Dutch field post
This article deals with the Dutch field post since it was first mentioned in a document in 1597.
Dutch field post
The first news about the field post
A resolution dated August 12, 1597 about the first Dutch field post states that a riding post course with fixed stations in Alphen, Bodegraven, Utrecht , Rhenen and Arnheim was set up between The Hague and 's-Gravenwert (a Rhine island near Lobith) . Two riders with several horses were assigned to each station. A sergeant specially appointed for each camp was responsible for processing.
Similar services were maintained in further campaigns against the Spanish occupiers.
During the siege of 's-Hertogenbosch in 1629, a light signal baton was maintained for the first time from St.Jan's Cathedral via Eindhoven to the Archbishop of Brussels in Breda . A riding post was also kept for reports and orders . A messenger from s'Hertogenbosch to The Hague is said to have taken ten hours. The first letters from the military can also be identified from this time. They can be recognized by references such as “In 't Lager bij Venlo, 4th June 1632” or “du camp prèz de Maestrich, le 14 d'October 1632”.
In the "Archive for Post and Telegraphy." From 1873 you can read on page 14:
- “ Dutch field post system . In the Netherlands, a field post according to Le Jeune's communications (Le Jeune: Het Brieven-Postwezen in de Republik der Vereinigte Nederlande. Utrecht 1851.) was first set up in 1746 when the allied Dutch and English troops had taken position at Breda, during Antwerp was occupied by the French. The Amsterdam post office had the letters for the army transported to Strijen-Sas on the northern bank of the Dutch Dieps, which cuts deep into the country north of Breda; In Stijen-Sas, the mailbags were picked up by field post officials, carried over the Diep in boats (veldpostschuiten) and then transported to the headquarters in Breda. In order to facilitate the mail traffic for the English troops as well as possible, the letter parcels from England were delivered to Hellevetshuis / Brielle (at the mouth of the Meuse) and from there also transported to Strijen-Sas or to the headquarters, where an English post officer, Mr. .Sutton, handled the delivery. The Dutch field post office had greater expansion in 1793 when the troops of the republic established from seven provinces under the Prince of Orange, who later became King William I of the Netherlands. had invaded the Austrian Netherlands and stood at Kortrijk in West Flanders, southwest of Ghent. The organization of the field post system was carried out according to the plan of the Dutch Commies-Generaal (Postdirectors) L'Honoré by decision of the States General of June 20, 1793. The seat of the field post office was in the headquarters of the Prince of Orange. The postal connection with The Hague was maintained on the route via Ghent, Lokeren, Antwerp, Moerdijk, the Dutch Diep and Dordrecht, despite the protest that the Austrian General Postal Director for the Netherlands had issued in Brussels against it because he had the facility for one Encroachment on the reservation rights of his sovereign, the Roman-German Emperor. According to the instructions given by the States General to the "Noble Gentlemen Commissaries for the Post Office of Holland and West Friesland" regarding the carriage of letters for the army, the field post should be delivered to The Hague, where it was collected, at 5 on Mondays and Thursdays Leave in the evening and be taken to Strijen-Sas in 6 to 7 hours, where a relay (entre-postcomptoir) was set up for the purpose of transferring the field post via the Dutch Diep. On the southern bank of the Dieps near Moerdijk, the actual field post course began on Brabant and Flemish soil. In Kortrijk or at the headquarters of the Prince of Orange, the letter bags arrived on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The army had to dispatch the field post transports in such a way that they also arrived in Moerdijk on Monday and Thursday evenings - like the post office from The Hague - to be transported from there by the returning postilons to The Hague. "
From the Second English War 1665–1667 it is known that there was a line of defense along the coast from Delftzijl to Flanders. A riding post with 15 stations between Den Helder and Zierikzee connected the government in The Hague with the troops.
In the war against Münster and Cologne, the riding post was subordinate to Prince Johann Mauritz, who received 8,000 pounds for his “customers and secret correspondence”. At the same time he was responsible for the usual riding posts. There were complaints. It was complained that the letters had been on their way for two or three days. It turned out that the mail riders had refused to ride if they could not take further letters with them for carriage at the same time on their own account.
The French field post I
During the Dutch War in 1672 the French commissioned François Michel et Tettier to organize a field post to supply the troops in the field with mail. The “direction générale des postes” delegated a “commis des postes” and one or more “vaguemestre” who were responsible for distributing and collecting the mail. The clerk was responsible for handling the mounted postillons . Until 1706, the address contained the name of the camp, for example "l'armée de Monsr le Prince". With the introduction of the first field postmarks, the name of the commander was also given the area in which the camp was located, for example "de l'armée de Duras of de l'armée de Catalogne".
The Dutch field post
The Republic of the United Netherlands decided on June 23, 1672 to set up a regular field post service. Postmaster Aert van Doorn was commissioned to set up a post office in the fortresses of Voorn, St. Andries (near Kerkdriel), Crevecoer (near Hedel) and Zaltbommel. At the same time, a regular postal rate was set up between The Hague and the Isselfront. In addition, there was a regular three times a week to Doesburg (12 km NE of Arnhem) for 15 guilders per ride and on special occasions to Den Helder, Vlissingen , Maastricht or Emden . Via Emden, for example, there was a connection with the Great Elector of Brandenburg and the German Emperor.
Prince Wilhelm III. paid over 6000 pounds for "correspondence and messages" as well as for the transmission of messages by bar telegraph between Gouda and Bodegraven to Muiden and from Gouda to Goejan, Verwellesluis, Schoonhoven and Gorinchem .
The stamps in the War of Succession 1740–1748
The allied Austrians used a single-circle postmark with two “A” for “Armée Autrichienne”, the Dutch contingent used a frame stamp with the letters “AHOL” for “Armée hollandaise”. The French used a wide variety of field postmarks and handwritten notes, such as ARMEE DU ROY in various positions, SERVICE DU ROY, ARM. DE FLANDRE, AR. DE SAXE and the like. In the Netherlands they used the stamps “CDLOVENDAL” and “ARMEE LOWENDAL”. Ulrich Friedrich Waldemar von Löwenthal was commander in chief of the French troops.
British field post
In order to facilitate the mail traffic for the English troops as much as possible, it was decided on May 29, 1744 to exchange the letter parcels from England in Brielle (at the mouth of the Meuse) and from there to Strijen-Sas or to the headquarters. The English postman, Mr. Sutton, arranged the delivery. Mail from the Army to England was stamped “AB” for “Army bag” for the first time. The handwritten sender information is known as “Hanau Camp”, “Saven them Camp” and “Vilvoerde Camp”. Also known is a letter "... in ye Reigement of Royal Scots Fusuleers at Klundart, Holland".
The French field post II
With the occupation of the southern Netherlands by 86,000 French soldiers in the period from October 1792 to March 30, 1793, the following French stamps were used.
The stamps “EXPEDITION DE LA BELGIQUE” and “ARMÉE DE BELGIQUE” are very rare. There is also the stamp "ARMÉE DU NORD", it is known from February 28, 1793 in a red mark, as well as handwritten notes such as "de L'armée du Nord", "Exp (édition) de la Hollande" or "de la hollde" ".
On April 2 and 3, 1793 the French had to give up the occupation of Breda and Geertruidenberg. After recruiting volunteers, the French launched another attack. After initial failures, the French general Pichegru united the two armies, the "Armée du Nord" and the "Armée Sambre et Meuse" to form the "Armée du Nord Sambre et Meuse".
The use of the stamp "ARMÉE DU NORD" is known from East Belgium from 1793. A stamp from 1794 from s'Hertogenbosch "QUARTIER GÉNÉRAL" is also known.
The stamps “DON A ARMÉE DU NORD” from Groningen and from Breda “DON O ARMÉE DU NORD” are registered from 1795. It can be assumed that the stamp “PP” (“Port Payé”) for the advance payment of the postage fee and “Deboursé” for misdirected letters is also possible. Notes such as “estaffete”, “Très Pressé” or “suivre en campagne” are known.
As one could see from a message from a contemporary newspaper, a field post service was set up on June 1, 1793 on the Dutch side. The mail supply ran from The Hague to the headquarters. Only handwritten notes like “met de veldpost” are known. There should be a stamp “VELDPOST” in italics from the headquarters.
The French occupation
On May 16, 1795, the special peace treaty was signed in Basel. On the same day in The Hague, the "Hague Treatise" between the French and Batavian Republic - as the Netherlands now called itself - was concluded. Part of the contract was the assumption of the costs for the stationing of 25,000 French troops in the Batavian Republic. This also included the provision of field post to connect the divisions to the respective headquarters. There was a post office in Breda and Gorcum for the connection with France. For necessary extra items , the parishes were obliged to use their messengers at the expense of the Batavian government. The field post staff had to be French.
