I've added Australian stamps and postal history to several of my collections, as well as postcards, photographs and other collateral items:
• Astronomy
• Propeller airliners of the 1930s through the 1950s
• Military medicine
• The Vietnam War
• The 1934 MacRobertson International Air Race between London and Melbourne (including the KLM DC-2 Uiver which placed first in the race's handicap division even after it was forced to land at Albury during a storm)
Here's a page from my military medicine exhibit, showing a stamp commemorating an Australian hospital ship sunk by the Japanese during the Second World War:
One of my best Australian Vietnam War items is this booklet...
which includes these stamps...
My understanding is that it was specially produced for use by Australian forces in Vietnam; a special wax was used to coat the inside of the cardboard covers to protect the stamps from the high humidity of Vietnam. There are other similar-appearing booklets enclosing different stamps, and at least one surcharged booklet. I assume that the other booklets were also produced for use in Vietnam. It's interesting that the Australians had to use stamps; we Americans had free franking privileges as long as we were in the combat zone (and those privileges even extended to wounded Vietnam veterans while they were hospitalized back in the U.S.)
Bob
Bob, An interesting display, I never knew we had such a booklet of stamps for Vietnam, I'll need to ask around and see if I can acquire a booklet as well; I have a family member who was stationed at the Australian Army hospital at Vung Tau.
Anyway, the only military medical themed stamps I have is the 1993 $1.20 hospital ship "Centaur" and its Specimen.
The ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland on May 14, 1943. There were 332 people on board, and only 64 survived. It was the greatest wartime tragedy that had ever occurred within Australian waters.
I suppose it is no big surprise that I am enamoured by stamps showing ships, steam ships, sailing ships, fancy cruise ship, tramp steamers and military vessels as well. Illustrations such as the AHS Centaur as she looked in 1943 are treasured files.
An interesting detail is that of the 268 who perished none were wounded troops as the HAS Centaur was en route to the war zones full of doctors, nurses, medical techs and ambulance drivers.
The sinking of A.H.S. Centaur (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate; Wednesday 19 May 1943)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/140459132?searchTerm=HMAS%20Centaur%20sunk&searchLimits=
Underwater footage of the A.H.S. Centaur.
These posts had nothing to do with the topic they were posted under other than the country of origin.
re: Australia: Hospital ships
I've added Australian stamps and postal history to several of my collections, as well as postcards, photographs and other collateral items:
• Astronomy
• Propeller airliners of the 1930s through the 1950s
• Military medicine
• The Vietnam War
• The 1934 MacRobertson International Air Race between London and Melbourne (including the KLM DC-2 Uiver which placed first in the race's handicap division even after it was forced to land at Albury during a storm)
Here's a page from my military medicine exhibit, showing a stamp commemorating an Australian hospital ship sunk by the Japanese during the Second World War:
One of my best Australian Vietnam War items is this booklet...
which includes these stamps...
My understanding is that it was specially produced for use by Australian forces in Vietnam; a special wax was used to coat the inside of the cardboard covers to protect the stamps from the high humidity of Vietnam. There are other similar-appearing booklets enclosing different stamps, and at least one surcharged booklet. I assume that the other booklets were also produced for use in Vietnam. It's interesting that the Australians had to use stamps; we Americans had free franking privileges as long as we were in the combat zone (and those privileges even extended to wounded Vietnam veterans while they were hospitalized back in the U.S.)
Bob
re: Australia: Hospital ships
Bob, An interesting display, I never knew we had such a booklet of stamps for Vietnam, I'll need to ask around and see if I can acquire a booklet as well; I have a family member who was stationed at the Australian Army hospital at Vung Tau.
Anyway, the only military medical themed stamps I have is the 1993 $1.20 hospital ship "Centaur" and its Specimen.
The ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine off the coast of Queensland on May 14, 1943. There were 332 people on board, and only 64 survived. It was the greatest wartime tragedy that had ever occurred within Australian waters.
re: Australia: Hospital ships
I suppose it is no big surprise that I am enamoured by stamps showing ships, steam ships, sailing ships, fancy cruise ship, tramp steamers and military vessels as well. Illustrations such as the AHS Centaur as she looked in 1943 are treasured files.
An interesting detail is that of the 268 who perished none were wounded troops as the HAS Centaur was en route to the war zones full of doctors, nurses, medical techs and ambulance drivers.
re: Australia: Hospital ships
The sinking of A.H.S. Centaur (Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate; Wednesday 19 May 1943)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/140459132?searchTerm=HMAS%20Centaur%20sunk&searchLimits=
Underwater footage of the A.H.S. Centaur.