#Bechuanaland (British, Protectorate)
Stamp issuing: 1885-1966.
Special days:
1961 Feb 14 Currency change from pounds to dollars.
1966 Jun 1 Last stamps as Bechuanaland.
1966 Sep 30 Independence and name change to #Botswana.
Stamp shown:
1960 Jan 21, 6 pence, commemorates the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of British Bechuanaland.

#stamps #philately #stampcollecting

「Lest we forget – SS Mendi 21 February 1917

The #SouthAfricanNativeLabourCorps men aboard her came from a range of social backgrounds, and from a number of different peoples spread over the South African provinces and neighbouring territories. (287 were from #Transvaal, 139 from the #EasternCape, 87 from #Natal, 27 from #NorthernCape, 26 from the #OrangeFreeState, 26 from #Basutoland, eight from #Bechuanaland [#Botswana], five from #WesternCape, one from #Rhodesia and one from #SouthWestAfrica). Most had never seen the sea before this voyage, and very few could swim. The officers and NCOs were white Southern Africans.

[...]

Poignantly, 21 February 2024 did not see military celebrations but the sombre repatriation to South Africa of two SA National Defence force soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a rebel mortar strike last week.」

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/military-history/lest-we-forget-ss-mendi-21-february-1917/

#Mendi #SouthAfrica #MilitaryHistory #History #WorldWarI #France #Congo #SANDF #SouthAfricanArmy #SouthAfricanNavy #NavalHistory

FUNuary 2024.02 - Kalahari Desert 😎

Inspired by #genuary2024 – continuing with my old analogue lexicons, book 2, letter B.
Chosen word, eyes closed:

Bechuanaland

Nowadays a big part of Botswana and northern areas of South Africa.

#Funuary2024 #VVVV #MadeWithVVVV #motiongraphics #motiondesign #realtime #creativecoding #generativeart #bechuanaland #MastoArt

Today's Stamp History, by Ken P
December 12:
1932 - #Bechuanaland Protectorate issues its first postage stamps.
1963 - Kenya issues its first postage stamps.
1964 - Republic of #Kenya issues its first postage stamps.
1991 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics issues its last postage stamps.

#stamps #philately #stampcollecting