THE SECOND ANGLO BOER WAR

The Second Anglo Boer War started on 11th October 1899 and British Troops occupied Bloemfontein on 13th March 1900.  The OFS stamps and stationery were invalidated and overprinted with "V.R.I." (Victoria Regina Imperatrix). The overprinted stamps are a complete study in themselves, but also the postal history of the war has so much to offer with the noting of censor marks, movement restrictions on mail and the postmarks. Many OFS collectors belong also to the Anglo-Boer War Society which specialises in this period.

A Boer cover with an oval Boer censor mark from Luckhoff 4th February 1900.

A prisoner of war cover with an oval British censor mark from Kroonstad 25th June 1900.

Registered to England from Boshof 12th October 1900 with stamps overprinted "V.R.I." and value.

There was much philatelic use by both soldiers and civilians.

An attempt to use the invalidated stamps in Bloemfontein  just after the occupation.

And another attempt using a Cape of Good Hope stamp one day later.   In each case the tax was cancelled on arrival at destination.

Home