Sudan: The Camel Postman

Issues 1897 – 1991

A Display
to the Royal Philatelic Society
London

by
Richard Stock

1897 Imperforate trials for the first camel postman issue (ex. De La Rue Archives)

Thursday 1st October 2009

 /. J.

/0 .

x
/3 . /r

“Appendix” sheet dated December 16th 1897 with twenty different imperforate 2m trials
(ex. De la Rue Archives).
 Sudan: The Camel
Postman Issues 1897-1991
Scene:

The headquarters of the X1 Sudanese Battalion, (Col. MacDonald’s Brigade), Nile

Expeditionary Force, stationed at Korti, in the early summer of 1897.

Present:

Major-General Sir Herbert Capt. Edward A Stanton,

Kitchener, Commander-in- Second-in-command, X1
chief, Egyptian Army, Sudanese.

The following interview took place;

Kitchener: “I want you to design a stamp for the Sudan. You are to go on drawing
designs until you produce something I approve of. It’s up to you to
produce something suitable and it is not to contain my portrait or that
of anyone else. I’ll be back in a week when you are to produce
something. Good morning.”

Stanton: “…not being anxious to be shot at dawn in a week’s time as my brother

officers kindly hinted my fate would be, I spent a somewhat worried 36
hours.” (extract from a letter to Dr. Byam (Founder, Egypt Study Circle) in
1926).

1
Introduction

The display features the history, development and usage of the Camel Postman design from
its inception in 1897 until 1991. The development of each issue is illustrated by proofs, colour
trials and other production items from the archives of Messrs. De La Rue & Co., Ltd. Changes
to format, denomination, watermark, paper and printing plates are shown. Stamps on cover or
card illustrate unusual usage or destination.

The stamps were printed to a high standard. Thus varieties are few in number and generally
occur amongst overprinted stamps issued for official purposes or produced locally to meet
unforeseen shortages. Overprints and stamps punctured ‘SG’ and ‘AS’ are included in the
display.

The De La Rue Archives

In March 1966, Mr. A.G. Norman, Chairman of Messrs. De La Rue & Co., Ltd., handed over to
Sir Ifor Evans, Trustee of the British Museum, on permanent loan, the vast philatelic records
accumulated by his company throughout more than a century of stamp printing for countries
throughout the world. Among the most famous of the stamps produced by De La Rue was
the Sudan “Camel” issue of 1898 which was represented in the collection by the original order
signed by Lord Kitchener (then Major-General Sir Herbert Kitchener, of the Egyptian Army);
the original sketch prepared by Capt. E.A. Stanton and colour trials, proofs and issued stamps,
which had remained basically unchanged since 1898.

The archives were subsequently sold by Robson Lowe Ltd., much of the Sudan material by
public auction in April and November 1977.

The sale of the De La Rue archives has contributed significantly to our knowledge of the camel
postman stamps and their production. However such progress is not without certain
disadvantages.

Since 1977, Appendix sheets have been cut up. The letter from Kitchener ordering stamps
from De La Rue & Co., one of the 1906 Appendix sheets and the 1940 5m on 10m proof
sheet of 120 overprints have been damaged. Other items have been stored by collectors in
wholly unsuitable conditions.

2
Layout and structure of the display

Oversize items are displayed in frames 13 and 14.

Frames Date Description

1,2 & 13 1898 First Issue on rosette watermarked paper; overprints and official
stamps,
3 – 5 & 14 1902 Second Issue: change of watermark to star and crescent ; new
values; overprinted and perforated official stamps,
6 & 14 1921 Third Issue: introduction of reduced format millieme values;
official stamps
7- 10 1927 Fourth Issue: change of watermark to ‘S.G.’; new values;
overprints and official stamps,
10 & 11 1948 Fifth Issue: introduction of revised Arabic inscription; 50pt value
introduced; official stamps
11 1948 Commemorative Issues: Golden Jubilee of the Camel Postman
design; Opening of the Legislative Assembly,
11 1951 Sixth Issue: camel postman design retained for the 50pt
denomination.
12 1954 Self-Government.
12 1962 Seventh Issue: £LS1 denomination depicts modified camel
postman design
12 1991 Eighth Issue: camel postman design used for the £LS20
denomination

1897 The Origin of the Design

The history of the famous camel postman design has been published previously, however, for
sake of completeness and accuracy, the full account given by Capt. Stanton, in a letter to Dr.
Byam in 1926, is reproduced in the Appendix.

On 6th June 1897 Kitchener wrote to Messrs. De La Rue and Co., enclosing approved designs
and asking for stamps and estimates to be prepared. Messrs De La Rue & Co., replied on July
2nd stating costs and timescales for delivery, that the stamps would be produced by the key
plate system and printed in fugitive inks.

