2707) The Second Battle of El Alamein, Isle of Man: Isle of Man Post (IOMP) has issued a set of five stamps commemorating one of World War II's significant battles which led to a decisive Allied Victory: Date of Stamp set issue: 23.02.2023:
The Second Battle of El Alamein (23.10.1942 – 11.11.1942) was a battle of the Second World War that took place near the Egyptian railway halt of El Alamein.
The First Battle of El Alamein and the Battle of Alam el Halfa had prevented the Axis from advancing further into Egypt.
In August 1942, British General Claude Auchinleck had been relieved as Commander-in-Chief of Middle East Command and his successor, Lieutenant-General William Gott was killed on his way to replace him as commander of the Eighth Army.
Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery was appointed who led the Eighth Army offensive.
El Alamein was a British victory, although Rommel did not lose hope until the end of the Tunisia Campaign.
The Allies frequently had numerical superiority in the Western Desert, but never had it been so complete in quantity and quality.
With the arrival of Sherman tanks, 6-pounder anti-tank guns and Spitfires in the Western Desert, the Allies gained a comprehensive superiority.
Montgomery envisioned the battle as an attrition operation, similar to those fought in the First World War and accurately predicted the length of the battle and the number of British and Commonwealth casualties.
British artillery was superbly handled, and British air support was excellent, in contrast to the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica, which offered little or no support to ground forces, preferring to engage in air-to-air combat.
The British victory at El Alamein was the beginning of the end of the Western Desert Campaign, eliminating the Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal and the Middle Eastern and Persian oil fields.
The battle revived the morale of the Allies, being the first big success against the Axis since Operation Crusader in late 1941. The end of the battle coincided with the Allied invasion of French North Africa in Operation Torch on 08 November, which opened a second front in North Africa.
The Postage stamps:
Isle of Man Post Office (IOMP) has issued this stamp set commemorating the Battle of El Alamein (23.10.1942- 04.11.1942), a key battle as part of the North Africa campaign of WW2 and subsequent Allied victory over the Axis forces.
The Battle of El Alamein (second battle) was one of the most decisive victories in World War II. It was fought between two of the best commanders in World War II, Montgomery for the Allies and Rommel for the Axis. The victory of the Allies at El Alamein lead to the ultimate surrender of the German forces in North Africa in 1943.
The battle featured extensive deployment of local Isle of Man soldiers through The Manx Regiment. The Battle passed its 80th Anniversary milestone in 2022.
The Stamp Set:
The set consists of five individual stamps valued at 80p, £1.51, £1.92, £2.00 and £2.80 and is available as Set, Sheet Set, Presentation Pack (limited 1000), First Day Cover (limited 1500), Booklet Pane and a Prestige Booklet.
The Stamps:
The imagery featured has been selected to summarise the Battle of El Alamein including the involvement of the Manx Regiment.
The collection features:
1. General Bernard Montgomery (80p)
2. Bofors Gun (£1.51)
3. Desert Tanks (£1.92)
4. The Manx Regiment (£2.00)
5. El Alamein Road Sign (£2.80)
Featured on the collection are:
General Bernard Montgomery (80p):
General Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976) was commissioned in the British Army in 1908. He survived serious wounds in the First World War and took over command of the British 8th Army in the Western Desert in August 1942. In paying regular visits to the troops in the front line and talking to them man-to-man he became very popular and was a great morale booster.
The turning of the tide may well have taken longer without him.
Bofors Gun (£1.51):
The Swedish-designed Bofors gun was the British Army’s light anti-aircraft gun throughout WW2 and played a key role in the conflict. Firing a shell weighing about 2 pounds (1 kilo) at a rate of 120 rounds per minute it was a formidable weapon and was easily maneuverable.
Desert Tanks (£1.92):
The American-built M4 Sherman first saw action in the Second Battle of El Alamein. Only about 250 were available but they made a significant contribution to the allied success. Subsequently many thousands were used by the allies in all theatres of war.
The Manx Regiment (£2.00):
During a lull in the fighting and awaiting their next call to action, Albert Bridge, Charlie Palmer and Thomas Russell of the 15th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment are playing dominoes and smoking “V”s cigarettes alongside their Bofors gun.
Manx Regiment Sergeant Thomas Douglas Russell hailed from Ramsey Isle of Man. His diary is now in the Museum's collection and has been used as research and source material for this issue.
El Alamein Road Sign (£2.80):
Two oil drums, two wooden posts, a sheet of corrugated iron and a pot of paint are the simple components which make one of the most instantly recognisable images of the desert war.
The First Day Cover (FDC):
The First Day Cover (FDC) together with the IB (Information Brochure), showcases the sigpost "EL ALAMEIN" at left with soldiers waiting to be transported to their stations on the front lines.
At top right is affixed the postage stamp set issued by the Isle of Man Post (IOMP). The special cancellation postmark has "The Battle of El Alamein" inscribed in the centre. The Cancellation is dated - 23.02.2023".
Turning Point – The Battle of El Alamein Presentation Pack:
All of the five stamps commemorating one of World War II's pivotal battles, are beautifully presented in a sleek four-page glossy Presentation Pack (PP).
Stamp Booklet:
The story of the Battle of El Alamein in this 28-page full colour booklet. This booklet features two sets of these exquisite stamps and additional issue text.
A Pane:
The Battle of El Alamein including the Manx Regiment and Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, are all beautifully presented in this vibrant terracotta decorative pane.
The Sheet Set contains 20 stamps.
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