On November 14, 1795, a “regulation of the posts in the French northern camp” was negotiated between the Comitee of Allies, the head of the Dutch postal administration and the Directeur-Generaal of the Post of the Armée du Nord. In Arnhem, 1795, and The Hague, 1796, a single-line stamp was used: “DON B ARMÉE DU NORD”, from Middelburg, 1798, “DON C ARMÉE DU NORD” and from Groningen, 1795, “DON E ARMÉE DU NORD” . In Maastricht in 1796 a letter with the two-line stamp “DON D ARMS / SAMBRE ET MEUSE” and at the headquarters in 's-Gravenhage, in 1795, the two-line stamp “BAU GAU / ARM. DU NORD ”( Bureau Général / Armée du Nord ) was rejected.
The French envoys, generals, commissioners and other administrations had special subsidiary postmarks to prove that postage was free.
As a result of the treaty of 1795, Batavian units took part in the French wars in the Kingdom of the Netherlands , Austria , Poland and Spain .
In the middle of 1798 the stamp “ARMÉE DU NORD” was replaced by the two-line stamp “DON A HOLLANDE / TROUPES FOISES”. This stamp is known again with the letters from "A" to "E". The stamps “PORT PAYÉ” and “DÉ B” are also known from some divisions. The latter are very rare.
The headquarters of the Dutch troops in Nijmvegen in 1804 needed the abbreviated two-line stamp "BAU GAL / ARM: DE HOLLANDE" and in 1805 the one-liner "BUREAU GÉNÉRAL ARMÉE DE HOLLANDE", from Utrecht from 1804 to 1806, from Rotterdam from 1805, and from Nijmvegen from 1806 is known.
On the occasion of BELGICA'72, a collector was able to show two more interesting letters: There was once to see: “BAU PRINCIPAL PP / ARM. DU NORD ”from 1809, stamped in Terneuzen and from 1810 from Nijmwegen the red stamp“ NO I PORT PAYÉ / ARM. YOU NORTH ”.
From August 27 to November 30, 1799 English and Russian troops were in the country, during this short time the British used the field postmark "ARMY BAG" with a crown.
After the enemy in North Holland was defeated, voices were raised in the Netherlands calling for the withdrawal of French troops from the Batavian Republic . By August 31, 1801, the French troops in the Batavian Republic were to be brought back to a peacetime strength of 10,000 men and placed under the Batavian governor. On August 19, 1801, the French Minister of War decided, without consulting the Batavian government, to abolish the French field post.
With the takeover of the coastal lands by the French Empire on July 9, 1810, the postmarks of the field post remained in use. Dutch units became part of the "Second Grande Army" and took part in the Russian campaign.
After Napoleon's defeat in Russia and the Battle of Leipzig, German and Russian troops marched into the Netherlands. From this time only one field postmark is proven, it was the two-line stamp "HANNÖVERSCHE / FELDPOSTEXPEDITION".
As a result of the new allies, new organizations were created very quickly. This can be recognized on letters by handwritten notes to enable postage exemption. As successor to the director of the field posts, Mr. d'Ablaing van Giessenkerken was appointed on April 20, 1814 by a princely resolution of December 6, 1813. He used a two-line stamp: "GENERALE INTENDANCE / VAN HET LEGER TE VELDE" as a postage-free note.
The new Netherlands
On December 1, 1813, Prince Willem Frederik van Oranje was proclaimed sovereign prince over the United Netherlands .
In order to defend the new independence, a new army should be built up immediately. After the Peace of Paris (May 30, 1814), many soldiers returned home from their service in the French army in order to be immediately accepted back into the new Dutch army.
At the Congress of Vienna they demanded the return of the Austrian Netherlands, which prompted King Willem to create a mobile army corps (Dutch: mobiele corps d'armée).
The decision of the Congress of Vienna to unite the southern Netherlands ( Belgium ) with the northern Netherlands was carried out in March 1815. Prince Willem then proclaimed himself King of the Netherlands; he became King Willem I.
The entire area of the Netherlands was divided into provincial command posts. These command offices were subordinate to the Great Military Command.
Last confrontation with Napoleon
After Napoleon landed in Fréjus from his place of exile, Elba, on March 1, 1815 , general mobilization throughout the kingdom followed on March 17. At the beginning of May the Duke of Wellington took command of the Allied troops that had been concentrated in the southern Netherlands. The Dutch headquarters had been in Braine-le-Compt ('s-Gravenbrakel) since May 2nd. He was later assigned to the General Field Post Office.
After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo on June 18, the Allied troops followed the French army to Paris. You wanted to be absolutely sure. From a circular no. 56 of the Dutch postal administration of June 12, 1815, it is known that from July 1 there was a direct field post connection with the director of the Dutch field post in Belgium.
All letters that arrived at the army had to be stamped “NeDe Veldpost” in cursive. This field post service ended on February 5, 1816.
On July 24, 1815, the Allied troops paraded through the Bois de Boulogne. They left Paris on December 1, 1815.
During this war, a field post director was assigned to both the headquarters and the mobile corps. The mobile corps was disbanded on December 22, 1815. The reorganization took a few months.
The ten-day campaign
Triggered by the July Revolution in France, tensions arose in some Belgian cities. The Belgian part of the population did not feel adequately represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands created by the Congress of Vienna. On the night of September 26th to 27th, 1830, an uprising broke out in Brussels, which spread until Belgian volunteers and regular French forces engaged in the so-called “ten-day campaign” between August 2nd and 12th, 1831 separation of Belgium carried out by the United Netherlands. Real peace and an agreement on the new border was not reached until 1839.
Until then, large units of the army were kept under arms in the Netherlands. A field post service was organized between 1830 and 1839 to provide the armed forces with mail
On the Dutch side, a field post order for the mobile army was issued in 1831. In addition to the field postmark "KOMMANDO VHLEGER TE VELDE", four single-circle stamps were used: "VELDPOST 1, 2, 3 or 4" with a date without year in the middle. Letters with postage paid also have the stamp “FRANCO”.
A stamp "KAMP BIJ RIJEN" is known from July 1837 and July 1838. Presumably summer maneuvers took place at this time.
In 1832, the French intervention army used the field postmarks "BAU SEDENTAIRE" ( Bureau sédentaire ) and "QUARTIER GAL" ( Quartier général ). There is also a two-line stamp with the inscription: "ARMEE DU NORD / BAU A" from the Antwerp area.
In Belgium, after the withdrawal of the Dutch troops, a permanent field post office was set up in Beverlo . The stamp used there since 1835 had the following inscription: “SERV DE L'ARMEE BELGE BAU PRINCIP. DES POSTES "( Service de l'armée belge - Bureau principal des postes ),
Field post in the 20th century
Field post before the First World War
Almost 70 years passed before the field post was used again in 1904 with exercises on the occasion of a maneuver.
A two-circle stamp with the inscription "VELD POST KANTOOR" was used. The time with “N” or “morning” in the outer circle and the date with the day and year in digits and the month in letters in the inner circle. This stamp was in use from 1904 to 1909.
The stamp was replaced in 1910, and only for 1910, by a circular web stamp with arcs at the top and bottom. The inscription was “VELDPOST” in the upper arch and “KANTOOR 1” in the lower arch. The date and time (with "N" or "V") were in digits in the bridge. In 1911 the word "KANTOOR" was dropped in the lower part and was replaced by an asterisk in front of and behind the number.
In addition to these stamps, there were two-circle stamps with the circular inscription "EXPEDITIEKANTOOR VELDPOST" and the letters "A", "B" and "C" below between each star. A use of the stamps “B” and “C” from the time before 1914 could not be proven.
It is noteworthy that a second postmark had to be made for the forwarding agency "A". The stamp has the inscription "EXPEDIETIEKANTOOR A"
Dutch field post in the First World War
During the First World War , the field post service was in full use. The post was sent via the forwarding offices A, B and C as well as via the public post to the field post offices 1 to 13 as shown below.
A two-circle stamp with the inscriptions “HOOFDEXPEDITIE” in the upper part and “* VELDPOST *” in the lower part was purchased from the central authority. The date with the month in Roman numerals was placed in the bridge. The circular web stamps with arches at the top and bottom of the field post offices 1–13 contained the text "VELDPOST" in the upper arch. In the lower arch, the office number was between two stars ("* 12 *"). On this stamp, too, the month in the date was in Roman numerals.
The basis of the new field post was the "field post order", from which only the information that is most important to us is given:
- § 3 After the order to mobilize has been given, a special postal service is set up under the name "Feldpost", which is carried out in cooperation with the existing postal system and any post offices present in forwarding and field post offices.
- § 4 As a rule, a field post office is set up for each division of the field army; In the case of independently occurring other large units, as well as in lines and positions, the number is determined as required. Forwarding offices are used for one or more field post offices, while special forwarding offices, under the name main forwarding offices, perform services for all other forwarding offices.