1898 The First Issue – frames 1, 2 & 13

Further correspondence ensued about the delivery time and the duty plate colours. On 20th
November De La Rue sent a colour scheme for the stamps, printed from the 2 millieme plates.
Following criticism about the danger of ‘confusion between the duties’ De La Rue sent a
further 36 colour combinations.

3
 H ead Quarte rs, Egyptian Ar my ,

W ar Offi ce, Cairo,

189
7
/

I ...... ll.; .

2-
5
10 .

The letter from Sir Herbert Kitchener to Messrs. De La Rue & Co., ordering stamps for the Sudan.

4
 The reverse of the letter bearing Kitchener’s signature

On 3rd July 1898 the Financial Secretary informed De la Rue & Co., that ‘the watermark in the
paper has given dissatisfaction in certain quarters – being a cross’ and asked that further
supplies be printed on paper watermarked with a star and crescent similar to that used by the
Egyptian Postal Administration.

Post offices and postal facilities increased significantly during the Nile Expedition 1897-98.
First issue camel stamps were used at 34 post offices. Usages are known on wreck mail, TPO
mail, and to unusual destinations.

In January 1901 1m stamps were issued punctured ‘SG’ for use by government departments.
They were followed by 1m and 10pt stamps overprinted ‘O.S.G.S.’ issued respectively in 1902
and 1906. The 1m is known with inverted overprint. Minor varieties also exist.

The 2pt, 5pt and 10pt were issued overprinted ‘Army Service’ for use by the Army.

Due to a temporary shortage of 5m stamps 60,000 copies of the current 5pt stamp were
surcharged 5m at Khartoum and placed on sale in September 1903. Six panes (180 stamps)
were printed with the overprint inverted, and later used. Forgeries of the error are known.

5
Key Items– frame 1

! A cover from Capt. E.A. Stanton to his father General Stanton in England franked by
2m, 3m and 5m overprinted Egyptian stamps cancelled ‘Berber 16 JA 98’ (the stamps
were superseded by the camel issue on 1 March 1898). Provenance: Giovanni Freschi
(1993).

! A preliminary master die proof and 2 working proofs of the vignette with uncleared
surround and tablets.

A working die proof of the vignette

! A re-directed cover to Maj. Peile, South African Field Forces, franked 1m, 2m & 3m
cancelled ‘Wad Ramly 7 DE 99’. The only recorded example of this cancellation on
cover.

6
 ! A 5m soldier’s concessionary rate cover from Sgt. A. Hales, 1st Btn. Royal
Warwickshire Regiment, bearing the cachet “Wet through collision on the Nile”
applied to mail involved in an incident during April, 1898. 16 covers have been
recorded. Provenance: Henry Mauerberger (1989).

! A 5m internal rate cover, to Major Sandbach, Governor of Nubia, Halfa containing a

12 page letter signed by Major Douglas Haig (later Field Marshal Earl Haig), describing
a reconnaissance in force of the Dervish camp on 5th April, 1898 by Col. Broadwood’s
cavalry.

! A 1pt overprinted postal stationery envelope from Suakin to Angola via Berber and
Lisbon with a 1pt camel stamp added to pay the registration fee. Provenance:
“Cihangir” (2000).

Key Items – frame 2

! Block of 20 1m stamps punctured ‘SG’ and a block of 30 1m stamps overprinted

‘O.S.G.S.’ with constant varieties.

! 1 millieme stamp with inverted ‘O.S.G.S.’ overprint.

! 5pt overprinted 5 milliemes - a strip of 4 stamps and a single with inverted overprint
on a front addressed to Monsieur L Colucci, Cairo. Provenance: Col. J R Danson
(1977) Norton Collier (2005).

7
Key Items – frame 13

! A letter to Messrs. De La Rue & Co., dated 6th June 1897 signed by Major-General Sir
Herbert Kitchener ordering stamps for the Sudan. Provenance: Col. J. R. Danson
(1977), Graham Cooper (1986), Norton Collier (2004).

! A sheet headed “Sudan Postage Colour Scheme” with eight imperforate 2 m trials in
the colours of the issued set, written at the side of each trial is the value that each
colour combination is to represent, also 2 bisects, one for the colour of the 2 pt
vignette, the other for the frame of the 5m, handstamped at foot “PASSED/12 Nov
97” Provenance: Col. J.R. Danson (1977), Colin Boston (2000) Norton Collier
(2004).

! An “Appendix” sheet dated December 16th 1897 with twenty different imperforate 2m
trials, a piece with eight imperforate trials and 8 others off paper. Provenance: Col. J.R.
Danson (1977), Colin Boston (2000), Sir Gawaine Baillie Bt., (2005).

