George VI International Mail
Europe:
Post-War Air Mail
(POST 7)

Air mail service to European countries was resumed at the letter rate of 5d. for the first ounce and 3d. for each additional ounce (post cards 2 1/2d.) The dates of resumption of service to specific countries are provided below.


Austria

Service resumed December, 1945


London to Vienna, January 18, 1946
5d. air mail letter rate
Austrian censor and US Military Censor tape



London to Vienna, August 31, 1946



London to Vienna, June 10, 1948


Belgium

Service resumed October, 1945


London Chief Office to Brussels, December 29, 1947
5d. air mail rate + 6d. express delivery fee


Czechoslovakia

Service was resumed in July, 1945


London to Olomouc, October 15, 1946
11 1/2 d. paying 3d. registration fee + air mail postage rate
8d two ounce air mail rate for letter containing cigarettes
9 crowns Czechoslovakian postage due stamps paying the customs fee



Nottingham to Prague, June 23, 1947
2 1/2d. air mail post card rate



Manchester to Prague, March 12, 1948
Prague receiver March 15, 1948
Returned


"Non Reclame" sticker


Finland

Service resumed in September, 1945



St. Austell to Helsinki, June 24, 1946


France

Air mail service to France had resumed in September 1945.


Woodsworth to Strasbourg, March 18, 1948


Germany


Wembley to Meheim-Husten (British Zone), October 11, 1947


Greece

Service resumed in July 1945.


London to Athens, October 17, 1945


Italy

Service resumed in October 1945.


London to Rome, January 26, 1946
Italian censor handstamp and tape



London to Trieste, February 17, 1948
ACKROYD BROS. LTD. perfin



Doncaster to Venice, May 28, 1947
Returned September 24, 1947


Luxembourg

Service resumed October, 1945


London to Luxembourg, December 11, 1946


Malta

Service resumed July, 1945


London to Valetta, November 26, 1947



London to Rabat, April 1948


Netherlands

Service resumed in September, 1945.


London to Amsterdam, September 11, 1945
Victory in Japan machine cancellation


Spain



England to Almaria, September 28, 1945
Seville censor tape


Sweden


London to Gothenburg, January 10, 1948
5d. air mail rate + 3d. Registration fee


Switzerland


South Tottenham to Basel, January 11, 1946



Willesden B.O. to Lucerne, December 10, 1947
5d. air mail rate + 6d. express delivery fee



London to Stockholm, undated handstamp
5d. air mail rate + 6d. express delivery fee


Turkey

Service resumed in August, 1945

Leeds to Istanboul, October 8, 1947

George VI International Mail
Europe: 
Post War Surface Mail
(POST 6)

This article deals with surface mail to European destinations in the post-war period. On July 1, 1948 "all-up" service to most European countries was introduced. All-up service will be the subject of a future article in this series.

Rates (To June 30, 1948 )

Letter : 3d. for the first ounce and 1 1/2d. for each additional ounce
Post Card: 2d.
Printed Papers: 1/2 d. for the first two ounces
Registration : 3d.
Express Delivery: 6d.

Austria


Portishead Bristol to Vienna, May 29, 1946
3d. surface letter rate
Austrian censor and handstamp



Stockwell to St. Michael, July 26, 1946
6d. paying 3d. surface letter rate + 3d. registration fee
Censored in the British Zone handstamp and censor tape



Bath to Innsbruck, March 16, 1948
6d. paying 3d. surface letter rate + 3d. registration fee


Belgium


Darlington to Anvers, March 14, 1947
3d. surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
Belgian tax 1.20 francs

Dues Analysis:





Dorchester to Brussels, July 17, 1947
3 d. surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
Belgian tax 1.10 francs

Dues Analysis:




Czechoslovakia


Romford to Sadaska, September 26, 1945
3 d. surface letter rate
Returned because there was NO SERVICE EXCEPT BY AIR


London to Prague, January 1, 1948
3 d. surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
Czechoslovakian 1.4 karunas paid the postage due.

Dues Analysis:




Denmark


Glasgow to Copenhagen, December 22, 1945
3 d. surface letter rate
Returned : Unknown



Guilford to Holte, October 26, 1947
2d. surface post card rate



York to Ordrupvej, February 27, 1948
3 d. surface letter rate


Finland


Manchestor to Helsinki, September 24, 1946
3d. surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1/2d. and Finnish tax 3.5 marks


France


Stratford-on-Avon to Passenger on board SS. "Burma", Marseilles, June 23, 1947
3 d. surface letter rate
Shorpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
French due 3 francs. Due stamp affixed and cancelled, June 27, 1947
Returned to Sender






South Kensington to Paris, November 21, 1947
2 d. post card rate


Germany

All-up service to Germany was introduced June 1, 1949.



Sutton to Nuremburg (U.S. Zone), March 27, 1947
3d. surface letter rate
Passed U.S. Civil Censorship Kulmbach



Market Harborough to Lubek (British Zone), May 11, 1947
Addressed to Lithuanian Displaced Persons camp



Guernsey to Hamburg, November 24, 1947
3d. surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1/2d.
German tax 17 pfenning


Liechtenstein


Coatbridge Balzers, February 20, 1947
3d. surface letter rate

Shortpaid 1/2d. and taxed 10 francs




Netherlands



Exmouth to Leden, March 24, 1947
3 d. surface letter rate
Shorpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
Dutch tax 7 cents

Dues Analysis:




Poland

All-up service to Poland was introduced on October 1, 1950.


London to Krakow, November 1946
Registered 6 ounce letter

13 1/2d. paying 10 1/2d. postage (6 ounce letter rate) + 3 d. registration fee


Polish label affixed to back of envelope, Krakow cancellation November 10, 1946



London to Gdynia, December 12, 1946
3 d. surface letter rate
Shorpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
Polish tax paid. Dues cancelled December 20, 1946






Instructional handstamp on the back of the envelope


Sweden


Edinburgh to Lund, February 1, 1947
3d. surface letter rate



London to Stockholm, APril 7, 1948
2d. surface post card rate
Unpaid and taxed 35 ore


Switzerland


Correspondence from Polish refugee at Chippenham Camp, near Ely
Ely to Red Cross Zurich, September 11, 1946
Street address added by Zurich Post Office, Zurich cancel September 11, 1946


Return address



Officially Paid letter
London to Geneva, October 25, 1947
Treated as an unpaid letter and taxed 60 centimes



London to Zurich, August 10, 1946
3 d. surface letter rate
Shortpaid 1/2d. and British charge 8 gold centimes
Swiss dues affixed twice because the letter was redirected.





British charge 8 gold centimes


Swiss tax 10 centimes


10c stamp affixed August 13, 1946 Voided