Honoring Military Service

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a soldier in combat, designed by Polish artist Andrzej Heidrich, printed by lithography, and issued by Poland on October 20, 1966 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Dabrowski Battalion of Polish volunteers which fought with the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Scott No. 1451, plus a YouTube link to a recording of "The March of the Dabrowski Battalion."

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp depicting armed patriots, past and present, printed by photogravure, and issued by Bulgaria on August 8, 1959 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the town of Batak, Scott No. 1069.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Chester William Nimitz (1885-1966), a fleet admiral of the United States Navy who played a major role in the naval history of World War II. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Admiral Nimitz, designed by Chris Calle, engraved by Thomas R. Hipschen (vignette) and Robert G. Culin, Sr. (lettering), and issued by the USA on February 22, 1985 as one of the stamps in the "Great Americans" series, Scott No. 1869, plus a photograph of Admiral Nimitz, and a YouTube link to a mini-documentary entitled "The Admiral Chester Nimitz Story."

- nethryk

Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz de Mudela (1526-1588), was a Spanish admiral and a member of the Military Order of Santiago. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of the naval warrior wearing the Order's insignia of a red cross simulating a sword, with the shape of a Fleur de Lis on the hilt and the arms, engraved by Antonio Manso Fernández, and issued by Spain on February 16, 1966, Scott No. 1334, Edifil No. 1705, plus images of a painted portrait (1828) of Álvaro de Bazán, Captain General of the Sea, and of the insignia of the Military Order of Santiago.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Jean Lannes, 1st Duc de Montebello (1769-1809), one of Napoleon Bonaparte's most daring and talented generals, and a Marshal of France. Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp featuring a portrait of Marshal Lannes in dress uniform and bedecked with medals, designed by French artist Clément Serveau (1886-1972), engraved by Robert Cami (1900-1975), and issued by France on May 10, 1969, Scott No. B429, Y&T No. 1593, plus an image of a painted portrait (1834) of Marshal Lannes by Julie Volpelière (1790-1842) after original artwork by French painter François Pascal Simon, Baron Gérard (1770-1837). How dashing!

- nethryk

Here are images of the two similar stamps in a set depicting servicemen from three branches of the armed forces, engraved and printed on granite paper, and issued by Republic of China (Taiwan) on February 1, 1969 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Military Savings Plan, Scott Nos. 1598 & 1599.

- nethryk

Singapore 2014 National / Military Service in Singapore.
Currently it is compulsory for all male citizens to serve a 2-year military service in Singapore, upon reaching the age of 18. This stamp is from a sheet of 15 1st local stamps featuring unique icons of Singapore.

A few Indian mountain artillery batteries, with British officers, were raised in the nineteenth century and served with distinction during the Afghan Wars and the First World War. On 15th January 1935, 'A' Field Brigade, comprising four batteries of horse drawn guns, was raised at Bangalore. Inspite of its long history, the regiment of Artillery opted to adopt this as its birthday as 'A' Field Brigade was the first wholly Indian Artillery Unit.

Regiment of Artillery celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1985. The stamp issued to mark the occasion shows a Gunner from a nineteenth century mountain battery and a 3.7 inch mountain howitzer of the early twentieth century.

The Madras Sappers were originally raised as the "Corps of Madras Pioneers" in 1780 in the old Madras Presidency to assist the Infantrymen to overcome the enemy entrenched behind seemmingly impassable obstacles and fortifications. The history of Madras Sappers is to a great extent the history of the Indian Army, as there is hardly any important event to which the Madras Sappers have not made their invaluable contribution.

The stamp shows the Sappers in the uniform of 1780 and 1980 together with the crest and the ribbon of the corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. First day cover, depicts the battle honors of Madras Sappers and also a Sapper engaged in mine-detection and some of the tasks performed by the Sappers.

Today is Memorial Day in the US. Memorial Day started as an event to honor soldiers, who had died during the American Civil War. When and where the first Memorial or Decoration Day was held is still a matter of debate. After World War I, Memorial Day was extended to include all men and women, who died in any war or military action. (I found this unusual commemorative sheet on the web, an African country remembering the American Civil War.)

Here is an image of a stamp depicting soldiers' heads as defined by a banner in Brazil's national colors, a plane, a rifle and a ship symbolic of the country's armed forces, designed by Brazilian graphic artist Ary Fagundes (1910-1992), printed by lithography, and issued by Brazil on May 8, 1975 to honor the veterans of World War II on the 30th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe, Scott No. 1394.

- nethryk

Kris - done all the time to sell stamps and make money. Witness Donald Duck stamps issued all over the place. Many of these issues are CTO and never used for postage.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting attacking soldiers, designed by Czech artist Jaromír Schor (1912-1987), engraved by Ladislav Jirka (1914-1986), and issued by Czechoslovakia on October 3, 1954 as one of a set of two stamps commemorating Army Day, Scott No. 679.

- nethryk

Here are images of the four semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set honoring the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (M.V.S.N., "Voluntary Militia for National Security"), also known as the Blackshirts, designed by Italian artist Corrado Mezzana (1890-1952), printed by photogravure, and issued by Italy on July 1, 1935 to commemorate the M.V.S.N.'s 12th anniversary with a surtax to benefit the organization, Scott Nos. B39-B42, plus some rough translations of the inscribed messages on the stamps, and a YouTube link to a 1941 Luce newsreel short of Italy's Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini ("Il Duce") reviewing a parade of a Blackshirt battalion in Rome.

- nethryk

Militiamen gathered around a fire ("The wood feeds the fire that consumes it." - Leonardo da Vinci)


Eagle standard and Militia banners ("It is necessary to have pride to have a magnificent militia." - Victor Emmanuel III, 1869-1947.)


Militiaman guarding the immortality of Italy ("Tell the people how sweet is the pride of bloodshed." - Carlo Delcroix (1896-1977), an Italian war hero decorated with the Silver Medal for Valor.)


Militiamen marching beneath the Arch of Constantine, Rome ("In the footsteps of the ancient legions.")

Happy Birthday to Comte Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny (1689-1778), a soldier born in Hungary who became a French general officer renowned as an expert on light cavalry and called the "Father of French Hussars." Upon his retirement, Bercheny was honored as a Marshal of France, a distinction awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp featuring a portrait of the marshal, and depicting a Vivat Hussar emblem of the Bercheny-Houzards regiment, designed and engraved by Eugène Lacaque (1914-2005), and issued by France on January 13, 1979, Scott No. B514, Y&T No. 2029, plus an image of a painting of Marshal Bercheny.

- nethryk