Poste Francaises (Vichy) Victims of Allied Bombings

 

POSTE FRANCAISES (VICHY) on 23 August 1943 issued a  surtaxed  stamp  to honour civilian victims of Allied bombings at Dunkirk, Lorient, St. Nazaire and Billancourt which by this time were instrumental to Nazi war efforts.

Dunkerque was virtually destroyed during the Battle of Dunkirk and the evacuation of Allied forces, 1940.

Lorient was essentially destroyed by Allied bombing raids on the German U-Boat pens, 1943.

St. Nazaire was destroyed by fire-bombing in Allied bombing raids on the German U-Boat pens, 1943.

Billancourt, Paris suburb, was heavily damaged by British and US bombing raids on the large Renault factory, 1942 and 1943.

As a result of the bombing, not only was critical war infrastructure destroyed the civilian population became "internally displaced" refugees.  Thus, these surtax stamps benefited the Secours National.

 In total three stamps were released. Shown here is one of the designs: "Civilians under air attack".