82 83 84
85 85A
The Indian forces in South Africa also had their own postal establishment, with a special series of postmarks.
In the present campaign the Indian forces are accompanied by fully-equipped field postal arrangements, and following up the precedent of the China Expeditionary Force, the Indian Expeditionary Force in Europe is furnished with a set of current Indian postage stamps, cards, etc., overprinted I.E.F. ([Figs. 76-85]). The Indian troops enjoy free postage on unregistered letters and postcards posted to the United Kingdom, France, and India, but correspondence to all other countries, such as Switzerland, Holland, Scandinavia, and the rest of the world has to be prepaid with I.E.F. stamps, as also the parcels and registered letters for all countries.
The next figure ([85a]) illustrates the type of base post office mark used in France, and no doubt similar marks are being used on these stamps supplied to the Indian forces engaged in Egypt and elsewhere during the present war. [Fig. 85b] although not definitely identified is probably an Indian army postmark in use in France.
The first instalment of the "I.E.F." Indian stamps issued to troops included: