international datelines - Winston Churchill

Churchill in Stamps
BY RICHARD M. LANGWORTH
PAGES 163-168: THE BLITZ
In this area the philatelic biographer's job is almost too easy:
more Churchill commemoratives are designed around the London
Blitz than any other period in the saga; indeed it is a challenge to
find enough to say to create pages sufficient to house all the
stamps.
Catalogue numbers are Scott (#) and Stanley Gibbons (sg). A
slash mark (/) indicates a set with a common design from which
any value may be used.
163. Dominica #410a (sg 440) is the most impressive philatelic
portrayal of St. Paul's in the Blitz, though the colors are lurid and
probably exaggerated. The souvenir sheet makes a perfect start to
coverage of this period, with WSC's tribute to the cockneys at the
top.
164. Bhutan souvenir sheets quoting Churchill on "The Few"
are of course highly appropriate. They show two of the planes
responsible for Britain's air prowess, although the Spitfire (left)
reached its peak rather later. These issues are disdained by Scott,
but carry Minkus number 133 and sg MS 140 (perf and imperf).
163.
"LONDON CAN TAKE IT!"
"Look at the Londoners—the cockneys. Look at what they stood up
to. 'Grim and Gay' was their cry, and their wartime mood,
•What's good enough for anybody's good enough for us'."
--19^5
While Hitler tried to avoid scenes of devastation, Churchill was
In his element touring bombed-out sections of London, often with
Clemmle, other times with the King and Queen. When the cockneys
cried to give the Germans what they were dishing out, Winston
assured them "I will certainly undertake to do so."
Miraculously St. Paul's, invincible in the Blitz, survived the
worst nights of 1940, though considerable damage occurred to other
historic buildings including Buckingham Palace, which the King and
Queen—to the delight of their subjects—adamantly refused to leave.
165. Cook Islands #417 (sg 506) with Churchill and St. Paul's
faces off against Germany #B190 (sg 768) at the top of this page.
Below are two more of the endless sand dune issue by Khor
Fakkan, the original 4 rupee and "revalued" 4 rial St. Paul's
labels, Minkus 70 and 70A, not listed by Scott or Gibbons.
166. Great Britain #430-437 (sg 671-678), the 1965 Battle of
Britain set (phosphor line variety) is the dominant theme of this
partial quote of Churchill on the height of the Blitz. The RAF
planes contrast with the Luftwaffe's on German semi-postals, one
from the set #B218-29 (sg 819-30) and #469 (sg 600). There was,
incidentally, much repugnance voiced in Britain at the inclusion
of a swastika on the GB stamp at upper left, albeit with the big
crack running through it.
167. Conclusion of Churchill's "saved in the skies" comment
from his war memoirs, illustrating Britain's big advantage, radar,
with GB #518 (sg 752), more semi-legitimates from Bhutan,
Minkus 130-32 (sg 137-39) showing Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster;
and Togo #893 and #C241 (sg 1048 and 1050), also depicting
Spitfires.
164.
HEIGHT OF THE BLITZ
One night on a visit to Fighter Command, Churchill asked the
officer in charge how many squadrons were in the air. "All of
them, Prime Minister," the officer replied. WSC asked how many
squadrons were in reserve. "None," was the answer. It was In
those days a very near thing: It was a time, Churchill wrote,
"when it was equally good to live or die."
. 2*.
SaaJL
14'-
•1- .^Sfc :
168. Mussolini's extension of the war into the Balkans can be
easily illustrated by USA captive nations stamps for Albania,
Yugoslavia and Greece #916-18 (sg 913-15), and stamps of each
country depicting its then-head of state: King Zog, Albania
#210/17 (sg 193/203); King Peter, Yugoslavia #142/51 (sg
414/26); and King George II, Greece #391/93 (sg 503/13).
(To be continued)
Left: Supermarine Spitfire; right: Armstrong-Siddeley Hurricane