Special service post cards were produced with varying designs dependant upon the organisation employing the cards.
Officials
SERVICE - RAILWAY - ELECTION - MILITARY
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From 18th June 1849 a large group
of individuals and organisations associated with the operation of government or
of the posts was either exempt from paying postage or has benefited from a
special rate.
Special service post cards were produced with varying designs dependant upon the organisation employing the cards. |
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During the German occupation from 1914 to 1918 unsealed mail from the Etappen Zone, whilst still subject to censorship, did not require franking. In this case the correspondence was from the Municipal Authorities of Ghent Town. |
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Gemeentebestuur WESTOUTER (Municipality of Westouter) BESTUURLIJKE DIENST
(Administrative Service),
Franked at half tariff with 90c COB 714 Cancelled RENINGELST 20-3-52.18 “7 dots” Single-ring to Deurne. The 50% tariff was discontinued from 1 January 1977. |
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Administration
Communale de WASMES,
SERVICE PUBLIC
WASMES 20 VII 19-20 1948 ? ▲ 1 Single-ring to Anvers. 50% tariff 65c COB 711 Pour le Bourgmestre: Le Secrétaire communal délégué, |
Railway Service
Starting with the King Albert "Houyoux" issue, definitive stamps were overprinted with the "winged wheel" symbol of the S.N.C.B. for use on railway business. Subsequent issues were overprinted with the "B" in an oval logo of the railway and this was eventually included as part of the stamp design. These stamps were sold to the railway at a 35% discount.
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Elections
Special rates applied to printed matter in connection with elections. This must be marked with an appropriate cachet such as "VERKIEZINGSDRUKWERK". The tariff could be considerably less than that for normal mail. In 1990/1992 the tariff was 4 francs for items up to 50 grammes compared with 10 francs for normal printed matter. The regulations were complicated and often involved bulk mailing and the use of pre-cancelled stamps.
Military Mail
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| Letter rate 3,00 fr. | Letter rate 3,50 fr. | Letter rate 4,50 fr. | Letter rate 5,00 fr. | Letter rate 6,50 fr. |
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Stamps for military used were first issued in 1967 with the last issue being in 1975. As can be seen from the normal letter rates of the time, the military benefited from a 50% reduction in tariff from 17 July 1967 until 1 January 1977. |
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Modern mail from service personnel serving abroad seems to have attracted the internal rate. |
