here: Home / Archives for News

5th June 2017 By Ted

The Battle of Britain Stamp Set 1965

In 1965 the 25th anniversary of the Battle was marked by the issue of a set of Battle of Britain stamps.

However the issue was not without controversy. In October 1964 Tony Benn (Anthony Wedgewood-Benn as was, a left-leaning politician) had become Postmaster General. He immediately widened the scope for commemorative stamps “to celebrate events of national or international importance, to commemorate appropriate anniversaries and occasions and to reflect Britain’s unique contribution to the arts and world affairs”.

To do this he asked for suggestions from the public. David Gentleman, the artist and stamp designer, responded.

Gentleman controversially suggested the removal of the Queen’s head from pictorial stamps. He felt that its inclusion often caused problems for designers in terms of space for their work. As a republican Benn was enthusiastic and encouraged Gentleman to submit designs without the monarch’s portrait.

(Above: one of the ‘headless’ designs)

Throughout 1965 a behind-the-scenes battle ensued between Benn and Gentleman on the one hand and the Stamp Advisory Committee and Palace and postal officials on the other. Benn insisted on Gentleman’s designs being tried out with the words ‘Great Britain’ or ‘U.K. postage’. Gentleman did so for the Churchill memorial issue and then for the Battle of Britain stamps. However the Queen let it be known that her portrait was to remain and this is still the case today.

The BoB issue designer David Gentleman also recorded:

‘When I was working on the Battle of Britain commemorative issue it was suggested by the Foreign Office that any illustration of Anglo-German conflict was in bad taste. It was only a hint, but it was the sort of hint that had to be avoided. I went ahead with what I had originally in mind, but if I had been less experienced it might have been different. The only weapon that the designer has is to say that he won’t do the job – and that’s usually a very difficult thing to say.

However once the stamp designs, with the Queen’s portrait reinstated, were made public, another dispute arose and this led to a debate in the House of Commons on 4th August 1965. Benn was pressed by five MP’s to withdraw one of the stamps as it depicted a swastika (see below). To his credit he replied: The stamp referred to is one of a block of six designs depicting different aspects of the Battle of Britain. The broken swastika, half covered by the sea is shown on the shattered tail fin of a Luftwaffe bomber that has been shot down and is sinking into the English Channel. Above, four RAF fighters ride triumphant. Since this is what the Battle of Britain was all about I do not propose to withdraw the stamps.

(Benn qualified as a RAF pilot in flying schools in Rhodesia and South Africa but the war ended before he saw service. His older brother F/Lt. MJW Benn was killed on 23rd June 1944 when Mosquito VI NS837 ‘G’ of 21 Squadron crashed into a sea wall during an overshoot at Thorney Island. The navigator F/O WA Roe survived injured).

Below: some of the First Day Covers produced at the time:

Filed Under: News

30th October 2016 By Ted

Battle of Britain Paintings

Battle of Britain Paintings

The war artist Paul Nash made many paintings during the Battle of Britain.  This website has an exhaustive study of them which you can see by clicking here.

Filed Under: News

9th June 2016 By Phil Taylor

2018 Thanksgiving service details

The details of the 2018 thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey have been released.

The service will take place on Sunday 16th September.

Click here for more details.

Filed Under: News

8th March 2016 By Phil Taylor

F/O D J C Pinckney biography

The biography of David John Colin Pinckney (F/O D J C Pinckney) has been published. He was killed on 23rd January 1942 as a Flight Lieutenant with 67 Squadron aged 24.  Read the full biography of F/O D J C Pinckney here.

F/O D J C Pinckney
F/O D J C Pinckney

Filed Under: News

8th March 2016 By Phil Taylor

F/Lt. L H Schwind biography

The biography of Lionel Harold Schwind (F/Lt. L H Schwind) has been published. He was shot down on 27th September 1940.  Read the full biography of F/Lt. L H Schwind here.

F/Lt. L H Schwind
F/Lt. L H Schwind

Filed Under: News

8th March 2016 By Phil Taylor

Sgt. R C Nutter biography

An extensive biography of Reginald Charles Nutter (Sgt. R C Nutter) has just been published. This includes some of his personal memories.

Read the full biography of Sgt. R C Nutter here

Sgt. R C Nutter
Sgt. R C Nutter

 

Filed Under: News

7th January 2016 By musPST

Battle of Britain Home

The Battle of Britain Monument in London is a superb monument to The Few – commemorating those people who took part in this vital battle of the Second World War.

The website assisted a venture that marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle:

The Fallen Few – the majoirty of the airmen who flew in the battle, along with the 544 who lost their lives during the Battle are individually documented.  See the airmen pages for more details.k here

Filed Under: News

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