1st Day Cover

1 Comment Feb 19, 2018 Robert McKie

A first-day cover is a postage stamp on a cover, franked on the first day that the stamp is authorised for use. First Day Covers are also produced to commemorate events with a design on the left side of the envelope (a “cachet”) explaining the event or anniversary being celebrated.

To commemorate the RNZAOC Corps Day in 1978, Military Covers of Christchurch produced two First Day Covers for the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC).

Cachet

Based on a standard postal envelop the RNZAOC First day cover consisted of an RNZAOC themed Cachet on the left-hand side. The Cachet consists of the RNZAOC Badge set in a square divided into four quarters, each illustrating aspects of the RNZAOC.

Top left – the Crest of the Board of Ordnance e representing the British military heritage of the RNZAOC
Top Right – A warehouse forklift representing the warehousing responsibilities of the RNZAOC
Bottom right – Lcpl/Cpl Gina Pirikahu in the Machine Room at 1 Base Ordnance Depot Trentham, Operating an NCR Accounting Machine, representing the advanced accounting systems utilised by the RNZAOC at the time.
Bottom left – A display of ammunition representing that ammunition management which is a key RNZAOC responsibility.

RNZAOC First Day Cover Cachet

Stamps

The RNZAOC First Day Cover uses a 1 and 2 Cent Stamp that was designed for use with ‘Coin-in-slot’ machines, and 5 and 10 cent stamps designed for use in ‘postafix’ machines. The stamps are simple ones with a left-hand side profile of Queen Elizabeth II, the stamps were coloured as follows

1 Cent – Violet on White
2 Cent – Orange on white
5 Cent – Brown on white
10 Cent – Blue on white

Issued for use on the 13^th of June 1978, the 1, 2 and 5 cent stamps were phased out after only five months due to increases in postal rates.

stamp

Franking Marks

Two franking marks are used on the RNZAOC First Day cover.

The first franking mark is an RNZAOC stamp based on the RNZAOC Badge, with “CORPS DAY” printed above the badge. Below the badge is the continuity Number AZAFC 16 and “ROYAL NEW ZEALAND ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS”

NZAFC is used on all NZ Military First Day Covers up to 1979 with a different number allocated for each unit. Covers after 1979 use NZFPO.

: Franking Mark RNZAOC Corps Day

The second franking mark is a for Trentham Camp, New Zealand and is dated 12 July 1978.

Franking Mark, Trentham Camp NZ

Signed Covers

The RNZAOC First Day Cover with the 2 and 10 Cent stamp was signed by;

Brigadier A.H Andrews, CBE. Colonel Commandant of the RNZAOC, 1 April 1969 to 30 September 1977
Lieutenant Colonel J Harvey, MBE. Colonel Commandant of the RNZAOC, 1 October 1977 to 31 March 1979