2018-10-23 Tue

Australia has been releasing special postage stamps featuring various aspects of World War I since 22nd April 2014. These stamps highlight important events of World War I starting from 28th July 1914 to the signing of the armistice on 11th November 1918. The fifth and final set in the series was issued on 2nd October. It features a quote from Aaron Pegram. He is an Australian War Memorial senior historian who worked with the post office on the stamp series.

Almost 60,000 members of Australian army died over four years during the war. The five stamps from the final set are denominated $1. One stamp features Lt. Rupert Frederick Arding Downes talking to his men from B Company, 29th Battalion. Another one features Lt. Gen. Sir John Monash, commander of the Australian Corps. The other three stamps highlight the moment when the armistice was declared, flags of the countries signing the armistice, families waiting for the troops, and French children at Adelaide Cemetery at Villers-Bretonneux. A souvenir sheet contains the five stamps and a quote from Australian WWI correspondent C.E.W. Bean, “And so it is peace.”

Image Courtesy: Australian Post