ROYAL MAIL UNVEILS SIX STAMPS HONOURING ARMED FORCES

Royal Mail has unveiled six poppy-coloured stamps honouring the service of the UK’s armed forces. It says it will release the set on Armistice Day, 11 November. The issue marks 110 years since the Battle of the Somme began on 1 July 1916. Royal Mail commissioned British artist Matthew Cook to create the artworks for the six stamps.

Cook has served as a reservist in the Parachute Regiment and The Rifles. His deployments took him to Iraq and Afghanistan. “I was delighted to be asked to illustrate these stamps and to take on the challenge of such a sensitive and significant subject,” Cook said. He said remembrance held a special place in his life because of his service. Cook also described this Royal Mail commission as “particularly special”.

David Gold of Royal Mail said the stamps paid tribute to those who served through two world wars and other conflicts. “Remembrance holds a profound place in our national life,” he said. Gold said Cook’s artworks offered a way to reflect on the sacrifices of men and women across generations. The Battle of the Somme became one of the defining battles of the First World War.