Post by Admin on Oct 11, 2013 12:32:21 GMT -5
The Royal Mail has released of a series of Merchant Navy stamps to commemorate the huge contribution made by merchant seamen to the safety and prosperity of the country.
The main stamp series depicts the East Indiaman Atlas (1813), RMS Britannia (1840), Cutty Sark (1870), Clan Matheson (1919), RMS Queen Elizabeth (1940) and Lord Hinton (1986).
This collection salutes the heritage of Britain’s trading fleet of ships, which exported and imported goods from around the world, as well as transported passengers - and continues to do so to this day.
The Britannia and Queen Elizabeth were named ‘Royal Mail Ships’ because they had the contracts to carry mail overseas.
The collection is accompanied by a miniature sheet of four additional stamps, which honour the contribution of service personnel who sailed in the Atlantic and Arctic Convoys during the Second World War.
2013 is the 70th anniversary of the height of The Battle of the Atlantic, a term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the longest, largest and most complex naval battle in history, running from 1939 until the defeat of Germany in 1945.
The British Merchant Navy made a great contribution not just to the nation’s prosperity, but also to its very survival - with their invaluable assistance to the Allied war effort, bringing food, fuel and armaments in the face of constant danger.
Pitted against them were the German U-boats. The Allies adopted the approach of sailing merchant vessels in convoys protected by Navy vessels.
Similarly the Arctic Convoys from 1941-45 conveyed vital supplies from the UK to the Russian allies, sailing high above the Arctic Circle in freezing and deeply hazardous conditions.
The situation changed constantly, with one side or the other gaining advantage, as new weapons, tactics, counter-measures and equipment were developed by both sides.
The turning point was May 1943, when The Allies started to overcome the U-boats and fewer Allied ships were sunk. But the cost was extraordinarily high – with thousands of Merchant Navy vessels sunk and the loss of 35,000 lives.
To celebrate the launch of the stamps, Royal Mail appealed for Merchant Navy veterans and their descendants to share their stories of life at sea. Hundreds of mariners have been remembered through calls, emails and letters.
Andrew Hammond, Director of Stamps and Collectables, Royal Mail said: “All the mariners and descendants we have heard from have amazed us with tales of bravery, comradeship, adventure and sadly, so many of loss.
“Proud descendants have shared photographs and newspaper cuttings handed down from generations. We are honoured to have heard many incredible stories of people who have saved lives and shaped history.
Susan Layzell, the daughter of late Merchant Navy mariner James Gallacher, said: “These sailors went through the same hazards as the Royal Navy, entering war zones to deliver troops, carrying essential supplies in convoys.
“It should be remembered that they included very young cabin boys not old enough to be called up. Father spoke of giving cigarettes to boys of fifteen to calm them under bombardment.”
Frederick Honisett, 85, who was among those aboard the Cutty Sark to launch the new stamps, said: “As a boy I collected stamps. And many children and their parents will do so today. If these new stamps help more people to learn about the Merchant Navy, then this is a wonderful thing. For me, it was the greatest adventure, but so many paid the ultimate price.”
LINK
The main stamp series depicts the East Indiaman Atlas (1813), RMS Britannia (1840), Cutty Sark (1870), Clan Matheson (1919), RMS Queen Elizabeth (1940) and Lord Hinton (1986).
This collection salutes the heritage of Britain’s trading fleet of ships, which exported and imported goods from around the world, as well as transported passengers - and continues to do so to this day.
The Britannia and Queen Elizabeth were named ‘Royal Mail Ships’ because they had the contracts to carry mail overseas.
The collection is accompanied by a miniature sheet of four additional stamps, which honour the contribution of service personnel who sailed in the Atlantic and Arctic Convoys during the Second World War.
2013 is the 70th anniversary of the height of The Battle of the Atlantic, a term coined by Winston Churchill to describe the longest, largest and most complex naval battle in history, running from 1939 until the defeat of Germany in 1945.
The British Merchant Navy made a great contribution not just to the nation’s prosperity, but also to its very survival - with their invaluable assistance to the Allied war effort, bringing food, fuel and armaments in the face of constant danger.
Pitted against them were the German U-boats. The Allies adopted the approach of sailing merchant vessels in convoys protected by Navy vessels.
Similarly the Arctic Convoys from 1941-45 conveyed vital supplies from the UK to the Russian allies, sailing high above the Arctic Circle in freezing and deeply hazardous conditions.
The situation changed constantly, with one side or the other gaining advantage, as new weapons, tactics, counter-measures and equipment were developed by both sides.
The turning point was May 1943, when The Allies started to overcome the U-boats and fewer Allied ships were sunk. But the cost was extraordinarily high – with thousands of Merchant Navy vessels sunk and the loss of 35,000 lives.
To celebrate the launch of the stamps, Royal Mail appealed for Merchant Navy veterans and their descendants to share their stories of life at sea. Hundreds of mariners have been remembered through calls, emails and letters.
Andrew Hammond, Director of Stamps and Collectables, Royal Mail said: “All the mariners and descendants we have heard from have amazed us with tales of bravery, comradeship, adventure and sadly, so many of loss.
“Proud descendants have shared photographs and newspaper cuttings handed down from generations. We are honoured to have heard many incredible stories of people who have saved lives and shaped history.
Susan Layzell, the daughter of late Merchant Navy mariner James Gallacher, said: “These sailors went through the same hazards as the Royal Navy, entering war zones to deliver troops, carrying essential supplies in convoys.
“It should be remembered that they included very young cabin boys not old enough to be called up. Father spoke of giving cigarettes to boys of fifteen to calm them under bombardment.”
Frederick Honisett, 85, who was among those aboard the Cutty Sark to launch the new stamps, said: “As a boy I collected stamps. And many children and their parents will do so today. If these new stamps help more people to learn about the Merchant Navy, then this is a wonderful thing. For me, it was the greatest adventure, but so many paid the ultimate price.”
LINK