1902 The Second Issue – frames 3 - 5 & 14

Printings on star and crescent watermarked paper were issued on the dates shown in the
following table as stocks of the earlier issue were exhausted:

Denomination Date Denomination Date

1m May 1905 5m December 1903
2m Nov 1902 2pt black & blue February 1908
3m March 1903 2pt purple & orange- 22 December 1921
yellow (chalky paper)
4m blue & bistre 20 January 1907 5pt February 1908
4m vermilion & October 1907 10pt February 1911
brown

A 4m denomination was added to the series to meet a new rate introduced in 1906 for
postcards and letter cards to Great Britain. The first printing in blue and bistre was 180,000
copies. About this time plate 1 began to show signs of wear and its gradual deterioration can
be seen in progressively more coarse and blotchy impressions with faint Arabic inscription and
portions of the design missing.

De La Rue prepared a new duty plate in October 1906 and a key plate in March 1907. In
October 1907 the colour of the 4m was changed to vermilion and brown in deference to
U.P.U. regulations that stamps of an equivalent value of 10 centimes used by member
countries should be printed chiefly in red. It was the first to be printed from key plate 2. For
the first time the key plate number appeared in the sheet margin.

All denominations are on unsurfaced paper except the 2pt purple and orange issued in 1921
which is only on chalk surfaced paper. The 5 pt and 10pt also appear on chalk surfaced paper.

8
Three plates were used. Early printings are from plate 1, in use until October 1907. Plate 2 was
used from October 1907 to 1925 and all values were printed from it. Plate 3 was used from
December 1921 to March 1927 for the 2pt purple and orange, 5pt and 10pt denominations on
chalk surfaced paper.

On 1 January, 1905 stamps for exclusive use by the Army were introduced. Before that date,
official stamps punctured ‘SG’ and those overprinted ‘O.S.G.S.’ were used by the Army under
the same conditions as Government Departments. The current 1m camel stamp was
overprinted ‘Army Official’ at Khartoum on half panes of 30 stamps. There are numerous
varieties.

Large & small overprints “ARMY” reading down Overprint horizontal

Between January 1906 and May 1911 the 1m, 2m, 3m, 5m, 1pt, 2pt, 5pt and 10pt values were
issued overprinted “Army Service” in two horizontal lines. The first setting of the overprint,
allocated to the 1906/08 period is characterized by a long tail to the ‘y’ in ‘Army’. A later
setting has stamps with a short tail to the ‘y’ in ‘Army’ and is known as the 1908/10 setting.
The issue is rich in errors and varieties including, double overprint, inverted overprint, triple
overprint and double overprint, one inverted. Forgeries are plentiful.

Overprint inverted Overprint double Overprint double, Overprint partly triple

one inverted

The 1m, 2m, 3m, 5m, 1pt, 2pt black & blue, 2pt purple & orange yellow, 5pt (chalk surfaced
paper) and 10pt punctured ‘AS’ replaced the overprinted Army Service stamps on 1 January
1912. There was only one printing (600 stamps) of the 10pt supplied in September 1914 and
it is therefore a rare stamp. All values have been forged particularly the 10pt.

1m, 3m, 5m, 1pt, 2pt, 5pt and 10pt stamps were overprinted ‘O.S.G.S.’ – ‘On Sudan
Government Service’ by De La Rue in sheets of 120. Constant varieties exist on most values
and examples are shown in frame 5. In 1912 the practice of overprinting for official stamps
ceased for 24 years. In the intervening period 1912 - 1936 puncturing the letters ‘S.G.’ was re-
introduced.

9
Key items – Frame 3

! Vignette die proofs endorsed ‘BEFORE STRIKING’ & ‘AFTER STRIKING’ dated Sept 5.

! A 15c Belgian Congo postcard from Dungu in the Lado Enclave to Geneva with
additional franking of 1m & 2m camel postman stamps cancelled 30 August, 1909.

! 2pt purple and orange-yellow specimen stamp and imperforate plate proofs.
Provenance: Col. J R Danson (1977).

Key items – Frames 4 & 5

! A complete 100 millieme booklet and a partly used exploded booklet with stamps
from plate 2.

! 1m stamps overprinted ‘Army

Official’ showing errors and
varieties, mint, used and on
cover. A half pane of 30 stamps
showing the positions of constant
varieties.

! 1m and 5m stamps overprinted

‘Army Service’ showing errors of
overprint and 5m stamps used on
a parcel card.

