SHOW MENUSurface Postcard Rates to H.M.Forces
The letter mail service (including postcards) to units in Europe was generally on an "all-up" basis, with mail being sent by air whenever this would be quicker. Before 17th March 1975 this was at the surface rate, from then until 21st January 1982 both surface and air rates were listed as options for Europe in the rates leaflets, and from 1st February 1982 the airmail rate applied.
From 1975 the airmail and surface postcard rates were normally the same as the basic letter rates, which were in turn the same as the basic inland first and second class rates.
Surface rates to the Forces were no longer available from 1st April 2004.
| Date | Rate | Date | Rate | Date | Rate | Date | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| by 1930 (1 Jul) | 1½d | 1935 (1 Jul) | 1d | 1948 (1 Apr) | 2d | 1957 (1 Oct) | 2½d |
| 1965 (17 May) | 3d | 1968 (16 Sep) | 5d | 1971 (15 Feb) | 2p | 1971 (1 Jul) | 3p |
| 1973 (10 Sep) | 3½p | 1974 (24 Jun) | 4½p | 1975 (17 Mar) | 5½p | 1975 (29 Sep) | 6½p |
| 1977 (13 Jun) | 7p | 1979 (20 Aug) | 8p | 1980 (4 Feb) | 9½p | 1981 (26 Jan) | 11½p |
| 1982 (1 Feb) | 12½p | 1984 (3 Sep) | 13p | 1985 (4 Nov) | 12p | 1986 (20 Oct) | 13p |
| 1988 (5 Sep) | 14p | 1989 (2 Oct) | 15p | 1990 (17 Sep) | 17p | 1991 (16 Sep) | 18p |
| 1993 (1 Nov) | 19p | 1996 (8 Jul) | 20p | 1999 (26 Apr) | 19p | 2003 (8 May) | 20p |
| 2004 (31 Mar) | Last day | ||||||
Notes
- Imperial and Foreign Post Warrant 1930
- Imperial and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 1) Warrant 1935, Imperial and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 3) Warrant, 1940
- All-up rate by 6th March 1946, until 16th March 1948. POST 53/42 (Papers listing changes to postage rates on correspondence to British forces abroad since 1925), Post Office Circular 3rd September 1947 ('the wartime arrangement under which letters up to 1 ounce in weight prepaid 1½d. and postcards prepaid 1d. addressed to members of the forces overseas have in general been forwarded by air will cease with effect from the 15th of September'), Post Office Circular 17th March 1948 ('From that date the normal Imperial rates of postage will apply to surface letters and postcards from this country')
- POST 53/42: all-up at Commonwealth surface rates restored for all forces in Europe from 6th February 1952. (Restored 1 Jun 1949 for British Army on the Rhine (BAOR) and RAF in Germany, 1 Jan 1950 for HM Ships and naval establishments in Germany. But from 14 Dec 1949 until 5 Feb 1952 civil foreign rates for Army and RAF in France)
- PO HM Forces Overseas rates leaflet, British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 2) Warrant 1957, POST 53/42
- PO HM Forces Overseas rates leaflet, British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 5) Warrant 1965, POST 53/42
- Belfast Gazette 27th September 1968. Same as airmail rate
- Post Office Guide February 1971, Post Office (British Commonwealth and Foreign Post) Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1971. Same as airmail rate
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme 1971. Same as airmail rate
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.5) Scheme 1973. Same as airmail rate
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet gave a rate of 4½p. The Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7) Scheme 1974 of 23rd May had the same rate, but that Scheme had errors and was revoked and replaced by the Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7A) Scheme 1974 of 27th June (coming into operation 8th July). Unfortunately this quoted the postcard rate as 4p! The higher rate appears to be correct. Same as airmail rate
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.8) Scheme 1975
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, (second) Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 1975 (the number of this Scheme was duplicated in error)
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.13) Scheme 1977
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1979
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 1980
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.6) Scheme 1981
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme 1982
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.3) Scheme 1984
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 1985
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.6) Scheme 1986
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.8) Scheme 1988
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 1989
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, and technically Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.11) Scheme 1991
(The Schemes published in the London Gazette in 1990 jumped from No.10 to No.12, with the missing No.11 apparently being the one which would have contained the rates in the leaflet. Replacement No.11 and No.12 schemes were published in March 1991 to correct what appears to have been a blunder.) - PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.13) Scheme 1991
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.15) Scheme 1993
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.16) Scheme 1996
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.18) Scheme 1999
- Royal Mail Group plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7) Scheme 2003
- Royal Mail Group plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 2004
