UPDATE: |New Royal Mail stamps will honour 10 incredible heroes of World War II News

They will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and the end of the Second World War

A new set of commemorative stamps has been issued to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Royal Mail said the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8, 2025, provides a chance to recognise some of the extraordinary men and women who made significant contributions during the conflict.

To mark the anniversary, Royal Mail is launching a series of stamps today (April 24) to commemorate the courage and dedication of those whose actions not only saved lives but also altered history and shaped Britain’s contribution to the war.

The Second World War is often called ‘the people’s war’, with Royal Mail saying the people depicted on the stamps represent some of the diverse individuals who made up ‘the people’ in wartime.

Each of the 10 stamps in the main set features an image of the person being honoured, capturing their wartime role – be it pilot, nurse, Commando, SOE operative, codebreaker, engineer or firefighter.

The stamps feature:

George Arthur Roberts – a military veteran, activist and the first Black man to join the London Auxiliary Fire Service, in 1938, serving bravely throughout the Blitz.

Mary Morris – her diaries describe how she nursed troops returning wet and wounded from Dunkirk and later travelled to Normandy to care for casualties after the D-Day landings.

Tommy Macpherson – a Commando known for his audacious actions, including being dropped by submarine in North Africa, where he sabotaged enemy positions.

Violette Szabó – joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service before volunteering for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and working undercover in occupied France.

John Harrison – served in the Royal Navy on the destroyer HMS Belfast and was responsible for maintaining ‘A’ and ‘B’ gun turrets at the front of the ship.

Bhanbhagta Gurung – fought in Operation Longcloth in Burma, now Myanmar, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery under heavy fire.

Thomas Peirson Frank – a civil engineer and surveyor whose rapid-response teams repaired over 100 breaches of the Thames wall during air raids, saving many lives.

Mahinder Singh Pujji – a pilot and Squadron Leader with the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Indian Air Force, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his outstanding courage and leadership over Japanese-occupied territory.

William Tutte – a brilliant mathematician and codebreaker, William (‘Bill’) Tutte’s work was key to decrypting the Lorenz cipher, the German code used for top-level communication and intelligence.

Lilian Bader – after being forced to leave the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) canteen because of her ethnicity, Bader volunteered to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1944, and went on to train as an Instrument Repairer, becoming one of the first members of the WAAF to qualify in this role.

Four additional stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, pay tribute to Dame Vera Lynn’s tireless efforts to support the troops and her advocacy for military veterans.

The stamps capture Dame Vera Lynn in different aspects of her wartime career, including her Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) performances, BBC wartime radio programme, and morale-boosting visits to British troops and civilians during the conflict.

Royal Mail worked with historian Professor Lucy Noakes on the stamp issue. She has been Rab Butler Professor of Modern History at the University of Essex since 2017 and has served as the President of the Royal Historical Society since 2024.

To mark the launch of the stamps, the postal service said they will be unveiled today (April 24) to an audience of family members of all the individuals featured on the stamps and other guests at an event held at the Imperial War Museum North.

Royal Mail will apply a special VE80 postmark on stamped mail in the week of the actual anniversary on Thursday, May 8. The business also supports VE Mail, a letter-writing initiative connecting schoolchildren with Second World War veterans.

Marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Together Coalition – an organisation aiming to build kinder, closer and more connected communities – has arranged for youngsters to receive personal letters from veterans who share their personal experiences of the war and their reflections on victory.

The students then write returning letters expressing their thoughts and gratitude for the sacrifices made 80 years ago. This is a unique opportunity to connect generations and encourage children to engage with the past.

Emma Gilthorpe, CEO, Royal Mail said: “Behind every victory of a nation, there are countless unsung heroes whose courage and sacrifice shaped the future of the world. On VE Day, we remember not only the leaders and generals, but the silent warriors whose contributions echo through history. For the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Royal Mail is proud to issue these stamps honouring the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who fought for freedom and peace.”

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order from today (24 April) at www.royalmail.com/valour and by telephone on 03457 641 641.

A Presentation Pack including all 14 stamps is priced at £24.70. The stamps go on general sale from May 1.

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