Maneuver field mail
After the First World War, the field post only occasionally worked on maneuvers.
From 1935 there were also two-circle bar stamps, the field post stamps "VELDPOST 2" and "VELDPOST 9", where the number between two stars was replaced by the year in four digits between two crosses, formed from four angles. The number was then directly after the word "VELDPOST". The date and time were given in Latin and the month in Roman numerals. The two-circle stamp of the distribution points had the inscription "EXPEDITIE VELDPOST A" or "B".
There were military mail flights in the Dutch East Indies from June 16 to 24, 1927 between Bandoeng and Palembang in both directions. Further flights are known from March 2, 1935 between Sourabaya and Balikpapan and from March 11, 1935 between Tarakan, Balikpapan and Sourabaya.
Saar vote 1934
A small contingent of Dutch people was assigned to the referendum in Saarland . The Dutch voting force did not have an actual field post office. The assigned chaplain, a Dutch military chaplain, took care of the postal connection with the Netherlands. His office was in Saarbrücken at Bleichstrasse 1.
In the beginning, the company failed to stock up on a sufficient supply of postage stamps, but on December 27, 1934, 2,000 stamps each at 6 and 1½ cents were delivered. We know from letters that these postage stamps were sold in the canteen of the “Nederlandsch Contingent Saartroepen” in Saarbrücken and St.Ingbert. It is assumed that the quantity of stamps corresponded to the requirement of two months.
The letters collected by the field preacher daily at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. were sealed in letter bags and sent to Emmerich on the Lower Rhine. The bag flags were marked “Aan Emmerik-Amsterdam, from Commandant Nederlandsch Contingent Saarbrücken”. A separate field postmark was not available. The consignments were only canceled in the Emmerich - Amsterdam rail mail car with the rail post, rectangular bar stamp with rounded corners "Emmerich - Amsterdam", ie at the border crossing to the Netherlands. The letters can only be recognized by the sender details. On service letters with the coat of arms of the Marine Corps, the oval stamp "Saartroepen" was also removed.
The second World War
In September and October 1938, a trial mobilization was announced in the Netherlands and a permanent field post service on a small scale was set up for the area commanders. The Dutch armed forces were mobilized in August 1939.
A distinction must be made between mail that was intended for military personnel and mail that was sent by soldiers. Since the Dutch armed forces were stationed exclusively in their own country at this time, it is obvious that a large amount of mail from soldiers was also carried through normal civilian mail, and this without using the field post. No regulation is known which required the use of the field post. There was almost no censorship.
Conversely, the mail to the members of the troops inevitably had to go through the field post service, as the respective location of the individual units and troop units had to remain unknown for reasons of confidentiality. However, there have been exceptions.
The head office of the field post was at the "Directeur Etappen - en Verkeersdienst" (Stages and Transport Department) at the headquarters of the Dutch armed forces. With order no. 3 of August 26, 1939, this department issued the following instruction: “In order to carry out the mail delivery for the mobilized troops as well as possible - as long as 'Telegram C' (general mobilization order) has not been issued - the following transitional regulation for the Composition of the field post service: Field post offices are set up for the territorial commanders, for the Den Helder position, for the fortress Holland (western front, eastern front, southern front) and for the Zeeland command. The mail for the military, who belong to the core of the war departments established during the pre-mobilization, is supplied by the main distribution office. This mail is sent through the main distribution office to the post offices in which the mobilization center for these departments has been set up. ”On September 1, 1939, the field postal service was fully operational.
In the Dutch field post system, three types of post office were organizationally distinguished. There was once the main distribution post office - HOOFDEXPEDITIEKANTOOR - this is where the exchange of mail with the Dutch civilian post took place and the forwarding to distribution post offices - EXPEDITIEKANTOOR - as well as the management to the troops in the immediate vicinity. If the location of the troops was known to the Dutch post office, the post could also be exchanged with the post offices of the field post via specially instructed civil post offices. The third type, the field post offices - VELDPOSTKANTOOR - was supplied by the distribution post offices, which in turn served the units and troops.
At the main distribution post office in 's Hertogenbosch, two-circle bar stamps with a diameter of 33 mm with the inscription "* HOOFD EXPEDITIE * VELDPOST" with the date and time in the bar were in use. The month name consisted of Roman numerals. The stamp, or rather the stamp, has been in use since the trial mobilization. After the surrender of the Netherlands on May 15, 1940, it was the last of the field post offices to be closed on June 27, 1940.
There were two distribution post offices, one in Utrecht (EXPEDITIE KANTOOR A) to supply the headquarters of the army and one in 's-Gravenhage (EXPEDITIE KANTOOR B), responsible for the fortress of Holland and the Western Front headquarters. In 's-Gravenhage it was also the field post office. A two-circle bar stamp with a diameter of 31.5 mm and the inscription "EXPEDITIE VELDPOST * A *" was used as a stamp for Utrecht. for use. The date with day, month (Roman numerals), year and time are located in the bridge. It differs from the second stamp for 's-Gravenhage by the greater distance between the two circles with the inscription "EX PEDITIE VELDPOST B / year number", whereby the year number is written out in full. There is only day, month (again Roman numerals) and time in the bridge. The outside diameter is 28.5 mm. The field post offices had circular bar stamps with arcs at the top and bottom and different diameters, the inscription "VELDPOST * 1 *" or a number up to 13. The stamps were used for mail that was delivered to the field post office for dispatch, for mail that accidentally arrived at a field post office was to determine the cause of a delay and to postmark notifications, registered mail, parcel cards, forms, routing slips (from mailbags) and more. There were also a large number of secondary cancellations.
censorship
On May 11, 1940, the Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch Army issued the order to set up post censorship for the Dutch field post in a very hurry . An officer in each unit should be assigned to perform this task. The items should be opened and closed as inconspicuously as possible; if this was not possible, the letter had to be sealed with a sealing strip with the note "CENSUR" and the number of the censor. A report on the result should be made at least three times a week in order to get an overview of this measure. It seems that the action wasn't worked through particularly well. How can you keep the censorship secret when you introduce a sealing strip? The censors had no experience whatsoever in these matters, and the events following the entry of the German troops will have severely hampered this order. The war threat from Germany had existed for months beforehand. Nevertheless, the army command saw no reason to consider the possibility of a possibly necessary censorship of the field post, let alone that of the other correspondence. Such a regulation would even have been particularly necessary when one considers that many officers and men viewed German National Socialism positively. So far, only a few documents have been assigned to this order of May 11, 1940.
When the German troops marched in, field post service had been suspended since June 1, 1940. Dutch units that had withdrawn to neighboring countries used British field post.
The Liberation
Part of the "British Liberation Army" was also a Dutch contingent. The participants of the "BLA" used the British field post. The " Royal Netherlands Brigade , BLA" had the field post number 851 (FPO 851) from April 1944 to November 1945 . The use of this contingent was carried out on a purely pragmatic basis. This often resulted in a transfer to other, non-Dutch troops.
A letter dated October 4, 1945 from the Commander of the Dutch Armed Forces (BNS), Royal Land Forces Department, contains the following information about the post: Mail intended for a subdivision of the Royal Army or for the military from subdivisions of the Royal Army, who are abroad must always have a field post address. Units of the Royal Army stationed outside the Netherlands in North-West Europe (Germany, Belgium) must have a field post address according to the following model: Bv Pte A.Jansen, / HQ 13 Neth.Light Inf.Bn., / BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) - For units that can be written to under a BAOR address, it is advisable to use the "8.Base Post Office BAOR" for every change of location in connection with the old APO number the assignment of a new APO number in order to avoid misdirection. When sending service items by units of the Kgl. Army units located in the Netherlands to those outside the country must use service envelopes marked OHMS (On His Majesty's Service).
British censorship with Dutch participation
The "British Civil Censorship Stations" had been set up in Great Britain to control German private mail. After the invasion of Germany, these offices were subordinate to the "Headquarters British Civil Censorship (Germany)" (BCC (G)), which was transferred as a purely military group to the "Control Commission for Germany" (CCG), although over time Civilians did the censorship work.
One of these censorship offices started its work on March 10, 1945 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. A preparatory and general group of 27 censors began censoring in April 1945. In the following months the office was reinforced by a command of the Territorial Auxiliary Service, the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and Dutch military personnel. In May 1945 the postal surveillance, information and reporting group was formed. Between August and September 1945 preparations were made to move the staff to (3150) Peine. Before the Dutch employees of the ATS could enter occupied Germany, they had to wait for a permit from the Dutch government. In September 1945, a post censorship was added for the German prisoners of war. On October 11, 1945, 360 censors were transported by train to the new location in the rolling mill in Peine. A short time later, branches were set up in Braunschweig, Hanover and Münster. The main office in Peine was under the command of the HQ of the 105th Anti Aircraft Brigade as a local administrative unit.
