military postal service

[flashpig]

What was the abbreviation that endorsed a letter from a service posting, and didn/t require a stamp?

[smudge]

b.f.p.o.

[smudge]

I actually typed: BFPO, let's see if that works!

[smudge]

Yes it worked: BFPO - British Forces Post Office.

(Although I could be wrong)!

[THFCUK]

yes it is BFPO as smudge stated but i think that it only goes free if you ask for a "Bluey" at the post office it is a blue bit of paper that they usually write on.

[Peter Pedant]

Hi Flash...

For the first Gulf War in 1990, 'they' advertised free post to the Gulf for those in H M Forces......but I am not sure if it is always free [or to put in another way, I thought that was a one-off]

[Skids]

Hi.  Yes, blue-ies are blue air-mail letters and are free postage for those members of HM Forces who are on deployment outside of the UK.  The BFPO number of the writer's unit is written on the front.

[KebabMeister]

Also if sending to a BFPO address from the UK you only have to use UK postage stamps as if sending a letter internally in the UK.  It also means that many stores and catalogues, subscriptions etc can send via BFPO but at local rate to the UK.

e.g.  I get DVDs, subscriptions, hardware, sent to my BFPO address but it's only charged at UK postage rate.

BTW The headquarters for BFPO is in London.  So all mail is delivered there and then it is distributed around the world.  All overseas postings/locations/ships etc are covered by BFPO.