! 1m to 10pt Army Service stamps

punctured ‘AS’ and Official
stamps punctured ‘SG’ in corner
blocks of four from plate 2.
Provenance: The Palace
Collection of King Farouk.
A block of the 10pt from plate 2 punctured ‘AS’

Key items – Frame 14

! 1m, an “Appendix” sheet from the printer’s archive dated 11th April 1906 with 15
different imperforate trials, one endorsed at the corner “stamp selected”. Provenance:
Col. J.R. Danson (1977), Colin Boston (2000), Sir Gawaine Baillie Bt., (2005).

! 4m, an “Appendix” sheet dated 5th February, 1907 with thirteen imperforate colour
trials, one marked with four crosses Provenance: Col. H.E. Hebbert (1977), Colin
Boston (2000), Sir Gawaine Baillie Bt., (2005)

10
1921 The Third Issue – frames 6 & 14

The change to a reduced format was considered by the Sudan postal authorities soon after
receipt of the large sized stamps but postponed for many years due to the expense of making
new dies and plates. On 6th February 1915 the Director of Sudan Posts and Telegraphs wrote to
De La Rue & Co., asking if the size of the current stamps could be reduced to the size of those
at present in use in Great Britain. Essays were submitted dated 19th March 1915, 12th October
1915, Dec 17th 1915 and 23rd May 1916.

On 26th June 1916 the Director of Sudan Posts informed the printers it had been decided to
postpone any alterations whilst the war lasted.

At the 7th Universal Postal Union Congress at Madrid in 1920 postal rates were changed which
required a new denomination, 15m, for letters up to 20 grams. The change provided an
opportunity to reduce the size of the millieme values to 19 x 22.5 mm.

The series is an interesting one offering the collector a wide range of proofs, essays, colour
trials, specimens and printer’s samples. Examples shown in frame 6 include some previously
unrecorded items.

It should not be assumed that the

small Camel stamp is merely a
reduced facsimile of the original.
Close examination will reveal a
number of minor design differences.

The 3, 4, 5 and 10m small camel

stamps were issued punctured ‘SG’
for use by Sudan government
departments and the 2m, 5m and
10m were issued punctured ‘AS’ for
use by the Army.

Key items – Frame 6

! 3m composite photographic
essay in green and red,
mounted on card (89 x 115
mm) endorsed “12 Oct.
1915”, “Dupl” and “Design:
Border green, centre black”.
Provenance: Col. J R Danson
(1977), “Oscar” (1999).

11
Key items – Frame 6 (continued)

! 3m composite photographic essay in grey and brown on card (89 x 115mm) endorsed
“Dec 17th 15”, “See page 95”, “Lines on Hills taken down on print/Fore & middle
ground taken down” and “Dupl”. Provenance: Col. J R Danson (1977).

! A working proof on glazed card (92 x 61 mm) of the vignette with uncleared
surround and engraving of shadows incomplete, dated in pencil “12.July”,

! A composite die proof of frame and vignette of the 1m with uncleared surrounds.
Provenance: Norton Collier (2005).

! A working die proof of the frame on thin quadrille paper with blank
value tablets.

! 1m to 15m frame die proofs handstamped “BEFORE STRIKING”,

each with a manuscript date. Provenance: Sir Gawaine Baillie Bt.,
(2005).

! Previously unrecorded imperforate proofs. Provenance: Norton Collier (2005); Lt.

Col. Sir John Inglefield-Watson Bt. (2007).

2m proof on glazed card Proof on unwatermarked gummed chalk-surfaced paper

! Large (4) and small (7) format printer’s samples in un-issued colours on chalk-
surfaced paper, perforation 14, overprinted “SPECIMEN”. Provenance: Colin Boston
(2000).

! 1m to 15m small format imperforate colour trials in issued colours overprinted

“SPECIMEN”. Provenance: Colin Boston (2000).

! 3m & 5m used on ‘Flight’ magazine illustrated postcard carried by Sir Alan Cobham
on Imperial Airways Survey Flight to South Africa in December 1925.

12
Key item – Frame 14

! An “Appendix Sheet” dated 11th April (year torn off), bearing fifteen imperforate 1m
colour trials, one endorsed “1 Mill. 21.7.21” another “2 Mill Col 4.7.21” Provenance:
Col. H.E.Hebbert (1977), Colin Boston (2000), Sir Gawaine Baillie Bt., (2005)

1927 The Fourth Issue – frames 7 to 10

In 1926 it was agreed that the watermark be changed to ‘SG’, representing ‘Sudan
Government’ and this coincided with a requirement for new printings of all values in current
use. During the period 1927-42 new key plates were made to replace worn originals and 3, 4,
6, 8 and 20pt values were added to meet new postal rates.

