Australian Online Stamp Catalogue
 
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 1945 - 1949

B.C.O.F. (British Combined Occupational Forces) JAPAN

Watermark 47 - small multiple Crowns over the letters "CofA", referred to as the C of A watermark
These stamps were overprinted B. C. O. F. (British Combined Occupational Forces) JAPAN and released in Japan after World War II,
to allow the Australian occupational forces to write home.  The ½d, 1d & 3d values were issued prematurely on Saturday, 12 October,
1946, but withdrawn before the following Monday, the official date of issue was 8 May, 1947, these stamps were finally withdrawn
from sale on the 12 February, 1949, all stamps were overprinted at the Hiroshima Printing Works in Japan.
The designs below were all normal issues overprinted for use in Japan by the Australian Military Forces, ½d Kangaroo, 1d Princess
Elizabeth (who later became the Queen Mother), 3d King George VI, 6d Kookaburra, 1/- Lyre Bird, 2/- Kangaroo & Map, 10/- Robe
Design (Thick Paper), 10/- Robe Design (Thin Paper), all stamps below are listed in value order, the date of issue is listed in brackets
(below the stamps), followed by the perforation.

     

25-1-1 OF 1/2d Yellow Kangaroo, (12 October, 1946), perforation 13½ x 14;
38-1-1 OF 1d Purple/Brown Elizabeth, (12 October, 1946), perforation 14¾ x 14;

23-7-1 OF 3d Brown King George VI, (12 October, 1946), perforation 14¾ x 14;
28-1-2 OF 6d Brown Kookaburra, (12 October, 1946), perforation 15 x 14;
30-1-2 OF 1/- Green Lyre Bird, (12 October, 1946), perforation 13½ x 14;
1-17-4 OF 2/- Maroon Kangaroo & Map, (24 December, 1945), perforation 12;
31-1-1 OF 5/- Claret Robe Design (thick paper), (12 October, 1946), perforation 13¾ x 13¼;
31-1-2 OF 5/- Claret Robe Design (thin paper), (4 February, 1948), perforation 13¾ x 13¼