Honoring Military Service

Here are images of the four engraved stamps in a set honoring various heroes and heroines from Thai history and depicting monuments to them, issued by Thailand on October 25, 1970, Scott Nos. 562-65.

- nethryk

The villagers of Bang Rachan fought against Burmese invaders in the Burmese–Siamese War (1765-1767).


Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Sri Sunthon were sisters who dressed up as male soldiers and rallied Siamese troops to repel a five-week invasion by Burmese in 1785.


During a Burmese invasion in 1548, Queen Suriyothai disguised herself as a man and rode into battle on her own elephant. During the battle she was killed while protecting the king, whose own elephant had collapsed from wounds.


Phraya Phichai Dap Hak (1741-1782) was a Thai nobleman and general who fought with a sword in each hand until one was broken, and then led his army to victory forcing the Burmese back across the border.

Happy Birthday to Marshal of the Soviet Union Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Vasilevsky (1895-1977). Marshal Vasilevsky was twice awarded the Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union for military operations during World War II on the German and Japanese fronts. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Vasilevsky in uniform, decorated with his two Gold Star Medals, designed by Vladimir Nikitin, engraved by Aleksander (Sasha) Tkachenko, and issued by Russia (USSR) on September 30, 1980, Scott No. 4876, Zagorski No. 5049, plus photos of a Gold Star Medal. Note the inscription on the reverse of the medal, "Hero, USSR," and the number 473.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a soldier's grave, designed by Korean artist Kang Choon-whan, printed by lithography, and issued by Korea (South) on June 6, 1961 for the 6th annual Memorial Day, Scott No. 326.

- nethryk

Here are images of the two similar semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set depicting an Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldier and "Anzac Cove," designed by New Zealand artist Leonard Cornwell Mitchell (1901-1971), engraved and printed by John Ash, Melbourne, Australia, and issued by New Zealand on April 27, 1936 to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I, Scott Nos. B9 & B10.

- nethryk

At the Battle of Bir Hakeim (May 26 - June 11, 1942), the 1st Free French Division defended a remote oasis in the Libyan desert against much larger attacking German and Italian forces, thereby delaying the Axis advance on Egypt long enough for the British Army to regroup and defend El-Alamein in July. Here is an image of a stamp depicting the Bir Hakeim battle monument, featuring the Cross of Lorraine, designed and engraved by Henry Cheffer, and issued by France on June 14, 1952 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the battle, Scott No. 680, Y&T No. 935, plus a photo of a band of battle veterans standing in front of this monument during their 70th reunion.

- nethryk

Pierre Philippe Marie Aristide Denfert-Rochereau (1823-1878), was a French military officer and politician who achieved fame by successfully defending besieged Belfort during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), earning him the soubriquet "The Lion of Belfort." Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Colonel Denfert-Rochereau, and also depicting both Belfort and The Lion of Belfort, a monumental sandstone sculpture by French sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi (1834-1904), designed and engraved by Robert Cami, and issued by France on November 24, 1970 to commemorate the centenary of the siege of Belfort, Scott No. 1291, Y&T No. 1660, plus a photographic portrait of the hero in uniform, and a photo of of Bartholdi's lion sculpture.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp commemorating the centenary of France's Alpine Troops, designed and engraved by Jean Delpech, and issued by France on June 25, 1988, Scott No. 2127, Y&T No. 2543.

- nethryk

lighthouse keepers used to be armed services- many light house stamps





scott 289, 2473 and uscgc eagle post card

Here are images of the two stamps in a set depicting (respectively) historical and modern officer cadets, designed and combined engraved by Sverre Morken and lithography, and issued by Norway on to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Krigsskolen (Norwegian Army Academy), Scott Nos. 1258 & 1259, Facit Nos. 1391 & 1392.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp depicting a French Foreign Legionnaire and a wooden watchtower, designed by Marin, engraved by Charles-Paul Dufresne, and issued for use in Algeria on April 30, 1954 to benefit the Foreign Legion Welfare Fund, Scott No. B73.

- nethryk

Here are images of the three stamps in a set commemorating the centenary of the Alpine Corps, designed by E. Tomei, printed by photogravure, and issued by Italy on May 10, 1972, Scott Nos. 1067-69.

- nethryk

Alpine solder and pack mule


Mountains, Alpine soldier's hat, pick and laurel


Alpine soldier and mountains

"They Defend:" Here are images of the two stamps in a set honoring India's armed forces and commemorating the 16th anniversary of independence, printed by photogravure, and issued by India on August 15, 1963, Scott Nos. 374 & 375.

- nethryk

Field artillery, and a medical evacuation helicopter.


Soldier on guard duty, and an airplane dropping supplies by parachute.

I looked for the red poppies on this thread, but didn't see any. They are a strong symbol of remembrance of fallen soldiers. See the center of the middle stamp for WW1 soldiers. (I have submitted some more information on page 5 of the barbed wire thread.)

Here is an image of a stamp honoring two heroes (Compagnon de la Libération) of the Free French Forces during World War II: Pierre-Louis-Auguste Bourgoin (1907-1970), a commandant of the Special Air Service parachutists, and Philippe Kieffer (1899-1962), a French Navy officer and founder of the Fusiliers-Marins Commandos ("Marine Riflemen Commandos"), designed and engraved by Jean Pheulpin, and issued by France on October 27, 1973, Scott No. 1382, Y&T No. 1773, plus photos of both military heroes.

- nethryk

Broken limbs, in both senses of the word. 50 years after the first World War.