Wartime History
The BPMA may not seem to be an obvious place to look for records about wartime, but the postal service was often an integral part of this country's response to conflicts.
There are some specific groups of records in the archive concerning wartime history, for example:
- POST 56 Post Office: War and Civil Emergencies 1859-1969
- POST 47 Post Office: Army Postal History 1888-1975
Other more general archive classes on the day-to-day running of postal services may also include information on wartime.
The effect of the First and Second World Wars was much more widespread than previous wars. Like any public industry, postal services were severely affected. As a result, both wars are mentioned in different contexts throughout our archive. Search for particular topics that interest you in our online catalogue.
Examples from our Collection
Here are some examples of wartime history records from our collections:
Letter about mail during the Crimean War, 25 June 1854
Postal arrangements were described as "unsatisfactory".
Post Office Rifles: history of origin of Corps, c. 1913
The first page of a folder on the history of the Post Office Rifles, who were created in 1868.
Poem in St Martin's Le Grand, April 1916, p. 192
This poem was a humorous effort to encourage people to contribute to the war effort.
Photograph of school children sorting the mail, 1942
A challenge for the Post Office was tackling wartime labour shortages.
You may also be interested in...
If War Should Come
18 films made by the GPO Film Unit from 1939 - 1941
A fascinating insight into a nation on the cusp of war, with films such as Spare Time and London Can Take It!.
The Post Office in WW2
An online exhibition examining how the Post Office went to war
The upheaval in the Post Office reflected the changes brought by World War 2 to everyday British life.
The Post Office Rifles
A regiment who earned high praise and a prestigious place in British military history
A short history of the Post Office Rifles, a volunteer regiment largely comprised of Post Office employees.