The issue is an interesting one because of the wartime substitute paper used when chalk
surfaced paper was unobtainable and the difficulties of printing and supplying high quality
stamps under wartime conditions due to extensive damage to De La Rue’s premises.

After the blitz

“…the difficulty of printing high quality stamps under wartime conditions”

The Indian Security Press at Nasik was requested to print a limited issue of stamps – the 1941
‘Palms’ issue and perforated trials for this issue are displayed in frame 10.

13
All values of the fourth issue (except the 4pt) were printed on chalk surfaced and a wartime
substitute (ordinary) paper. The 4pt was only printed on chalk surfaced paper. Unused
stamps on chalk surfaced paper have brownish yellow gum whilst those on ordinary paper have
white gum.

On 21 July 1931 the Director of Sudan Posts asked the printers to produce designs which could
be printed by the letterpress or recess methods. They were rejected by the Governor-General,
Sir John Maffey, because they departed completely from the original camel design.

In 1931 the 5m, 10m and 2pt denominations were overprinted “AIR MAIL” by De La Rue &
Co., to coincide with the first stage of the Imperial Airways England - Cape Town route.
Minor varieties exist on all values. On 18 July 1932 a further Air mail provisional was issued
consisting of the 1927 2pt denomination overprinted “AIR MAIL” and also surcharged “2½”
in English in the upper corners and in Arabic in the lower corners. Varieties have not been
recorded although the overprint has been forged.

In January 1940 there was a shortage of 5m stamps when the

printers De la Rue & Co., were unable to supply a new printing. To
overcome this 240,000 copies of the 10m were surcharged ‘5 Mills’
in English and Arabic by McCorquodale (Sudan) Ltd at Khartoum
on half sheets of 120 stamps (2 panes of 60 each). The surcharging
was so badly executed (408 half sheets - 48,960 stamps had to be
destroyed) that many non constant varieties appear. No two
similarly positioned panes are identical in all respects.

A major non-constant variety is the so called ‘inserted 5’ which occurs on stamp 23 of the
lower right pane of some sheets.

In 1940 there was a need for a 4½pt denomination to meet the rate for Forces letters to
England and 119,760 copies of the 8pt denomination were surcharged locally at Khartoum,
the majority of which were sold as single copies. The overprinting was poorly executed and
generally appears dirty and ragged with many errors and varieties.

The earlier provisional was insufficient to meet the demand and 60,000 copies of the 5m
value were surcharged 4½ PIASTRES in English at Khartoum. It is unusual and dangerous to
uprate the value of a stamp is this way. There are no known varieties although the surcharge
has been forged.

60,000 copies of the 3pt denomination were overprinted at Khartoum “Not Valid for
Postage I millieme” and used as currency to meet a temporary shortage of the 1m coin in the
Sa’dun, Abu Gabra, Abu Matariq, Buram, Ed Da’ein and Mumallah areas of Darfur province.

The 3, 4, 5 & 10m, 2, 5 & 10pt all on chalk surfaced paper were issued punctured ‘SG’ for
official purposes. They ceased to be used on internal official mail in 1932 but continued to be
used for official mail to foreign destinations until replaced by those overprinted ‘SG’ in 1936.

All values were overprinted ‘SG’ for use on official mail.

14
Key items – Frame 7

! 1m to 15m frame die proofs in black on unglazed card without markings. Provenance:
William Frazer (2004).

! Nine imperforate 10pt trials on gummed watermarked paper in un-issued colours.

! Three imperforate 20pt trials on ungummed watermarked paper in the issued colours
of the 4pt, 6pt and 8pt denominations.

Key items – Frame 8

! Nine unadopted essays rejected by the Governor-General in 1931. Provenance: Colin

Boston (2000).

Key items – Frame 9

! A proof sheet of 120 impressions of the 1940 5m on 10m overprint.

! A proof block of six of the 1940-41 4½pt on 8pt, surcharge.

! A complete sheet of 60 stamps of the 1940 4½pt on 8pt. Provenance: Norton

Collier (2005).

Key items – Frame 10

! A proof block of six of the 1940-41 4½pt on 5m surcharge.

! Perforated trials of the 1941 ‘Palms’ provisional issue. Provenance: Colin Boston
(2000).

1948 The Fifth Issue – frames 10 & 11

This issue was the result of a decision to modify the Arabic inscription at the foot of the
vignette from “bosta Sudaniya” to “barid al-Sudan”. A new high value, 50pt, was added to the
range of denominations available.

15
De La Rue printed this issue on chalk surfaced
paper with multiple SG watermark
perforation 14, except for the 8pt and 20pt
which were printed on ordinary paper. Also,
the 20pt exists on chalk surfaced paper
perforation 13. The 10pt was later reprinted
on ordinary paper and therefore exists on
both papers.

