Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo - 18 June 2015

It is 200 years since one of the most famous battles in British history that was the culmination of two decades of conflict, and which essentially saw the birth of modern Europe.   The Battle of Waterloo was fought near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by the armies of the Seventh Coalition, comprising an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington combined with a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher.

Upon Napoleon's return to power in March 1815, many states that had opposed him formed the Seventh Coalition and began to mobilize armies. Two large forces under Wellington and Blücher assembled close to the north-eastern border of France. Napoleon chose to attack in the hope of destroying them before they could join in a coordinated invasion of France with other members of the coalition. Waterloo was the decisive engagement of the Waterloo Campaign and Napoleon's last. According to Wellington, the battle was "the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life".  The defeat at Waterloo ended Napoleon's rule as Emperor of the French, and marked the end of his Hundred Days return from exile.

The Waterloo 200 organisation plans a number of commemorative events in June, including a service of thanksgiving in St Pauls Cathedral as well as re-enactments of the battle which will take  lace in Belgium. The UK government has given £1m towards the commemorations including the first ever monument at the battlefield to the British troops who died, which features the defence of Hougeoumont Farm, as well as funds to restore the buildings there.

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Set of 6 stamps markinng the Battle of Waterloo bicentenary. 
   
The key events and exchanges of the Battle are marked with the six stamps, in chronological order and using paintings made within a few years of the battle.

1st class: Defence of Hougeoumont Farm; Scots Greys at the charge of the Union Brigade
£1.00 Massed ranks of French cavalry (Cuirassiers) charge and repulsed by British infantry squares; La Hay Saint Farm defence by King’s German Legion
£1.52 Prussians arrive and capture of Plancenoit; The final attack of the French Imperial Guards


Battle of Waterloo Miniature Sheet.

The miniature sheet commemorates the rank and file soldiers noting the multinational nature of the conflict
1st class Prussian Infantryman; Light Infantry, King’s German Legion
£1.33 92nd Gordon Highlanders;  French Imperial Guard Grenadier
  Battle of Waterlook PSB Pane 1. Battle of Waterloo PSB Pane 2.
Pane 1 - Stamps from the miniature sheet
Pane 2 - Stamps 2 - 5 from the set

   Battle of Waterloo PSB Pane 3.  Battle of Waterloo PSB Pane 4.
Pane 3 - First and last stamps from the set.
Pane 4 - 2 each of Machin definitive stamps - 5p, 10p, 50p, and £1 - security coding should be MPIL M15L

Battle of Waterloo PSB cover.

Prestige Stamp Book Cover

The definitive stamps - microscopic view to show the security codes.
Left to right, 5p, 10p, 50p and £1with MPIL M15L coding
5pMachin from Waterloo PSB. 10p Machin from Waterloo PSB.
50p Machin from Waterloo PSB. £1 Machin from Waterloo PSB.

Acknowledgements:

Defence of the Chateau de Hougoumont by the Flank Company, Coldstream Guards, 1815 by Denis Dighton, 1815 © National Army Museum London/Bridgeman Images;
The Battle of Waterloo: The Charge of the Second Brigade of Cavalry by Denis Dighton, 1815–17, Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014;
Attack on the British Squares by French Cavalry, Battle of Waterloo, 1815 by Denis Dighton, 1815 © National Army Museum London/Bridgeman Images;
The Defence of the Farm La Haye Sainte, Battle of Waterloo by Adolf Northen, 1858, Niedersaechsisches Landesmuseum, Hannover © Erich Lessing;
Prussian Troops Storm the Village of Plancenoit during the Battle of Waterloo by Adolf Northen, 1863, Kunsthalle, Hamburg © Erich Lessing;
The Battle of Waterloo by Sir William Allan, 1843, Apsley House, London © English Heritage
On the miniature sheet, The Battle of Waterloo map engraving by Alexander Keith Johnston © Private Collection/The Stapleton Collection/Bridgeman


Technical details:
The 60 x 30 mm stamps were designed by Silk Pearce.  No details of the perforation or phosphor arrangements have been provided.  The 146 x 74 mm miniature sheet is designed by Webb & Webb Design Ltd, with illustration by Chris Collingwood with 27 x 37 mm stamps.  Both are printed by International Security Printers in Lithography. 
Details of the prestige book have not been released but it will probably be printed by ISP (Cartor).

All stamp images Royal Mail Group Ltd ©2015 reproduced with permission.


Products issued - we will be stocking the stamps from the PSB.

Set of 6 stamps and miniature sheet - Stamp Cards (11) - Presentation Pack - Prestige Stamp Book - coin cover


Special first day of issue postmarks will be shown here. These cannot be obtained the date of issue; more may be added. These images are not always to scale.

Official first day postmark for Battle of Waterloo Stamps.
Official Waterloo first day postmark for Battle of Waterloo Stamps. 
Officialnon-pictorial first day postmark for Battle of Waterloo Stamps.
Battle of Waterloo postmark showing soldier.

Battle of Waterloo firt day postmark.
Ref FD1518TH
Official Bureau postmark
The Nearest Run Thing You Ever Saw In Your Life - Duke of Wellington
Ref FD1518PL
Waterloo, Liverpool official first day postmark
Ref F1518NP
Waterloo, Liverpool non-pictorial official first day of issue postmark
Ref M13473
The Battle of Waterloo 1815
Wellington Way, Birmingham

Ref N13491 The 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, Waterloo, Liverpool
Three Battle of Waterloo postmarks  showing weapons. Household Cavalry Postmark. Battle of Waterlooanniversary postmark.
Ref L13466 200 Years The Battle of Waterloo, Blenheim, Oxford Ref L13467
Bicentenary the Battle of Waterloo, London W1
Ref L13468 The Battle of Waterloo
Walmer Castle, Deal, Kent
Ref L13488 The Household Cavalry Museum, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London
Ref F13492 Waterloo 200
BFPS 3190*
Battle of Waterloo postmarks showing memorialetc.
Two BFPO postmarks for Waterloo Anniversary.

Ref L13463
200th Anniversary Battle of Waterloo, Cannon St, London EC4
Ref L13464
First Day of Issue, Wellington, Somerset
Ref L13465
No 1 London, 200th Anniversary
Battle of Waterloo
Ref F13493
Defence of Hougoumont Royal Waggon Train BFPS 3191*
Ref F13494 Charge of the Scots Greys at Waterloo BFPS 3192*
* Note: there are special rules for postmarks from British Forces Postal Service - click here for details.
Battle of Waterloo Postmark showing cavalryman.
Battle of Waterloo postmarks showing Cannon and Infabtry.
Battle of Waterloo postmark showing memorial.
Battle of Waterloo postmark showing Duke of Wellington.
Ref N13504
Liverpool
Ref L13496
Deal, Kent
Ref L13497
London SE1
Ref L13498
London W1
Ref 13507 Stratfield Saye, Reading  ("Dublin" in the printed Bulletin is an error which will be corrected in the next edition. We have this by email from Tallents House.)



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This page updated 17 June 2015.

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