Welcome readers to todays offering from The Philatelist. So slip on your smoking jack, fill your pipe, take the first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. We have an interesting story to tell which questions if loyalty is a two way street.
While you may not be familiar with this particular stamp. it’s type should be familiar to any serious worldwide stamp collector. In the period soon after the end of World War II, the British controlled a large empire. In addition, there were many self-governing dominions, like New Zealand in this case. So the British influence on the stamps is unmistakable.
The stamp today is issue A96, a two penny stamp issued in New Zealand on April 1st,1946 to celebrate the arrival of peace after the long war. This stamp casually depicts the British Royal Family, but most of the other stamps in the 11 stamp issue relate directly to the efforts and sacrifice of New Zealanders in the recent war. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents cancelled.
Looking back, this seems a strange stamp for New Zealand to have issued, especially as part of a peace issue. New Zealand was and remains a British Dominion. This means that the British Sovereign is the official head of state of the country. World War II lead to a reassessment of the relationship with Great Britain and the status of New Zealand as a Dominion is ever more controversial.
On September 3rd, 1939, New Zealand declared war on Germany. This was two days after the invasion of Poland. Michael Savage, the Prime Minister of New Zealand declared, referring to the UK, “Where she goes, we go. Where she stands, we stand.” This was from a Socialist PM of Irish ancestry. Volunteers were recruited and a large army of New Zealanders fought at the side of the British. This was most notable in North Africa and Italy. There was much glory and sacrifice on the part of New Zealand, but it left the home country rather naked in the face of the WWII menace of the advancing Japanese. Having lost Singapore, and being distracted elsewhere, there was little Britain could do to help. It was left to the Americans to assist in the defense of New Zealand and Australia. Britain even went so far as to refuse the return of New Zealand troops home to face the threat.
Given how fresh this history was in 1946, it seems insensitive to include a family picture of the Royal Family in a peace issue of stamps. There was obviously a great well of loyalty to Britain, and personally to the Royals themselves. It was also though a time to question whether that loyalty was a two way street. What was Britain doing in 1946 to show their loyalty to their colonies and dominions? In 1951 New Zealand signed a mutual defense treaty with the USA. Since then there has been a dramatic shrinkage in the size of the New Zealand armed forces. For example, in 1945 New Zealand has over a thousand combat aircraft. Today it has none.
Well, my drink is empty and so it is time to open up the conversation in the below comment section. Is affinity enough to keep a relationship between nations going when the benefits only flow in one direction? Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.