In December 1945 the censorship of German domestic mail began. Shipments abroad were not yet permitted again in Germany. In March 1946, 74 ATS personnel were transferred from the 1st DCS (1st \ District Censorship Station) to Peine. Further personnel transfers followed when the international broadcasts came up for censorship.
In April 1946 it was noted in the war diary that the German prisoners of war did not always use the official paper and that the clerks also stated this in their letters. It was also found that the address on the envelope did not always match the address on the letterhead.
A laboratory was maintained in Bad Salzuflen for special investigations; for example, suspicious letters were examined for secret messages in chemical tests. Other special censors were those for unusual languages and the specialists for secret codes. From this group, 4685 letters were examined in May, of which 72 could be released.
In May 1946, 283 censors were reported for the general censorship service. The violations remained within limits. It was found that the first foreign letter contained only personal and family messages, while the violations only increased with later letters.
From July to September 1946, the monitoring of the telecommunications service found around 2000 violations of telephone traffic within the Reichsbahn network. During the same period of time, the police monitored telephone traffic and there were only 35 calls with illegal content. So the police were very law-abiding. The same source reports of 25 members of the censorship office who had been entrusted with monitoring parcel traffic since October 1946.
Dutch missions overseas
Dutch East Indies
On January 22, 1946, the first post-war Dutch field post offices were set up for the army and navy troops fighting in the Dutch East Indies against the Indonesians who were fighting for their independence. The mail was processed on the second floor of the main post office in Amsterdam by two non-commissioned officers and eight soldiers. Over time, the staff had to be increased to a total of 120 military before it was closed again on March 14, 1951.
Most of the mail between the Netherlands and the colonies was carried by airmail . The shipments were postage-free, and flight surcharges were not levied. In the Dutch East Indies, two-circle bar stamps with arches at the top and bottom were used. For example, between the circles was "VELDPOST - BANDOENG" and the year in four digits at the bottom. At the date in the bridge, the day and time were given in Latin and the month in Roman numerals. In addition to the Bandoeng stamp, it was also available in Batavia, Cheribon, Padang, Djarkarta, Palembang, Djokjakarta, Semarang, Madioen, Soerabaja and Solo.
In a single circle stamp with the inscription "VELDPOST" above and the name of the stationing place or the name of the unit below, an elephant is depicted inside. They came from Den Pasar (elephant to the left) and Negara (elephant to the right), as well as the Y-Brig unit. The stamps were knocked off red. In addition, the stamps of the units are to be mentioned: There is the rectangular and single circle stamp with the two-line inscription "POST-A-DIV / SOERABAJA" of the A-Division, the circular stamp "VELDPOST / 7 DEC DIV" and the date, and the already mentioned stamp with the elephant of the Y Brigade.
Use in Korea
During the conflict in Korea (1950/53) the field post for the units of the Dutch detachment of the United Nations was sent to "N (etherland) A (rmy) P (east) O (ffice) 5100". (NAPO 5100) addressed. The consignments came to the field post office in Schiphol, and from there to the field post office of the USA in San Francisco to the 7th Base Post Office. In early 1951, 635 Dutch were deployed in Korea. The first division had arrived in Pusan on November 23, 1950. At the end of the war there were 900 men. They could be reached via NAPO number 5100 for the NDVN (Nederland detachement Vereenigte Naties) in Korea or via NAPO number 5101 for the Dutch liaison unit in Tokyo (Japan). For their mail from Korea and Japan, the Dutch made use of the local US field post offices. During the Korean conflict, the term "NAPO" was used for the first time.
Use in Dutch New Guinea
Since 1958, the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht has dispatched mail destined for the Dutch military in New Guinea every day for forwarding to the Naval Post Office in Amsterdam. From here, the navy carried the mail to Biak in Dutch New Guinea. Aircraft supplies were added later. To distinguish between the different routes, Utrecht used the stamp “A-Débarquer eg SINGAPORE” meaning “Reloaded to sea mail in Singapore”.
The NAPO number 5500 was issued for letters to members of the royal army and the air force. Since December 15, 1960, a separate mail bag has been produced in Utrecht for each unit in order to relieve the naval mail staff in Biak through this sorting. At that time, the post was still exclusively via Amsterdam and was therefore not given a field postmark.
Due to the increase in troop strength, the introduction of regular field post became necessary. The new field post regulation came into force on September 1, 1962. The following new NAPO numbers have been assigned for the units in Dutch New Guinea: NAPO-5500 Biak Stempel (96, 99), NAPO-5512 Sorong (97), NAPO-5523 Hollandia (98). Post delivery via Biak: NAPO-5534 Fak-Fak, NAPO-5545 Kaimana and NAPO-5556 in Merauke.
In New Guinea from 1962 field post stamps of the type were used that had already been used by the Dutch troops in Germany. The stamp numbers 91 to 99 were issued on February 22, 1962. Only the towns of Biak, Sorong and Hollandia had a field post office. Post for other places was brought to Biak and only then stamped.
Use in Tunisia
From November 21, 1969 to March 1970, the mail supply for a pioneer unit during a mission to a flood disaster in Tunisia had to be managed. The mail from Tunisia was posted without postage and was stamped “PORT BETAALD / VELDPOST UTRECHT” at the field post office in Utrecht and a date stamp “VELDPOST” with the number “73” or “81” before being forwarded by civil post.
Use in Sudan
From August 24 to November 1974 a Dutch force stationed in al-Faschir on the basis of an aid agreement with Sudan had to be supplied with mail. The following were permitted in the direction of Sudan: letters, postcards, printed matter, daily newspapers, periodicals, parcels and parcels at the Dutch domestic rate. Although the post was airmailed, a surcharge was not required. A foreign parcel card and a customs declaration were required for parcels. A declaration of value was not permitted, but registration was possible. The address included: rank, surname and first name, registration number, name of the unit, NAPO 30, Utrecht Veldpost.
In the direction of the Netherlands, letters, postcards, printed matter and parcels were allowed postage paid. The value stated on the customs declaration was Hfl 350. not exceed. Registration and express delivery were permitted for a fee. Registered letters with an indication of the value were not permitted.
Deployment in Suriname (Dutch Guiana)
From August 1, 1959 to November 1, 1975, the Central Field Post Office looked after a sea mail connection once a week and an air mail connection four times a week for the Dutch troops in Suriname . There was no field post office in Suriname. The shipments from Suriname to the Netherlands were sent via the general mail. The upper two "postmarks" shown were used by the postal administration in Suriname for TRIS shipments. The two-line stamp was knocked off at the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht.
For the TRIS (Troepenmacht In Suriname) a special circular stamp with the inscription “VELDPOST” above, “PARAMARIBO” below and without a date was used. A circular web segment stamp with the inscription "VELDPOST PARAMARIBO" and the date in the web segment with the information for the day, year and time in Roman numerals, for the month in Roman numerals, was used as a date stamp. There was also a two-circle stamp with the inscription "Veldpost" above and "Paramaribo" below.
Deployment in Lebanon (1979–1985)
Of 6 March 1979 to 23 October 1985, a Dutch contingent to reinforce the UNIFIL was (United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon) in Lebanon . At that time there was a permanent field post office with the NAPO number 25 for the Dutch staff in Harris. The mail was exchanged via the UN base post office at Beirut airport or via Tel Aviv. The stamps with the numbers 19, 25 and 95 were used. This field post office employed three and later only two men.
In the first few days, the French field post also brought the Dutch field post to Tel Aviv. The UNIFIL postal regulation only allowed five airmail light letters weighing up to 10 grams, letters or postcards per person per week. The Dutch field post provided a more generous regulation. With the exception of parcels over 10 kg, express delivery, valuables, telegrams and money transactions, all postal services were permitted. The domestic tariff applied to shipments from the Netherlands. The value stated on the domestic customs declaration could not exceed 300 guilders . No postage was charged for shipments to the Netherlands. The registration fee in Dutch postage stamps was charged for registered letters. For shipments to other countries, the tariff for international shipments valid in the Netherlands was used.
Deployment in Sinai (1982–1986)
Due to the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel of March 1979, it became necessary in April 1982 to send a multinational peace force to Sinai . The Norwegian Lieutenant General FV Bull-Hansen was in charge of the maximum of 22,000 men until March 27, 1984, followed by EJ Ingebrigtsen in office. The Dutch were on duty from April 22, 1982 to 1986 with 107 men. After that there were 117 men from an intelligence company and a group of the field police (10/33 men). The message unit (Nederlandse MFO -verbindingseenheid = Forces Signal Unit) had the task of maintaining the exchange of messages within the four zones formed and the connections to Rome, Cairo and Tel Aviv. They had a modern telephone, telex and radio system at their disposal.
