France Stamps
1940
Michel 464 and 465
'For our Soldiers'
Issued: 15th Feb 1940. Featuring French soldiers. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 466
'Exhibition "Overseas France 1940"'
Issued: 15th Apr 1940. Featuring World map, banana, palm trees and tropical fruits (year "1940" inscription "POSTES RF"). Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 467 to 470
'War Welfare Fund'
Issued: 1st May 1940. To raise funds for the War Welfare Fund. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 471 and 472
'Red Cross Fund'
Issued: 12th May 1940. To raise funds for the Red Cross Society. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
VICHY GOVERNMENT
On 10th May 1940 the German army invaded France and the low countries. Following a stunning defeat only 6 weeks later, the French surrendered to the Germans. On 10th July the French Third Republic was effectively no more and the Germans established a puppet state with its government located in the French city of Vichy. Although the northern part of France was under German military rule and parts of South-East France were occupied by the Italians, the remaining 'free-French' were governed from Vichy until late 1944 when the allies landed at Normandy and pushed the Germans back to the 1939 border.Michel 631, issued 14th Aug 1944 was the last stamp issued under the Vichy government.
Michel 473
'War Victims'
Issued: 12th Nov 1940. To raise finds for war victims. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 474
'Georges Guynemer'
Issued: 7th Nov 1940. To Commemorate Georges Guynemer. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 475 to 477
'For Unemployed Intellectuals'
Issued: 12th Nov 1940. To raise funds for unemployed intellectuals. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 478 to 495
'Definitive stamps with red/black overprints'
Issued: 24th Jan 1940 to 1941. Definitive stamps. Stamps with red, Michel 485 black, overprint of the new value.
Michel 496 to 499
'National Welfare'
Issued: 2nd Dec 1940. To raise funds for National Welfare. Printed intaglio and perf comb 13.
Michel 10
'Military Field Post'
Issued: 1940. Military Field Post Stamp. Printed typography and perf K12½.
