IGPC issues (part 1)

Sometimes it is a dilemma what to send in for the newsletter and what not. Off course we have limited space, related to weight and postage. And there is the decision whether something is yes or no suited for sending in. Most times I ignore the worldwide issued semi-official issues, but when my own veteran motorcycle is depicted on them, I also go about.

Triggered by the issue from Palau about the Kursk Battle, I dived a bit deeper into the cellars of IGPC to see if we did not miss another issue. The one from Palau has already been mentioned in the former newsletter. This block, with the aim to remind the Kursk Battle, shows in the block margin very clearly a (probably German) motorcycle sidecar. In due time this issue has been included in a few renowned catalogues.
During this search I ran into quite a few things. This time we look at blocks showing a Nimbus motorcycle, the rest will follow in the next newsletter.
These are clearly a new kind of semi-official personalized stamp blocks from the various countries, affiliated to IGPC. All the blocks have more or less the same kind of stamp and lay-out.

The personalized stamps (PS's) from Gambia appeared first at September 15th 2008, those from Gambia at March 31st 2009 and from St. Vincent at February 20th 2009.

Let's start with the Gambians:
On a block of PS's that has been issued on remembrance of operation Weserübung there are, apart from a few military cyclists on the stamps, in the block margin a few soldiers behind a Madsen 20 mm canon, mounted on a Nimbus-sidecar combination.

The complete stamp sheet

Detail of the upper left corner with Nimbus

Although I think to know most pictures from Nimbusses, I could not directly recognize this one. Until I saw that the air filter was on the wrong side of the engine, and then the original picture was quickly found:

The original picture

One soldier operates the canon and the other..... is holding the motorcycle in place.

On a block from St. Vincent not less than 2 times a Nimbus:

The complete stamp sheet

In the block margin a picture of Danish soldiers in a squadron with Nimbus motorcycles, equipped with Vickers machine guns:

On the connected ornamental stamp on the lower left side (the image below) the image is not very clear, but it concerns again a group of soldiers with a Nimbus-Madsen 20 mm canon who defend the crucial road crossing in Abenrade.

The original picture

In 1940 this was the crossing where traffic had to pass to enter Denmark.

In the margin of the block below again a Nimbus sidecar combination and also here the image has been mirrored.

The complete stamp sheet

Detail of the upper right corner

The original picture

This concerns 2 soldiers preparing for the battle on Jutland on April 9th 1940.

Next time we pay attention to the other IGPC issues with motorcycles.

Hans de Kloet

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