British stamps overprinted for use in former Italian colonies governed by the British Middle East Command. Lees verder
Between June 1940 and November 1941, troops under the command of the British Middle East Command fought Italian troops in the former Italian colonies in East Africa. The Italian forces in East Africa surrendered after the battle of Gondar in November 1941.
British stamps of King George VI and current postage due stamps were overprinted M.E.F. (Middle East Forces) were released in Eritrea (March 1942) and Italian Somaliland (13 April 1942). Later they were also released in Cyrenaica and Tripolitania (both in present-day Libya) and in the Greek Dodecanese Islands. The stamps were gradually replaced by overprinted stamp issues for the individual territories.
The first set to appear was one of George VI stamps overprinted E.A.F. (East Africa Forces). This was issued 15 January 1943. Although the East Africa Forces included forces based in Burma (Myanmar) Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the set appears to have been used only in Somalia.
Later, sets were issued for the territories of Eritrea (1948), Somalia (1948) and Tripolitania. In the Dodecanese islands, the stamps overprinted M.E.F. remained in use until the end of the occupation in 1947. They also remained in use in Cyrenaica until that territory issued its own design in 1950.
Current British stamps depicting King George VI were first overprinted B.M.A. (British Military Authority) and the name of the territory (Eritrea, Somalia or Tripolitania). Postage due stamps were also overprinted for use in Eritrea and Tripolitania. On 6 February 1950, the military administration sets were replaced by civilian administration sets that were overprinted B.A. (British Authority) followed by the name of the territory.