Postal History Corner

Canada's War Issue
1942 - 1943
An Introduction to the Stamps

On July 1 1942, a new series of definitive stamps was issued showing Canada's contribution to the war effort of the Allied Nations. The Post Office Department issued stamps portraying King George as head of the Armed Forces in naval, military and air force uniforms. Subjects depicting Canada's munitions, war supplies, shipbuilding, agriculture, her importance as a great air-training centre, and as a source of food were chosen for the pictorial stamps.

The low value definitives with George VI in military uniforms were in use until 1949, while the War Issue pictorials were replaced by the "Peace" Issue pictorials in 1946.

George VI denominations

1-cent - 5-cent denominations were issued during the life of the issue, with three designs:

Naval Uniform : 1-cent and 5-cent
Army Uniform : 2-cent and 4-cent carmine
Air Force Uniform : 3-cent carmine and 3-cent purple

Naval Uniform Stamps

The 1-cent and 5-cent stamps of King George VI in naval uniform were engraved from a photograph by Hugh Cecil of London England.

Army Uniform Stamps

Air Force Uniform Stamps

The 2-cent and 4-cent carmine stamps of King George VI in Air Force uniform were engraved from a photograph by Hugh Cecil of London, England.

Pictorials

Subjects depicting Canada's munitions, war supplies, shipbuilding, agriculture, her importance as a great air-training centre, and as a source of food were chosen for the pictorial stamps.

The next section of this post shows photographs used by the artists to design the War Issue pictorials and collages of stamp models approved for engraving.

(Source of images :National Archives of Canada)

4-cent Grain Elevator

Saskatchewan Pool Terminal No. 4, Port Arthur, Ont.

Photograph of stamp model as approved sent to New York

8-cent Farm Scene

A farm scene collage

Canadian Farm Scene essay

10-cent Parliament Buildings with Union Jack

Painted photo with lettering added with hand drawn frame.
Based on a photograph by Lt. Col. W.K. Walker.

13-cent/14-cent "Ram" Tank, Canadian Army

"Ram" Tank, Canadian Army

Painted photo vignette within painted photo frame

20-cent Corvette Ready for Launching

Canadian Corvette Ready for Launching
1 collage , essay
Duplicate of approved model sent to New York

50-cent Canadian Munitions Factory

Canadian Munitions Factory photograph

Canadian Munitions Factory
Collage, essay
Mounted on card (21.5 x 26.5 cm) Retouched by hand

$1.00 Tribal class destroyer, Royal Canadian Navy

Vignette of Destroyer selected for 1942 issue $1.00
Department of National Defence photograph

Tribal Class Destroyer, Royal Canadian Navy
Collage, essay
Painted photo vignette within painted photo frame

6-cent/7 cent Air Mail : British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

Pilot, training under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada, entering the cockpit of a training plane.

Formation of three airplanes was used for issued stamp.

R.C.A.F. - Uplands

In two years time under stress of war, Canada has organized a vast system of air training schools, where recruits of the Royal Canadian Air Force and from far-flung Empire countries receive their wings and are made ready for the great job that awaits them in the troubled skies over Europe. Uplands, near Ottawa, one of Canada's largest R.C.A.F. advanced service training schools, boats more than one thousand landings and take-offs a day and turns out hundreds of pilots and navigators. Perhaps heading eastward preparatory to the long ferry flight to the British Isles, huge bombers frequently "drop in" on Uplands, tower over the smaller Harvards.

16-cent/ 17 cent Air Mail Special Delivery : Trans-Canada Airplane

Part of a page from an unknown publication retouched with grey gouache. Wires erased. Reverse shows part of a Seagram advertisement. Lower right corner is missing and adhesive tape is present on edges.