INS Valsura - Golden Jubilee - 1942 - 2002

Date of Issue: December 15, 2002

Many thanks to my new friend and swap partner, Mr. Jaydev, The Right Honourable Shri Nansey of Jamnagar, for providing me this special cover for my collection.

INS Valsura: located in Rozi Island in the Gulf of Kutch, 5 km from Jamnagar, is a premier training establishment of the Indian Navy.

HMIS Valsura was commissioned by Colonel Digvijay Singhji, the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar, on December 15, 1942 as the Torpedo Training School of The Royal Indian Navy. The name Valsura means Swordfish , which was also the name of the most common torpedo carrying aircraft of the Royal Navy. Post- Independence, the establishment was renamed Indian Naval Ship Valsura.

The Second World War saw a sudden spurt in the use of electricity on board warships, with intensive use of

radio equipment, early warning and gunnery radar and introduction of computers and fire control systems. The course of the war soon determined that torpedo training was very much required and as a consequence, electrical training.

To counter the menace created by the German U-boats to Allied shipping during World War II, formation of the Electrical Branch in the Indian Navy in 1947, resulted in INS Valsura becoming the alma mater for the electrical branch. Since then, thousands of officers and sailors have passed out of its portals to take care of a wide array of systems on-board and offshore in combat.

INS Valsura is one of the oldest establishments of the Indian Navy. While keeping pace with the recent technological developments, the establishment is striving for excellence in technology. It has its roots firm in the service ethos of character building and an all-round development of the trainees. INS Valsura undertakes training of officers, sailors and civilian personnel of the Navy, Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies in electrical, electronics, computer and weapon engineering disciplines. Professional training for electrical artificers and power & radio branch sailors is also conducted here.

The picture above is the crest of INS Valsura. The motto below the crest translates to - "The light that emanates from here illuminates the whole world."

Source: insvalsura.gov.in, Bharat-Rakshak.com

Red Cross Ship SS Vega

Date of Issue: May 08, 2013

Jersey Post issued a set of six stamps and a miniature sheet to commemorate 150th Anniversary of International Red Cross on May 8th, the Birthday of its founder, Henry Dunant.

Since its inception 150 years ago, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has become the world's largest network of volunteer-based humanitarian organizations, helping people during times of war and peace, suffering and tragedy.

Jersey was occupied by Nazi troops from 1940-1945, and islanders experienced first-hand the humanitarian efforts of the Red Cross. Not only did the Red Cross postal message system keep Channel Islanders in touch with their relatives, the Red Cross ship ss Vega delivered food parcels at times when the situation was becoming desperate and many lives were saved.

During her six visits, the Vega delivered 456,264 standard food parcels and 22,200 diet supplement parcels. On her final voyage, 118 bales of medical supplies and 23 cases of x-ray equipment, food, clothing, and fuel were delivered arriving in Jersey on May 31, 1945.

Text Source: Presentation pack of Jersey Post.