For the first time plate numbers for vignette

and duty plates appear in the margins of the
sheets. Generally plate 1 was used for both
the vignette and duty plates although
vignette plate 2 was used for the 4pt and the
20pt perforation 14.

All millieme values exist with a flaw which

consists of an extra dot above the arabic
character ‘nun’. It appears on the third
stamp of the second row although it is not constant on the 2 and 4 millieme values.

The 2, 4, 20 and 50pt denominations are

known with a typewritten “New Issue”
overprint apparently for pre release
publicity purposes and samples are
known to have been sent to the Editor of
the Sudan Star, Khartoum for
promotional articles in the newspaper.

All values in this issue are known

overprinted ‘SCHOOL’ for use at the
Posts & Telegraphs, Training School in
Omdurman. Also, all values were
overprinted ‘SG’ for official use.

Key items – Frame 10

! Frame die proofs of the 4m, 5m, 6pt & 8pt denominations on glazed card.

Key items – Frame 11

! 1m to 50pt overprinted “SCHOOL” and security punched.

! The 2, 4, 20 and 50pt denominations overprinted “New Issue”.

16
1948 Commemorative Issues and the 1951 Sixth Issue – frame 11

On 1 March 1948 the Camel Postman design had been in use for 50 years and to
commemorate the occasion the original 2pt black and blue of 1898 was issued with a
surround containing the inscription “Sudan Stamp Jubilee 1898 - 1948” in English and Arabic
added to the design.

The opening of a Legislative Assembly in 1948 was the first move towards self-government.
Two denominations, 10m rose red and black and 5pt brown orange and deep green stamps
were issued on 1 October 1948.

When the ‘Camel’ stamp had been in use for fifty years the Sudan Government decided there
should be a complete change and invited the submission of designs for a new definitive series.

The Director of Posts and Telegraphs in a circular of 1 July 1951 announced that a new issue of
stamps would be placed on sale on 1 September 1951. They portray life and conditions in the
Sudan except for the 50pt which has the Camel postman design. The Government had
decided to retain ‘this very popular and well esteemed design which was so closely connected
with the origin and development of the Sudan Postal Service.’

The 50pt stamp was overprinted ‘SG’ for official use. It is also known overprinted ‘SCHOOL’.

Key items – frame 11 - Camel Postman Jubilee

! A 1948 2pt purple and orange adhesive mounted on a card (77 x 91 mm) with a hand
painted orange and white border with titles at top and Arabic inscription at foot,
endorsed “WS Red/Perf Bl”. Provenance: Col J R Danson (1977), Graham Cooper
(1986) “Oscar” (1999).

17
 ! A 2pt black and blue original camel design with perforations removed mounted on
card around which the accepted border has been hand painted in blue and white.
Provenance: Col J R Danson (1977), Graham Cooper (1986) “Oscar” (1999).

Key items – frame 11 - Legislative Assembly

! A printed composite essay with black value tablets of the accepted design in red and
black on card (90 x 102 mm) endorsed “Arabic characters Approved / by Mr Davies”
with “SUDAN AGENT IN LONDON” handstamp and signed “G. E. Davies / 3.11.48”
Provenance: Col. J R Danson 1977).

! A die proof of the vignette on glazed card endorsed “650/12”. Provenance: William
Frazer (2004).

Key items – frame 11 - the Sixth Camel Postman Issue

! A hand painted essay in black and carmine in a design similar to that issued, mounted
on a card on which is an original pencil sketch of the frame Provenance: Col. J R
Danson (1977), Eyre (1987), “Oscar” (1999).

! Die proofs of the frame and vignette in black on separate glazed cards endorsed “806 /
375” and “806 / 417”. Provenance: Col. H E Hebbert (1977), Colin Boston (2000).

18
 Hand painted essay for the 1951 50pt denomination and
pencil sketch of the frame

1954 Self-Government & the Seventh and Eighth Issues – frame 12

On 1 May 1953 it was announced that 15m, 3pt and 5pt postage stamps would be issued to
commemorate the introduction of Self-Government. There was uncertainty whether self-
government would be achieved in December 1953 or January 1954. All Post Offices and
Agencies were therefore supplied with two different printings dated 1953 and 1954 and the P &
T Department went to considerable lengths to ensure the correct ones were sold on the day of
issue, 9 January 1954.

