2008 ANZAC I Stories of Nationhood.

         In 2008 New Zealand began what has become a regular issue on a military theme for ANZAC Day. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the combined army group which had hastily be put together by the two countries and sent to join the fighting in World War I. The first action was the ill-fated landing at what is now known as ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli.

        Both countries now remember this landing, in which many brave young men lost their lives, by putting aside the 25th of April each year to hold special parades and services. The day is also remembered by the wearing of a red poppy, as can be seen on each the stamps below.

        There have been other military sets issued before this one for ANZAC and for special military anniversaries but this issue is different in that it was to become the start of a yearly issue for ANZAC. Over the years younger people, people who had been born many years after the two world wars, have begun attending these services in ever greater numbers. So as the ranks of veterans have thinned with the now old men passing away the crowds of young people have increased. New Zealand Post now recognises this with a regular ANZAC issue.

        The stamps are a simple, yet effective design, with a background picture in sepia, red poppy and writing and the silver fern in silver. Each stamp also carries that famous slogan of ANZAC Day "Lest we forget."     

(To see my entire Military / Anzac collection, click on either link in the page bar above.)

The 2008 ANZAC Stamps.

                                               
Auckland Infantry Battalion Landing at ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli / 1915 - 50c.
John Frank Manila Luamanu at Dawn Parade / 25th April 2007 - 50c.

                                               
Trench Warfare on the Western Front, France / 1916 - 1918 - $1.00.
Chalk Kiwi on Beacon Hill, Salisbury Plain, England / 1919 - $1.50.

                                               
Members of the 28th Maori Battalion perform a Haka, Egypt / 1941 - $2.00.
New Zealand Soldiers in Vietnam / 1965 - 1971 - $2.50.

 2008 ANZAC  First Day Cover.
The cover shows what to me ANZAC Day is all about, the young and old getting together to remember those who lost their lives fighting for the freedom our nation enjoys today. 


 
2008 Booklet of ANZAC Miniature Sheets.

90th Anniversary of World War I
Later in the year on October 20th, New Zealand released this miniature sheet to mark the 90th anniversary, commemorating the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiègne, France on 11 November 1918, which took effect at 11 o’clock in the morning.
The sheet included three of the ANZAC stamps above, which of course had been issued for April 25th, earlier in the year.

Technical Information - 2008 ANZAC.
Date of issue: 2 April 2008.
Number of stamps: Six gummed stamps.
Denominations: 50c (x2), $1.00, $1.50, $2.00, $2.50.
Stamps, first-day cover and miniature sheet booklet designed: Cue Design, Wellington.
Printer and process: Southern Colour Print Ltd - by offset lithography.
The number of colours: Three special colours (Red 485, Brown 464, Silver 877) + black.
Stamp size and format: 40mm x 30mm (horizontal)
Paper type: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper.
The number of stamps per sheet: 25.
Perforation gauge: 14.
Period of sale: These stamps remained on sale until 1 April 2009.


Technical Information -End of World War I.
Date of issue: 20 October 2008.
Designer: Stamps Business, New Zealand Post.
Printer: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin.
Process: Offset lithography.
Size of miniature sheet: 138mm x 85mm.
Period of sale: These stamps remained on sale until 19 October 2009.


Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their web site and On-line Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/