The field police (33 men since 1986) were part of the Forces Military Police Unit (FMPU). In addition, around 500 civilians were deployed to maintain the high-tech technical equipment, including some Dutch people. Mail between the Netherlands and the Sinai ran and continues to go through many stations, many institutions are involved. The starting point is the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht, from where blue letter bags are brought to Schiphol Airport via Amsterdam four times a week by the Dutch Post. There a KLM line machine takes over the bags for transport to Tel Aviv, where the Israeli Post takes over the shipments. The British Forces Post Office is responsible for onward transport from Tel Aviv to the north camp (BFPO 650, FPO 136, as of 1985). The Dutch “ facteur ” on duty then ensures delivery to the members of the Dutch contingent who are deployed in the north and south camps. The post to the south camp is usually handled by a "Transall" from the French Air Force. All possible connections by car and helicopter are used to the widely distributed locations. Post from Sinai is postage free, with a few exceptions. Exceptions are the fee of the Dutch Post for shipments abroad and the registration fee, these shipments must be affixed with valid Dutch postage stamps. Every month between 600 and 700 kg are transported to the Sinai and between 800 and 1400 kg in the other direction. The field post shipments from the Sinai in Utrecht are stamped.
The stamp "PORT BETAALD / VELDPOST UTRECHT" was used in Utrecht from April 22, 1982 to February 1984, after which this cancellation was transferred to the Facteur (Facteur [French] = postman, postman) in Sinai. All postmarks on post from the Sinai that had been used at the Central Feldpostamt in Utrecht since April 22, 1982 were discounted.
Field post in peacetime
General
The name "VELDPOSTDIENST" refers to the special postal service run by the commander of the land forces for the personnel of the air force and the army:
- in peacetime for the commander of the land forces or the air force with destinations at home and abroad and for units of the royal air force and the royal army stationed abroad.
- in special cases for units abroad temporarily stationed abroad (UNIFIL in Lebanon and MFO in Sinai).
The field post service is managed by the "Commando Connections Koninklijke Landmacht (CVKL)".
The task of the field post service is to maintain a special mail traffic that meets the special military requirements for secrecy and the desire for the most reliable and rapid transport of military correspondence and service items. In peacetime the organization of the field post service consists of:
- the field post group at CVKL,
- the Central Field Post Office (Utrecht-Veldpost),
- some permanent field post offices for the Dutch military stationed abroad,
- In consultation with the commander of the land forces (BLS), further field post offices can be set up temporarily.
The staff employed in the postal service can be divided into two groups:
- in the actual staff of the field post units
- into the staff of other units (facteurs = [French] = postman, postman )
The hand and hammer day stamps and sealing pliers used in the field post administration are provided with a serial number. Once issued to a field post unit, stamps and pliers cannot be confused with those of other field post units.
General rules
- Dutch field post offices were set up in Seedorf, Hohne, Langemannshof, Mönchengladbach, Blomberg and Stolzenau to take care of the members of the Royal Dutch Army and Air Force stationed in West Germany, along with their family members.
- As service instructions for the field post offices, in addition to the "Fixed Order" of the central field post office in Utrecht, for field post offices in West Germany (in peacetime) the instructions according to VS 11-30, VS 11-31, PTT-Gids Part 1, the shipping regulations " Letter and parcel post for abroad ”, tariffs, service regulations and notifications of the PTT.
- The site commander in places with a field post office has to ensure a lockable work area as well as the necessary furniture, the transport and the attachment of mailboxes.
- The head of the field post office signs for the receipt / acceptance of the special field post equipment; A copy of the list of these devices must be available in the field post office (Lf 14418). Postal forms can be obtained from the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht on request.
- The soldiers of the field post are personally responsible for omissions and irregularities in the handling of mail. You can be held responsible for the damage caused if you lose registered shipments and packages.
- Money transactions, valuables, and express delivery are not provided for with field post.
- The confidentiality of the letters entrusted to the field post is inviolable. The staff of the field post is obliged to keep all military matters secret, of which they become aware through their service. Access to the post room is prohibited to unauthorized persons. The barracks commander and the military police are authorized to carry out checks .
- The (main) “factor” who picks up the mail for the unit must be in possession of a field post form (VP2) signed by the commander.
- Application forms for the postal check service must be available in every field post office. Completed forms are stamped after the applicant has identified himself and sent to Utrecht-Feldpost. From there they come in special envelopes to the Giro headquarters in Leeuwarden. Bills etc. can be paid via the postal check service, but no cash is paid out at the field post offices.
Sending and receiving the shipments
Bag flags and mail bags are provided with a dispatch note by Utrecht-Feldpost. The number of mail bags per destination is noted on the back of the bag flag in the break (1/4 = bag 1 of 4 bags or 4/4 = bag 4 of 4 bags). The address at field post offices in Germany is: Dutch field post office NAPO ..., postcode and name of the German exchange post office. After the specified number of mail bags has been checked, acceptance of the shipment is certified. If the number does not match or if the mailbag has not arrived, the Feldpostzentrale in Utrecht must be notified immediately. In addition, the officer entrusted with the supervision must be informed. The mail is already sorted by unit at the central field post office in Utrecht-Veldpost. The mail is distributed according to the conditions laid down by the camp commandant. Undeliverable items will be returned to Utrecht-Veldpost, if possible with a new address. The field post address in peacetime must contain the following information: Rank, name and first letter of the first name, trunk number, unit (battalion, division, company, battery, Esquadron, Squadron), NAPO number, the appropriate addition on delivery, the name of the PTT post office with Postal code (3509 VP Utrecht)
The NAPO number (NAPO = Netherlands Army Post Office) indicates the destination field post office. The name of the PTT post office with zip code (3509 VP Utrecht) is necessary for the mail sorting of the Dutch Post.
Mail exchange
The exchange of mail between the central field post office in Utrecht and the Dutch Post. The mail to the Netherlands is routed daily from the individual field post offices in Germany to the EKP (Expeditie Knooppunt - distribution point) in Utrecht. The central field post office hands them over to the PTT public post office for ordering. In the city of Utrecht, mail from all military units is delivered by field post. A power of attorney is required for collection.
For shipments from the Netherlands with a field post address in Germany, mail bags are produced at the central field post office in Utrecht. These shipments and those of the military courier service are usually processed at night. You will then be directed to the appropriate field post office using the cheapest route via the general postal service.
In the residential areas in Zeven (NAPO 881), Bergen (NAPO 870) and Stolzenau (NAPO 897), mail is delivered six times a week by field post staff. In Mönchengladbach and the surrounding area only on Saturdays.
Exchange with the Bundespost
Exchange points are specified in the "Instructions on the postal traffic of the foreign armed forces stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany when the offices of the German Federal Post Office are involved" and the supplements to it.
Exchange with NATO partners
On September 23, 1944, American field post offices were opened in Heerlen and Maastricht. Others followed, but these were gradually lifted after the war ended. The exchange of consignments between the Dutch Post Office and other friendly field guards took place via the British field post office BFPO 35 in Eindhoven. On March 26, 1960, the British Army Postal Service asked the Dutch postal administration to direct the direct mail exchange of the field post of the USA-APO via Frankfurt and to forego the services of the BFPO 35.
Some time later, the Dutch Post Office (PTT) took over the dispatch of the items for BFPO and APO addresses via the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht.
The Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) was founded in Bad Oeynhausen in November 1952 . Mail for the Dutch at the Northern Army Group was delivered from BAOR / BFPO 35 in Eindhoven to BAOR 1 in Oeynhausen and vice versa. In 1954 NORTHAG moved to Rheindalen ( Mönchengladbach ) in the neighborhood of the Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF) . The exchange of mail between the Dutch Post and the other field posts now took place at the BFPO 40 in Mönchengladbach. During this time, a post office box (No. 10) was opened for the Dutch staff of NORTHAG in Roermond. This was in contrast to the instructions of the British field post, which was responsible for the supply of mail via the international mail exchange. Postal parcels and small parcels were imported across the border into the Federal Republic without being presented to customs.
On November 15, 1961, a proposal was made to set up a permanently stationed field post office in Mönchengladbach. In fact, from January 4, 1962 to December 5, 1963, the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht produced closed letter bags for NAPO 261 to Venlo, and after December 5, 1963 to Roermond.
From January 4, 1962 to July 31, 1965, the post in Mönchengladbach ran through a billing agent. The mail was picked up in Venlo or Roermond. Since August 1, 1965, there has been a permanent field post office in Mönchengladbach.
Since February 13, 1962, the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht has exchanged mail six times a week via the Central Field Post Office in Frankfurt with the US Army Post Office 82 (09082).