The 7th permanent issue replaced the 1951 series from 1st October 1962. It was decided to
retain the camel postman design for a new value, one Sudanese pound (LS.1), added to the
series which continued in use for more than 25 years and is both interesting and challenging
for philatelic research. Some printings of the LS.1 denomination on Rhinoceros watermarked
paper were overprinted in Arabic for official use by De La Rue & Co., with the Arabic letter
‘ha’ and ‘seen’ the equivalents of ‘H’ and ‘S’ for ‘Hakumat al-Sudan’.

In 1991 the 8th Permanent Issue replaced the long running 1962 issue and the Camel design
was again retained for the 20 pound denomination (LS.20) ‘in view of the popularity of the
design which was so closely connected with the origin and development of the Sudan Postal
Service.’

19
Key items – frame 12 - 1954 Self Government Issue

! 15m, 3pt and 5pt die proofs of the frame and vignette on six glazed cards with
manuscript endorsements. Provenance: Col J R Danson (1977).

Key items – frame 12 - Seventh Camel Postman Issue

! a block of six the LS.1 denomination in orange and deep olive green perforated “TDLR
SPECIMEN”

! Imperforate proof of the LS.1 denomination in orange and deep olive green on glazed
paper mounted on green card overprinted in Arabic for official use and endorsed on
the reverse “PROOF Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, Basingstoke, Hants
24.7.90.”

! a block of six the LS.1 denomination in orange and deep olive green overprinted in
Arabic for official use and perforated “TDLR SPECIMEN”

20
Key items – frame 12 - Eighth Camel Postman Issue

! a block of ten the LS.20 denomination perforated “TDLR SPECIMEN”

! a block of four the LS.20 denomination overprinted in Arabic for official use and
perforated “TDLR SPECIMEN”

Acknowledgements
I am grateful to Brian Jones, FRPSL., a founder member and past President of the Sudan Study
Group for providing the photographs of Capt. E.A. Stanton (page 1) and the premises of
Messrs. De La Rue & Co., “After the Blitz” (page 13).

21
 Appendix
The letter written to Dr. Byam by Captain E.A, Stanton1

Knightsbridge House,
Newbury.

May 18th 1926

My Dear Byam,

Although it is some 29 years ago since I designed the Sudan Camel Stamp I will
endeavour to the best of my recollection to comply with your request and give you some
particulars of how the camel stamp came into existence.

I was at the time serving with the Egyptian Army as 2nd in command of the X1th
Sudanese and we were stationed at Korti a small village in the Dongola province which
we had just re-conquered from the Dervishes.

I remember receiving one day a largish postal packet from Major Jimmy Watson2 then
ADC to the Sirdar, Sir H Kitchener3 and a real personal friend.

The packet contained a letter from Jimmy Watson saying the Sirdar wished me to see
the enclosed contents, that he was shortly coming to Korti and wanted me to see him as
he desired that I should try and draw for him a suitable design for a new Sudan stamp to
take the place of the surcharged Egyptian one.

The packet also contained an exceedingly attractive drawing of Abu Simbel temple by
some well known artist whose name I have unfortunately forgotten but who was
travelling on the Nile at the time and who in submitting the design of Abu Simbel temple
added that his terms for same if accepted were 25 guineas (if I remember correctly).

Whether it was the 25 guineas or the fact that Abu Simbel was actually just outside the
Sudan boundary Kitchener put a big blue pencil query opposite the 25 guineas and
added “send this to Stanton and let me see what he can do.”

I well remember thinking I could not possibly do anything as good or suitable. The artist
had left the door of the temple as the space for the stamp value and the whole design
struck me as extraordinarily attractive and original, and it was with no little trepidation
that I awaited Sir H Kitchener’s arrival at Korti.

On my interview with “K” as we called him some few days later his instructions were that
I was to go on drawing designs till I produced one he approved of. He would give me no
suggestions but said “It’s up to you to produce something suitable and it is not to contain
my portrait or that of anyone else.”

I rather gathered that at this time “K” was chafing under the control from Cairo and
possibly thought an individual stamp for the new Sudan would be a step in the right
direction. The interview was closed with the statement that he would be back in a
week’s time by the end of which I was to produce something.

22
Not being an artist in the accepted term and not being anxious to be shot at dawn in a
week’s time as my brother officers kindly hinted my fate would be, I spent a somewhat
worried 36 hours.

Then the mail came in and I scanned the various illustrated papers looking for
inspiration. Various rough sketches I had made had all been thrown into the waste
paper basket and I was getting desperate when on the last page of, I think it was the
Illustrated London News I saw the advertisement of Messrs. Treloar’s Carpets a string of
camels laden with carpets.

The idea struck me why not try a single camel in lieu of a string and why not mail bags in
lieu of the carpets?

Our mails always came by boat and camel where the one would not go the other did.
The die was cast and my first design should be a camel.

