George VI International Mail
United States
War Period
(POST 13)

1. Letters

a) To April 30, 1939

The prepaid rate of postage for letters to the United States was 1 1/2d. for the first ounce and 1d. for each additional ounce.


London to Staten Island, April 4, 1940
Selfridge & Co., Ltd. (S / C & Co) perfin


Diplomatic Pouch to the United States

From 1913 to 1966, personal mail from State Department employees could be sent to Washington in diplomatic pouches for posting in the U.S. domestic mail stream. The State Department rules required that the letters bear postage stamps of the nations where the letters originated.

Handstamps were applied to diplomatic pouch mail to alert post offices not to charge postage due on these letters. The Washington post office cancelled the envelopes with the foreign stamps.



Foreign Service Officer to Philadelphia, March 13, 1940
1 1/2d. surface rate
"By Pouch" written in lower left corner of the envelope

Washington D.C. P. O.

This article was originally
mailed in country indicated
by postage



To Cayga Falls, December 3, 1939
2 1/2d. two ounce letter rate ( 1 1/2d. for the first ounce and 1d. for the second ounce)
"Passed Free U.S. Customs Boston, Mass."
10 cents US letter package fee paid


b) From May 1, 1940

The prepaid rate of postage for letters to the United States was increased to 2 1/2d. for the first ounce and 1d. for each additional ounce.



Newry to Foster, Ohio, July 14, 1941
2 1/2d. surface letter rate



London to Los Angeles, January 31, 1941
2 1/2d. surface letter rate
Canadian Pacific Railway Company (C P R) perfin



Mourning Cover
London to Boston, September 18, 1942


The Masonic Service Association of U.S.A.

The Masonic Service Center opened in London, October 11, 1943. The center was a "home away from home", a way to build morale and good will and to perform special services for Masons and their families.


London to Concord, New Hampshire, March 7, 1945
2 1/2d. surface letter rate



London to Schenectady, December 23, 1941
10 1/2d. paying the 9 ounce rate
The British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd. ( B / T H) perfins


Diplomatic Pouch to the United States


London to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio
2 1/2d. surface letter rate
Army censorship
Washington machine cancellation February 10, 1942




2. Postcards

a) To April 30, 1940

The prepaid post card rate to the United States was 1d.


Murswell Hill to Jackson-Heights, November 9, 1939
1 d. surface post card rate



Brighton to Washington, October 19, 1939
County Borough of Brighton ( B C ) perfin

b) From May 1, 1940

The prepaid post card rate to the United States was increased to 2d.



Cambridge to Chicago, July 30, 1940
2d. post card rate
W. Heffer & Sons Ltd. ( W H / S) perfin



Glasgow to Buffalo, July 22, 1942
2d. post card rate
Light colour stamp issued as a war-time economy measure


3. Registration

The registration fee was 3d. to be prepaid in addition to the postage.


Bournemouth to New York, April 9, 1940
1 1/2d. surface letter rate + 3d. registration fee



Turnbridge Wells to Baltimore, March 15, 1940
1 1/2d. surface letter rate + 3d. registration fee



Kilburn to Boston, August 26, 1941
2 1/2d. surface letter rate + 3d. registration fee



Horsham to Brooklyn, December 3, 1941
2 1/2d. surface letter rate + 3d. registration fee
10 cents U.S. customs service


4. Express Delivery

The express delivery service to the United States was 6d.


London to New York, October 18, 1941
2 1/2 ounce express delivery air mail letter
6d. express delivery fee + 6/3d. air mail postage ( 5 x 1/3d. per 1/2 ounce)


5. Air Mail Service

Air mail service was available to the United States on payment of special postage rates.

a) By Sea then By Air

The rate for service by sea then by air was 5d. per one-half ounce for letters


Liverpool to Hollywood, December 11, 1939
5d. Sea then Air rate
Shortpaid 1d. and taxed 20 centimes






Manchester to Los Angeles, March 31, 1942
5d. air mail letter rate
Sea to New York then by air.


Personal Mail by Diplomatic Pouch



U.S.N. Attache, London to Coronado, Calif
5d. Sea then Air rate
Washington cancellation November 24, 1941


This article originally mailed in a country indicated by postage


b) North Atlantic Air Service

The rate was 1/3d. for each 1/2 ounce.



Jock's Lodge, Edinburgh to Chicago, July 2, 1940
per Yankee Clipper
1/3d. air mail rate + 3d. registration fee


Bangor to Chicago, October 8, 1942
1/3d. air mail letter rate
Swift & Company Limited (SB/ Co) perfin



London to New York, May 30, 1941
7/6d. paying the 3 0unce letter rate + 3d. registration fee


Opened and officially sealed with wax
U.S. Customs fee 10 cents




London to Harrisburg, Virginia, January 29, 1942
2/6d. one ounce air mail letter rate



London to South Bend, December 29, 1943
1/3d. air mail letter rate
Stedall & Co. Ltd. (S & C0) perfins
All three designs of the low value definitives used on this cover.



London to New York, May 2, 1940
"PER MID-ATLANTIC AIR MAIL SERVICE VIA LISBON"
2/6d. paying the one ounce air mail letter rate



London to New York, November 13, 1943
Willing Advertising Service (W/A S) perfins



London to Akron, October 6, 1941
7d, air mail post card rate


6. Printed Papers

The prepaid rate was 1/2d. for every 2 ounces.



Birmingham to Lititz., Pa., March 16, 1944
1/2d. printed papers rate
Overpaid 1/2d.
The inland printed papers rate was 1d. for each two ounces



Birmingham to Lititz., Pa., June 20 1945
1/2d. printed papers rate



London to University of North Dakota, September 17, 1943
U.S. Censorship handstamp