I have never been to the Channel Islands and only have a few of their stamps. However I came across this lot last week on my favourite market stall.
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| Guernsey |
The Dasher appeared in a Mail Boat set issued in 1972, the Isle of Guernsey in another Mail Boat set the following year.
The Arthur Lionel lifeboat stamp was issued in 1974 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. The Arthur Lionel was launched in 1912 at Liverpool and appeared on another stamp in 1999 on the 175th Anniversary of the RNLI.
The Westland Wessex stamp was issued in 1973 to commemorate 50 years of flying to the island and the three aircraft used by Cobham Air Services. The plane shown came to grief on the 3 July 1935 when it ditched in the English Channel with the loss of the pilot, the passenger managed to escape. The aircraft was carrying only the one passenger from Guernsey to Bournemouth. Its starboard engine failed 25 to 30 minutes into the flight but carried on with the two remaining engines. After an half-an-hour one or both of these engines failed and the aircraft crashed into the sea. The passenger was picked up after two hours but the pilot was never found. An inquiry concluded that the pilot had taken an unnecessary but not wholly unjustifiable risk to continue with two engines and he should have considered turning for the French coast.
The Les Casquets lighthouse stamp was issued in 1976; the light guides shipping to Alderney and Guernsey.
Herm Island used to issue its own stamps. Herm is one of the islands making up the Bailiwick of Guernsey. the 7p stamp was issued in 1975.