The Nederlands Signal Squadron (NAPO 865) and the Nederlands Administratief Korps (NAPO 861) are stationed in Mönchengladbach with the Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). They are served by a permanent field post office. Mail is now also exchanged via the Dutch field post office NAPO 861 to the BFPO 40 in Mönchengladbach with the other foreign field post services of the NATO countries (NAVO = NATO = OTAN = North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in Germany.
postage
For post from the field post offices in Germany to the Netherlands or within the Federal Republic, the Dutch domestic tariff applies. The Dutch postal administration retains the postage for items sent to destinations in Germany. Letters (up to 2 kg), postcards, domestic (Dutch) daily newspapers, printed matter (up to 2 kg), parcels and parcels up to and including 10 kg are permitted. Enrollment and delivery against acknowledgment of receipt are permitted for special services. Shipments with the stated value and express courier shipments are not permitted. Parcels are only accepted without any special services. The following are compulsory: the use of Dutch postage stamps, the cancellation with a Dutch field post stamp and the use of a stamp with the inscription: “DUTCH FIELD POST REDUCED FEE”.
Red Dutch (PTT) mailboxes are set up in larger garrisons and in Dutch housing estates. Letters with German stamps should not be posted there, and items with Dutch stamps should not be posted in the yellow boxes of the Bundespost. Carelessness is tacitly tolerated.
The on-site commandant is responsible for regulating the issue and distribution of letters. There are plans for the use of post boxes, distribution in the mess and delivery in the Dutch housing estates by a field post soldier. A notification for collection can be sent for shipments by registered mail and for parcels. The Dutch Postbank service is partially carried out by the field post (e.g. no cash is paid out)
For consignments from field post offices to the military in other countries
Letters, postcards, printed matter, parcels up to 1 kg are permitted; Registered mail. Parcel post is only permitted for APO and USAPO, also with specified value, up to 20 kg. Frequency of dispatch: 6 times a week via the Utrecht Field Post, dispatch duration: 1 to 3 days, address regulations: rank, name and first letter of the first name - registration number - unit - the information APO, USAPO (USA), CFPO (Canada), BFPO (Great Britain), BPS (Belgium) or SP (France), followed by a number, and of course the postcode 3509 VP Utrecht.
Regulations for addressing members of the Navy
The post for and from members of the Navy on missions abroad is not sent via the field post, but via general mail. There are therefore no special postmarks. Letters, postcards, printed matter, parcels up to 1 kg (airmail) or 2 kg (sea mail) are permitted; Registered mail and acknowledgment of receipt, shipping frequency: sea mail 2 or 3 times a month, airmail 3 times a week. Route: Via Amsterdam Naval Post Office. Shipping time: 1 to 3 days. Regulations for the address: Rank, name and first letter of the first name - Navy number - Name of the ship, aircraft or facility, p / a Marinepostkantoor, Postbus 99 999, 1000 NB Amsterdam.
Answer number
With civil post in the Netherlands, it is possible to have the sender pay the postage for postal items. A reply number can be assigned to reply letters by the post office manager of the relevant post office of the recipient. The response number, in connection with the postcode and location, is then the complete address. Large companies or institutions usually make use of this option. In addition to a monthly basic fee of 6 guilders, the owner of the answer number has to pay 25 cents for a letter up to 20 grams and 22 cents for a postcard.
Since January 1st, 1984 the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht has been authorized by the postal district of Utrecht to use the answer number 9959 with the addition 3500 WB Utrecht. A reply letter is understood to be a piece of mail from which - verifiably - the postage costs must necessarily be borne by the Royal Land Power or the Air Force. A written sick note is given as an example. When using the response number, the sender information of the unit or department serves the owner of the response number as a forwarding note within the house or institution, in our case within the field post. The use of the reply number is only permitted within the Dutch Post Office. The units stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany can use response numbers within their own field post.
Parcel post via the field post
The option of sending parcels by field post is rarely used. The regulation requires the completion of a foreign parcel card (P 2312) and one or more customs declarations (P 2407). This only applies to parcels to members of the Dutch armed forces on missions abroad, i.e. also to troops stationed in the Federal Republic. For parcels from members of these troops to recipients in the Federal Republic of Germany, it is easy to circumvent these regulations and customs by directly using the services of the Federal Post Office.
Parcels from the Netherlands to a field post address in the Federal Republic are very rare. In this case, too, the use of a foreign parcel card is required. However, since the teller reads Utrecht as the destination, domestic parcel cards (P 2301) often remain undetected and are tolerated.
Equipment of the field post
This list comes from an official body. The stamps are obtained from the Dutch postal administration PTT and handed over to the field post service.
The first stamps - circular web stamps with arches above and below - were delivered on June 4th, 1951 (type 1a). It was the No. 10 + 11, which are different from the No. delivered on June 1, 1952 (Type 1) by wide digits in the date line. Differentiate between 1–9 and 12–45.
A circular stamp with a segment above and below (type 3) was introduced on June 1, 1955 with the stamp numbers 45–55 and 61–70. The same stamp shape, but now without the crosses consisting of four angles (type 4), was introduced on February 22, 1962 with the numbers 56 to 60, 71 to 85 and 91 to 99 still missing. Except for the numbers 86–90, all numbers from 1 to 99 were now assigned. Numbers 44 and 35 were delivered as a replacement for defective stamps.
From February 10, 1970, a circular stamp (type 2) with a rectangle (rounded sides) and other replacement numbers was used. The type 2a was added from July 6, 1987.
The stamp type 5, a band stamp (postal: machine full stamp), was introduced on February 1, 1988. If necessary, these stamps are issued by the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht to the permanent field post offices, to the field post offices for maneuvers or on special occasions by the Dutch troops abroad. These are both hand stamps and hammer stamps.
Registered slip
The Dutch military post allowed mail to be registered very early on. A document from September 12, 1927 from Field Post Office 1 is known.
Since 1951, registered forms have been necessary for the Dutch field post abroad and from March 18, 1987 for the central field post office in Utrecht. The impression consisted of the designation "NAPO", possibly the NAPO number and the registration number. Registration slips without a NAPO number were also used, for example, during maneuvers or on open days.
For use at the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht, R-notes with the imprint "NAPO / Centraal Veldpostkantoor / ctrvldpkt" and for the mail coming from the facteurs, which should be sent as registered mail from Utrecht.
Slips of paper without a NAPO number were kept ready for special occasions, for example maneuvers. If necessary, the numbers were entered by hand. In addition, registration forms with the imprint “PARAAT / NAPO” and similar overprints have been put into circulation on special occasions such as “Open House” or for exhibitions.
Postage meter
On May 1, 1983, the Dutch government decided to frank all registered service mail from the ministries that had to be sent through the Dutch Post Office. Since January 1, 1984, all items that left the field post service had to be franked. This decision was passed by the Council of Ministers on January 1, 1984 and is therefore legally valid. From then on, all official mail had to be franked.
Since January 1, 1984, the defense units in Germany started using postage meters in Seedorf, Hohne and Langemannshof, at NORTHAG in Mönchen-Gladbach and for the three groups in Hesepe, Blomberg and Stolzenau in Hesepe.
From January 1st, 1987, all service mail was canceled in Utrecht. For this purpose, a franking machine with the NAPO number 880 was introduced at the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht. The postage stamps now all had the NAPO number 880. The stamp no longer made it clear where the shipment had been posted. In reality, however, only the following changes occurred:
- Since the post from Mönchen-Gladbach would have been delayed by a day, the franking machine was left there.
- The franking machines in Hesepe remained in use in order to be able to cope with the mail volume there due to the many "reduced fee" mailings and to be able to restrict the use of postage stamps.
- The franking machines in Seedorf and Hohne (as a reserve in Utrecht) were actually moved to Utrecht.
- The Langemannshof machine came to Seedorf in order, as in Hesepe, to cope with the mail volume through "reduced fee" mailings and to limit the use of postage stamps.
Franking options
Since April 1987, mail sent by or via the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht can be franked in the following way:
- with Dutch postage stamps on private mail from a field post office or a billing agent in the Federal Republic of Germany or one of the billing agents in Crete, Sinai or Goose-Bay.
- with a franking imprint (NAPO 500) on all official mail from the Federal Republic and Crete with delivery outside the orderly routes CVKL and Klu liner services.
- with the stamp "PORT BETAALD / VELDPOST UTRECHT" on all private or business mail from the billers NAPO 30 (Sinai) and 40 (Goose-Bay) with delivery in the Netherlands.
- with the stamp "PORT BETAALD / UTRECHT" on all official mail that is heavier than 250 grams as a result of a special agreement with the PTT on the 500 regulation. According to this regulation, a "discount" is granted on items over 250 grams if at least 500 items are delivered to the post office within three months. A distinction is made between daily mail, which means shipments that are only processed during the day. The consignments must be delivered within three days. If the sticker "24 UUR DIENST" is used, the consignment must be delivered within 24 hours if the discount is changed. Another division, and thus another discount, is made in the type of shipment, whether delivery can be made via the house mailbox or only via direct delivery to the postal customer.
- With the stamp “PER ORDONNANS” for all service mail without postage to addresses that run on CVKL's order routes 1, 2 and 3, and all service mail to the Air Force via DATIM. These orderly routes are not considered to be very fast. (CVKL = Commando Connections Royal Land Power - DATIM = Depot Algemeen Technischen Intendance Materieel - KL = Royal Land Power)
- The stamp “PER PTT” is used to mark urgent official mail. These items - regardless of whether they go to private or business addresses - are then franked at the central post office in Utrecht with the NAPO 500 franking machine and handed over to the public post office (PTT) for onward transport and delivery.
- A line (courier) service of the Royal Army (KL) transports all service mail from the headquarters in The Hague to all KL barracks and locations. A return is not (yet) possible. These items are of course not franked. It is courier mail, not field mail, which is only mentioned for the sake of completeness.
- with an answer number. Since January 1st, 1984, every barracks has an answer number. For all Veldpost (NAPO) addresses, the response number of the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht applies.
Field post in West Germany
In the fall of 1951, a Dutch field post office accompanied maneuvering troops to West Germany for the first time. The 31st Infantry Regiment took part in the joint maneuver "Counter Thrust" together with British and French units. Today (1987) around 30 maneuvers are held annually in which the field post is used. The headquarters of the field post office in Utrecht gives the Netherland Army Postal Offices, or “NAPO” for short, a number that must be included in the address. This NAPO number is the address of a field office and is known as a distribution symbol in international traffic.
Fixed field post offices
- Handorf near Münster / Westphalia (NAPO 290/890) From February 19, 1960 to March 16, 1962, NAPO 290, then NAPO 890; repealed on September 30, 1975. On February 19, 1960 the first permanently stationed field post office with the NAPO number 290 was set up in the 1st group of guided missiles (1st GGW = 1st Groep Geleide Wapens) of the Royal Air Force in Handorf. This unit was equipped with anti-aircraft missiles of the NIKE type.
- Hohne / Belsen / Bergen (NAPO 271/871/870) The political tensions surrounding Berlin in 1961 led to the 121st Light Brigade of the royal army being relocated to Hohne and Fallingbostel. Established on October 17, 1961 as a maneuver field post office (NAPO 271), it was converted into a permanently stationed field post office in 1962. On March 16, 1962, the NAPO number was changed to 871. This was necessary to create the ability to send and receive packages. There were different tariffs for mail to and from NAPO numbers 101 to 500 and those from 801 to 900.
- Since November 6, 1973, mail has been delivered from Monday to Saturday for relatives who live in special settlements in Bergen. This made a change of address necessary. The streets were given a code number.
- Since February 1, 1980, mail has not been picked up in Celle. Since then there has been a field post connection from Bremen via Seedorf to Langemannshof and Hohne and back. Since maneuvers often take place in the vicinity of Hohne, NAPO 871 is an important link for important letters from soldiers.
- Special uses. In the years 1979 to 1983 the defense troops issued special envelopes on many occasions and sold them at a price of 4 guilders. In 1983 alone, over 50 opportunities were used. But for many collectors it was too expensive. Only the usual numbered day stamp was removed from these specially designed envelopes. Special postmarks were not used by the Dutch field post. On June 1, 1983, it was decided to set up a special field post office on special occasions, such as an “open day”. Every visitor can receive a stamp reduction. For this purpose, stamps from the Utrecht stamp reserve were used.
- Zeven - Seedorf , NAPO 881 (Zeven) / 880 (Seedorf) On September 3, 1963, another field post office was opened in Seedorf. It was given the NAPO number 880 and served the 41st Tank Brigade, which had come to represent the 121st Light Brigade.
- Blomberg , (NAPO 896) Since February 15, 1965 there was a direct field post connection with the NAPO 897 invoice in Hessisch-Oldendorf. The exchange post office with the Bundespost was in Hameln. Mail from the Netherlands had to be picked up by the barracks contractor. Until the conversion into a permanent field post office, Blomberg was supplied by a "billing agent". The post for the Netherlands was canceled in Utrecht with a day stamp of the field post and - if requested - registered. On February 1, 1967, the mail exchange was relocated to Minden. Nothing changed when on June 1, 1975 the supply by a "billing agent" was converted into a permanent field post office. As a permanent field post office, the mail was of course stamped and registered in Blomberg.
- On September 3, 1979, a trial mail delivery was started in the residential areas. Code numbers for street names have been assigned. Since there was no staff available, this delivery was stopped again in 1980. The professional soldiers had to change their addresses again. 800 mailboxes were set up to replace them. Another trial delivery was planned for 1989.
- Hesepe (NAPO 891) From the end of 1963 until July 21, 1965, NAPO 891 received field post through the field post office NAPO 890 (Handorf). During this time, Hesepe had a biller. On July 21, 1965, the billing agent was converted into a permanent field post office. The post has now been exchanged with the Bundespost in Osnabrück. The mail for the surrounding squadrons was picked up and delivered by them in Hesepe. Private mail for relatives living in Bramsche was distributed in the officers, non-commissioned officers, corporals and soldiers' mess. The field post staff put this mail in boxes from which it could be picked up every day. The post for Greven was provided by a biller.
- Hessisch-Oldendorf (NAPO 897) From February 15, 1965 to July 21, 1965, NAPO 897 was a contractor. The exchange post office with the Bundespost was in Hameln. The mailbag also contained the post for Blomberg, which was brought to the billing agent at the post office there every day. It stayed that way until Blomberg got its own field post office on June 1, 1975.
- Until July 21, 1965, the franked items for the Netherlands or other countries were stamped in Utrecht at the Central Field Post Office, if necessary, registered and forwarded. On this day, the Hessisch-Oldendorf billing agent was converted into a permanent field post office. The staff consisted only of one field post soldier, a conscripted PTT officer. On February 1, 1967, the mail exchange was relocated from Hameln to Minden. The military stationed there was able to use the Utrecht - Minden field post connection. (NAPO 896 Blomberg / 897 Hessisch Oldendorf / 898 Stolzenau) The field post office was closed on May 31, 1975 as a result of a reorganization of the Air Force.
- Wietzendorf - Langemannshof (NAPO 875) On July 1, 1973, the quarter maker in Langemannshof received the NAPO number 875. On August 6, 1973, a permanent field post office was set up. The post was brought from Utrecht via Celle and NAPO 871 (Hohne) to Langemannshof. Since February 1, 1980, mail has been routed via Bremen 5 and NAPO 880 Seedorf and back. From June 29, 1992 on as a contractor until the troops withdrew in October 1992.
- Mönchengladbach (NAPO 261 + 861 Nederlands Administratief Korps NORTHAG / 265 + 865 Nederlands Signel Squadron) The fixed field post office NAPO 861/865 was established on August 1, 1965 for the Dutch Administrative Corps (NAK - NORTHAG = Nederlands Administratief Korps - Northern Army Group. 1954 move to Rheindahlen near Mönchengladbach.) Put into operation. The Netherlands Signal Squadron was assigned NAPO number 865. This is also where the mail to the field posts of the British, French, Canadian and Belgian NATO partners is exchanged via the British field post office (BFPO 40) (BFPO 40 via NAPO 861/865).
- The NAK used the services of the British BAOR 35 in Eindhoven (NL) until 1954 with forwarding to BAOR 1 in Bad Oeynhausen. After NORTHAG moved to Rheindahlen, the post was brought to the BFPO 40 in Mönchengladbach. The field post address was NAPO number 261.
- In order to avoid delays, PO Box 10 was opened by the Dutch staff of NAK-NORTHAG in Roermond. However, this did not meet the requirements of the British Field Post Service for international mail. After all, parcels and parcels with dutiable content could be smuggled past German customs.
- As early as October 15, 1961, it was proposed to set up a permanent field post office. From January 4, 1962 to December 5, 1963, mail was transported from the central post office in Utrecht for NAPO 261 in closed mail bags to Venlo and then to Roermond until July 31, 1965. During this time NAPO 261 & 265 were billing addresses. On August 1, 1965, NAK received a permanent field post office.
- For reasons of field post delivery to private individuals, the NAPO number 861 has been supplemented by a single letter. The letter stands for a German town or a street name. The post is only delivered on Saturday. The post must be picked up on the other days.
