Postage stamps and postal history of the British Cameroons

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A 2d postage stamp of British Cameroons (1953).

The postal history of the British Cameroons falls into two essential parts: the occupation of German

British Cameroons, today known as Ambazonia, was divided between Cameroon and Nigeria
.

Historical background

Cameroon was a German

Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. The Anglo-French claims were ratified by League of Nations mandates in 1922.[1]

British Occupation issues: 1915

British Occupation stamp, 1915, overprinted C.E.F. (Cameroons Expeditionary Force) and surcharged a halfpenny.

Stamps of German Kamerun were overprinted C.E.F. (Cameroons Expeditionary Force) and surcharged with values from one halfpenny to five shillings by the British occupation forces in July 1915.[2]

British Cameroons

From about 1920, British Cameroons used stamps of Nigeria without overprint. These can be recognised only cancellation marks which show one of 15 relevant post offices.[1] After the Second World War ended, British Cameroons was formally divided into its northern and southern constituents but both continued to use the Nigerian stamps with local cancellations.

Northern and Southern Cameroons

After French Cameroun became independent in January 1960, it was decided to hold plebiscites in Northern and Southern Cameroons in February 1961. Northern Cameroons opted to join Nigeria, effective from 31 May 1961, and so continued to use Nigerian stamps as before. Southern Cameroons opted to join Cameroon effective 1 October 1961.

In the interval, stamps of Nigeria values one halfpenny to one pound, overprinted CAMEROONS U.K.T.T. (United Kingdom Trust Territory)[3] were issued. These stamps were valid in Northern and Southern Cameroons until separate existence ended.

  • Shilling stamp used at Mubi, now in Nigeria
    Shilling stamp used at Mubi, now in Nigeria
  • Threepence stamp used at Kumba, now in Cameroon
    Threepence stamp used at Kumba, now in Cameroon

See also

References and sources

References
  1. ^ a b Rossiter & Flower, pp.314–315.
  2. ^ Gibbons, British Commonwealth 1966, p.183.
  3. ^ Gibbons, British Commonwealth 1966, p.810.
Sources

Further reading

External links