COVER N. 549 - SOLOMON ISLANDS
Postmark: Solomon Islands - Use your 3 word address - Postage paid - 09.10.2024
Posted on the 9th October; Received on the 3rd January 2025
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And so I write 2025 for the first time on this blog and things couldn't have turned out any better for I do it adding another country to my list, this time the island state of the Solomon Islands, right across next door to Papua New Guinea, so named in honour of the wealthy King Solomon, for it is said that the Islands were believed to be the location of the rich biblical city of Ophir (all this courtesy of Wikipedia, for although I knew who King Solomon was, I confess my ignorance as to the rest).
A former British Protectorate since the last decade of the 19th century, The 900 + islands archipelago became independent in 1978, although in Constitutional Monarchy format, it's head of state remaining the British Monarch and the State becoming a member of the Commonwealth.
The history of the Solomon Islands has been permeated with political unrest ever since independence and to that one must add the ever growing concerns of the impact of climate change, mostly in what concerns the problems brought about by the rising sea level.
Although not a location often mentioned on the news, the Solomons were the location for one of the most famous battles of WW2, the first land offensive of the allied forces against the Japanese army: the Battle of Guadalcanal, which took place in and around the Island of the same name between August 1942 and January 1943.
As usual, exotic covers such as the one that this post is about have a well known suspect behind, even if the envelopes often come with no return address, as was the case.
But the cover spelled "Flying Dutchman" through all its pores, and all it took was a message to my friend Eric to ascertain its origin.
So Hartelijk dank nogmaals, Eric, and also Thanks a lot Marianne, for this great cover, that I'm really happy to include in my collection
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Guadalcanal Battle, ´the Postal Service of the Solomon Islands issued, on 07AUG1992 two souvenir sheets, themed on the said military campaign, one comprising five 30 cent stamps and a painting depicting American Grumman Wildcat aircraft operating at Henderson Field and another with ten 80 cent stamps and a painting entitled Night action off Savo island, showing a sea battle scene.
The 10 stamps of the latter were used on the cover and, from left to right top to bottom, they bear illustrations of:
- Japanese Mitsubishi Zero (Zeke) fighter;
- Japanese Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber;~
- Japanese destroyers of the Tokyo Express (the name given to the convoys of logistic support to the Japanese fleet)
- Japanese Heavy Cruiser Chockay
- Henderson field under construction and attack;
- US Heavy Cruiser Quincy;
- Australian Navy heavy Cruiser Canberra;
- U S Marines landing at Guadalcanal;
- Japanese aircraft Carrier Ryujo;
- US Marines Grumman Wildcat fighters.
The Postmark is rather curious in that it contains no other local information than the country name - Solomon Islands - and a curious instruction reminder - Use your 3 word address….