- Schöppingen (NAPO 895) From 1963 to 1972, the 220th Squadron in Schöppingen had the NAPO number 894, mail was sent via post office box 385 at the PTT post office in Enschede and via NAPO 890 in Handorf. On August 16, 1972, a permanent field post office with the NAPO number 895 was opened. The post was exchanged at the PTT post office in Enschede. In connection with the reorganization of the Royal Air Force, the field post office was closed on September 20, 1975, but the 220th Squadron remained until 1986. Until then, it was also supplied by the Hesepe field post office (NAPO 891).
- Stolzenau (NAPO 898/897) From February 1, 1967 to May 31, 1975, NAPO 898 was a contractor. On June 1, 1975 it was converted into a permanent field post office. The exchange of mail with the Bundespost took place in Minden. Since August 16, 1984, there has also been a field post delivery service in Stolzenau in the residential districts. The NAPO number 897 must be used for this delivery. End of the time of the Dutch in Stolzenau in 1995.
| NAPO | garrison | from ... to | VELDPOST |
|---|---|---|---|
| 290/890 | Handorf | 02/19/60 - 09/30/75 | 23, 37, 35, 80, 84, 79 and 81 |
| 271 | Hohne / Belsen / Bergen | 10/17/61 - 3/15/62 | 23, and 26 |
| 871 | Hohne / Belsen / Bergen | 16.03.62 - 30.01.80 | 49, 96, 79 and 59 |
| 871 | Hohne / Belsen / Bergen | 02/01/80 - | 72 and 98 |
| 849 | Heidelberg | 04/21/93 - | 49 |
| 875 | Langemannshof - Witzendorf | 08/06/73 - 06/26/92 | 35, 52 and 08 |
| 261 + 861
265 + 865 |
Mönchengladbach NAK
|
08/01/65 | 75, 36, 97, 98, 82 and 80 |
| 880 | Seedorf | 9/3/63 - | 26th |
| 881 | Seedorf | 1963/64 | 35, 49, 36, 37, 98, 83 74,
44, 55 and 18 |
| 897 | Hessisch-Oldendorf | 07/21/65 - 05/31/75 | 77 and 37 |
| 891 | Hesepe | 07/21/65 - 07/09/88 | 76 and 78 |
| 985 | Schoeppingen | 08/16/72 - 09/01/87 | 77 |
| 896 | Blomberg | 06/01/75 - | 75 and 74 |
| 898/897 | Stolzenau | 06/01/75 - 1995 | 37, 73, 99, 77 and 53 |
| 899 | Ramstein | 04/23/93 | 99 |
Facteurs in the Federal Republic
The "facteurs" are the last link in the mail supply of the troops. For each company, battery, squadron etc., a soldier is assigned to mediate field post matters between the nearest field post office and the unit. He is responsible for the punctual emptying of the mailboxes as well as providing information on the field post. He checks the proper delivery of the shipments and ensures the most expedient delivery of the shipments. "Facteur" is at the same time the name for the soldier who is entrusted with the duties of the field post, the postman or the head of a post office (without being a member of the field post staff) but it is also the name for a unit without any connection to a permanent one Field post office, a kind of postal address. Shipments to these units must be posted with the corresponding NAPO number and the NL postcode "3509 Utrecht-Veldpost" in the address.
Since 1972 a distinction has been made between the main factor, who is stationed with a battalion, for example, and the factor in the sub-units. Small units that are not connected to a field post office forward their shipments directly to the central office in Utrecht. This is done with postal bags via the general postal routes, in the Federal Republic via the routes of the Federal Post Office. In Utrecht the mail is split up and forwarded accordingly. Shipments that leave the field post are only stamped in Utrecht and, if necessary, provided with a registered slip.
The locations of units that are connected to the central field post office in Utrecht via a facteur via the general postal routes can be found in the table opposite.
With the abolition of the field post office in Hesepe on July 9, 1988, the billing supplies for Greven had to be reorganized. A direct connection between the central field post office in Utrecht and Greven was agreed with the post office.
Facteurs abroad
(excluding those in the Federal Republic of Germany) Other factors are in Crete (Greece, since March 1, 1986), at the Multinational Forces Observers (NL / MFO) (NAPO 30). In Sinai (Egypt, since April 22, 1982) about 130 soldiers are to be supplied, and - since March 14, 1987 - the permanent command in Goose Bay in Canada (NAPO 40). The Central Field Post Office in Utrecht is also responsible for this.
Maneuver mail
During the mobilization in early 1940 the following joke made the rounds among the soldiers: “Why is the bread in the army so dry?” Answer: “It was transported by the field post.” It has long been known that it was for morale It is very important for the troops to be able to make written contact with relatives, acquaintances and friends as often as possible. The first article of the field post order requires: "Field post is used by the military and requires secrecy, mail items to and by the military must be sent as quickly as possible."
- The locations of the troops should remain largely hidden from the enemy. - Secrecy is a very vague term in peacetime. The places where the military are stationed become known through open days and similar events. The precautions are well taken for times of war. The necessity is understandable and clear to everyone. It was the same during the mobilization in 1940.
- Mail must be distributed as quickly as possible, regardless of whether the troops are far apart and regardless of possible relocations. - It can only be achieved through a service that can adapt very quickly to the changing circumstances, be it in times of peace or war.
The organization of the field post is geared towards this. Its main task is to bring the post as close as possible to the front, even in areas that have already been abandoned by the population and in which there is therefore no longer any public postal service. This then applies to the military service mail and to the mail to the fighting troops.
This task is trained by deploying the field post service to supply the troops in the maneuver. Mourmelon en La Courtine in France and Sennelager, Hohne, Vogelsang near Monschau and Munster-Süd in Germany should be mentioned as maneuvering areas.
Postal and customs regulations
Overview of postal and customs regulations for consignments from and to members of the Dutch troops in Germany
- September 1951 - First Dutch field post in Germany ("Counter Thrust" maneuver)
- September 1952 - “Hold Fast” maneuver with Dutch participation
- May 20, 1960 - Customs regulation for the first permanent Dutch field post office in Handorf.
- Mar. 22, 1962 - Agreement on the customs treatment of parcels from the Netherlands to Germany.
- June August 1963 - Attempt to make the customs regulations between the US field post and the DBP also usable for the Dutch field post service.
- February 8, 1965 - Special customs agreements because of Handorf, as a measure against smuggling.
- September 3, 1973 - Special regulations for the direct import of goods subject to duty from the Federal Republic of Germany to the Netherlands via the customs offices in Oldenzaal and Amsterdam.
- October 1, 1979 - Responsibility of the Oldenzaal customs office was transferred to Arnhem.
- January 1, 1986 - All consignments subject to duty from the Federal Republic of Germany to the Netherlands are no longer routed directly, but only via the Central Field Post Office in Utrecht, and from then on to the customs office in Arnhem responsible for ordinary mail or to the one for registered mail Shipments cleared at the Amsterdam customs office.
See also
literature
- Archives for mail and telegraphy. 1873, p. 14. Published on behalf of the Reich Ministry of Post, as a supplement to the post office gazette "to supplement the general and post-technical training of post office staff."
- F. Brodersen: The Dutch field post in the period from September 1938 to May 1940. 1972, supplement to the circular of the Netherlands Working Group in the Association of German Philatelists
- A. Cement: Military Airmail Manual. 1793-1954. Self-published, Graz 1955.
- H. De Belder and W. Steven: The Belgian Field Post in Germany. Cologne / Braunschweig 1987, p. 3 f.
- Diercke country dictionary. Westermann, Braunschweig 1983, p. 482 ff. ISBN 3-14-508851-3 .
- Michael Dobbs: District Censorship Stations (DCS) (Germany 1945 - 46). Forces Postal History Society, Newsletter 191, Spring 1987.
- WJ van Doorn: Nederlandse oorlogspost rondom de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Deel II: inland moeilijkheden. Postzaken, Posthistorische Studies VIII, 1981.
- DTV Atlas on World History. 15th edition, Munich 1966, ISBN 3-423-03002-X .
- GA Geerts: Geschiedenis van de Veldpost in de Nederlanden dead 1906. Filatelie Informatief, 09/1984.
- GA Geerts and J. Voskuil: Reports over de Nederlandse Veldpost, 1598 to 1985. Samson Publishing House, Filatelie Informatief, Waarder 1986.
- Historical school atlas. FWPutzger, Verlag Velhagen & Klasing, Bielefeld + Leipzig 1928.
- PC Korteweg: De Nederlandse Veldpost.
- Le Jeune: Het Brieven-Postwezen in the republic of the united Netherlands. Utrecht 1851.
- C. Stack: De Postbladenkwestie. Postzaken, Posthistorische Studies VII, 1980.
- Ministry of Defense, publisher of the magazine “DE ACHTERBANIER”, Postbus 50, 2501 CB Den Haag.
- G. Gaarthuis, W. Steven: Dutch field post in particular in Germany. "Self-published by Steven, 1988.