Tag: Europe

Six holders of the Victoria Cross are to be immortalised on a set of stamps to mark the 150th anniversary of the introduction of the medal.

And as a reminder of modern heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan, the presentation pack will include a tribute by Gen Sir Peter de la Billiere, the commander of British Forces in the first Gulf war.

The Royal Mail heroes include Midshipman Charles Lucas, the first person to win the VC. Michael Adams, 61, a broker from Oxfordshire and the great-grandson of Midshipman Lucas, supports the launch of the stamps on Thursday, as does Col Rewati Rai, a soldier in the Indian Army and the son of Cpl Agansing Rai, a Gurkha who won the VC in 1944 for attacking a Japanese machine gun nest in Burma.

Midshipman Lucas was serving on HMS Hecla during the Crimean War when his ship came under fire. When a live shell landed on deck, the 20-year-old grabbed it and hurled it overboard. The shell exploded as it hit the sea, but the sailor’s swift and heroic action saved many lives.

Boy 1st Class John Cornwell was only 16 when, serving in the Royal Navy in the First World War, he died heroically at the Battle of Jutland. Also honoured are Noel Chavasse, a First World War Army doctor; Charles Upham, a New Zealander, who was sent to Colditz; and Albert Ball, a fighter ace who was lost in action in 1917.

The head of the body regulating postal services warned last night rural sub-post offices face near “freefall” unless a Government decision about the future of the network is taken soon.

PostComm chairman Nigel Stapleton issued the dire prediction as he ended a tour of Scotland in the far north with a visit to a pilot mobile post office at Reiss, near Wick, a traditional sub-post office at John O’Groats and talks with local businessmen and councillors in Thurso.

Earlier he visited an alternative pilot with a full sub-post office operating satellite sub-offices for a few hours a week in neighbouring villages around Leven in Fife and had meetings in Dundee.

As well as continuing Government cash support in recognition of the social role of local post offices in the community, he urged the lifting of the Royal Mail monopoly so the Post Office can benefit from handling growing business from private sector operators like TNT and DX a year after the end of Royal Mail’s monopoly delivering letters and parcels.

A Tyneside businessman has been told he must send a letter to Scotland by air mail.

David Scott Cowper couldn’t believe his eyes when the envelope he sent to a client in Kilcreggan, near Glasgow, was returned to him.

On it was a large red sticker ordering the 65-year-old to pay more postage so it could sent the 180-mile trip by air.

David, a surveyor, said: “I just felt it was incredulous that I got the letter back and it gets delayed a few more days because some chap doesn’t know where Scotland is.

“So it seems Scotland is becoming a little further away from England than it already is because the Royal Mail is asking for air mail to get up there.

“Many people in Scotland like to regard themselves as being separate from the rest of the UK so it seems they got their wish thanks to the Royal Mail.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We apologise for any inconvenience but we cannot speculate on exactly what has happened to this item of mail without seeing it first.

“We recommend that the customer contact Royal Mail customer services on 08457 740740 so his complaint can be fully investigated.”