Sunday, July 4, 2010

Bombay War Gifts Fund - WW2 Label


This one was long pending post. Finally, it is out :-) This is one of the most common Indian WW2 label which everyone is familiar with. There are two of them.

The one shown on top is titled "Help To Defend Your Country" with Bombay War Gifts Fund. It shows 3 planes in square on left side of stamp with text on right side. The stamp was issued in two different color light and dark blue with denomination of half Anna. It was of size 45x26 mm. The label has been quoted in "Patriotic & Propaganda of the British Commonwealth" catalogue by Clive Edwards as 1/551.

The one at bottom was another variety of same type. This one was titled "Buy This And Help The R.A.F." with Bombay War Gifts Fund. It also shows 3 planes in square on left side of stamp with text on right side. The stamp was issued in Grey blue color with denomination of half Anna. It was of size 45x26 mm and known to be issued around 3rd Oct, 1940. The label has been quoted in "Patriotic & Propaganda of the British Commonwealth" catalogue by Clive Edwards as 1/550.

The gift coupons were issued to raise public funds for aircrafts or raising a full squadron. The people of Bombay presidency donated so much that two full squadron were named after Bombay: No. 122 on May 1941 and No. 132 on Apr 1942. Besides naming 2 squadrons after Bombay, there were numerous contribution by Bombay War Gifts Fund to other squadrons.

You can read nice articles on gift coupons role in raising fund for RAF squadrons on following website: Indian War Gifts Fund and Westland Lysander.

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