Accordingly next morning I got hold of the sheikh of our friendly Arabs the Hawawir tribe
and persuaded him to ride past me several times on his camel while I photographed him
with a postcard sized box Kodak I had. The films were not a success and I would not in
any case have had them printed in the time as I had no paper, but I noticed sufficient of
the camel’s movements to remark that both legs on one side were unlike the horse and
donkey’s movement off the ground at the same time.

The next trouble that I was up against was that I had no suitable paper - my drawing
block was too small and Korti did not possess a single shop leave alone a stationer. The
Regimental Orderly Room could only produce lined paper, however I eventually go hold
of 2 sheets of white foolscap - not exactly the sort of paper one would select for choice
for a water colour but no matter they had to do. A paint box I had, minus several paints
including yellow of any sort and rather necessary for reproduction of Camel colours and
desert.

One paint brush a large one at that and not of the Camel hair variety. With these
implements I got to work and in sepia or black and white produced a fairly respectable
drawing of a Camel of the Hageen or riding variety as opposed to the Zoo or baggage
variety with an arab in flowing garments holding two spears on his back and not Slatin
Pasha4 as some persons have hinted. Attached to the saddle were two mail bags which
took the place of the carpets in the advertisement.

With a fine pen and as a piece of optimistic bluff I printed on one bag the word Khartoum
and on the other Berber. I say bluff because at the time we were a good many hundred
miles away from either of these Sudan cities and had not conquered them.

To brighten up the picture and to fill up an ugly space of white paper under the drawing I
added a row of coloured reductions with suggested combinations of colours such as my
paint box could produce. Whether Messrs De La Rue & Co who eventually printed the
stamps adhered to my colour suggestions I cannot now remember but they certainly did
more or less adhere to the size of these reductions which was considerably larger than
the normal postage stamp because forsooth my large brush would not lend itself to the
very fine detail required in a stamp of the ordinary size.

23
Somewhat in fear and trembling I presented myself on Sir H. Kitchener’s return with the
sketch effort No 1and to my intense surprise he expressed his entire approval and
notified me that no further efforts were necessary on my part. I was intensely relieved
and somewhat pleased. I was not at any rate to be shot at dawn this time.

Some months later the stamp appeared and feeling pleased that my effort had
succeeded I wrote to Jimmy Watson and said that though of course I had no terms in the
sense of pecuniary remuneration I should esteem it as a very great favour if the Sirdar
would sign a set of the new stamps for me adding that I had designed them.

The answer I received from so ready a wit as Jimmy Watson may or may not have been
off his own bat but it was as follows - “K” says certainly old boy, provided you pay for the
stamps!”

In due course I received the set signed by Lord Kitchener as he afterwards became and
as far as I know I was never charged with their face value some 4/-.

I had forgotten to say that in the left hand corner of the stamps I attempted to represent
the ribs of the carcass of a dead camel, which have been taken by many to be coarse
blades of grass - but the carcasses of dead camels were a more frequent sight along the
desert tracks at the time than blades of grass.

Not long afterwards I was asked to design another stamp for “Postage Due” and as the
boat and the camel had always brought us our mails I produced the small tax stamps
which has a gunboat and native sailing craft on it.

Yours sincerely

E. A. Stanton
1 th nd
Edward Alexander Stanton was born on 15 November 1867 and died on 2 December 1947.
th
He was commissioned on the 5 February 1887 and served in the Egyptian Army from 1896 to
1908 attaining the rank of Lewa (Pasha). He was Governor of Khartoum from 1904-08.
2 th
Major James Kiero Watson, CVO, CMG, DSO, 60 Rifles (KRRC) a man of great diplomatic skill
and a trusted member of Kitchener’s staff.
3
Major-General Sir Horatio Herbert Kitchener, Appointed Sirdar of the Egyptian Army in 1892 he
served in the Nile Expedition of 1884-85 and most operations against the Mahdiya from 1885 -
1898.
4 th th
Baron Rudolph von Slatin, GCVO, KCMG, CB, born 7 June 1857, died 4 October 1932. An
Austrian soldier of fortune and famous in the Sudan. He survived 12 years captivity at the hands
of the Mahdists from 1883 to 1895.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

© Richard Stock

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the
prior permission of the author.

24
 \ 12 "~V97
~J
The “Sudan Postage Colour Scheme” sheet with eight imperforate 2m trials in the colours of the issued stamps
approved on the 12th November 1897 (ex. De La Rue Archives).
“Appendix” sheet dated 11th April 1906 with 15 different 1m imperforate trials,
one endorsed at the corner “stamp selected”(ex. De la Rue Archives).