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| Royal Mail criticised for D-Day stamp mix-up | Royal Mail criticised for D-Day stamp mix-up |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Royal Mail has withdrawn a stamp design marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day - after BBC News pointed out it showed US troops landing in what was Dutch New Guinea, nearly 8,500 miles from France. | |
| The stamp was due to be released next year in a "Best of British" collection. | The stamp was due to be released next year in a "Best of British" collection. |
| Captioned "Allied soldiers and medics wade ashore", it was said to depict the Normandy landings but was actually taken in what is modern-day Indonesia. | Captioned "Allied soldiers and medics wade ashore", it was said to depict the Normandy landings but was actually taken in what is modern-day Indonesia. |
| People who saw the error in a social media preview called it "embarrassing". | People who saw the error in a social media preview called it "embarrassing". |
| The image appears on the American National WWII Museum website, attributed to the US Coast Guard, and is said to show troops carrying stretchers from a landing craft at Sarmi, Dutch New Guinea on 17 May 1944. | The image appears on the American National WWII Museum website, attributed to the US Coast Guard, and is said to show troops carrying stretchers from a landing craft at Sarmi, Dutch New Guinea on 17 May 1944. |
| The D-Day landings did not take place until 6 June that year, when British, US and Canadian forces landed at the coast of northern France. | The D-Day landings did not take place until 6 June that year, when British, US and Canadian forces landed at the coast of northern France. |
| It was the first stage of Operation Overlord - the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe - and were intended to end World War Two. | It was the first stage of Operation Overlord - the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe - and were intended to end World War Two. |
| Royal Mail had revealed a preview of its 2019 Special Stamp programme, showcasing the "Best of British" on Thursday. | Royal Mail had revealed a preview of its 2019 Special Stamp programme, showcasing the "Best of British" on Thursday. |
| Others depicted a red kite to celebrate the UK's birds of prey and commemorated the bicentenary of the birth of Queen Victoria. | Others depicted a red kite to celebrate the UK's birds of prey and commemorated the bicentenary of the birth of Queen Victoria. |
| The 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings was to be marked by a set of 11 stamps, in what the Royal Mail called "a timely commemoration of all those who participated" using "images from the day itself". | The 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings was to be marked by a set of 11 stamps, in what the Royal Mail called "a timely commemoration of all those who participated" using "images from the day itself". |
| Paul Woodadge, 49, a D-Day historian and former tour guide living in Normandy, who is originally from Essex, said: "It's quite shocking really." | Paul Woodadge, 49, a D-Day historian and former tour guide living in Normandy, who is originally from Essex, said: "It's quite shocking really." |
| Speaking before Royal Mail announced it was withdrawing the stamp, he said: "It's going to be the 75th anniversary of D-Day - the last one where there's any veterans around who will remember it. | Speaking before Royal Mail announced it was withdrawing the stamp, he said: "It's going to be the 75th anniversary of D-Day - the last one where there's any veterans around who will remember it. |
| "These stamps are the kind of thing people will buy for their fathers and grandfathers." | "These stamps are the kind of thing people will buy for their fathers and grandfathers." |
| A Twitter account for World War Two tours of Jersey tweeted Royal Mail to point out that the featured ship, LCI-30, did not participate in the Normandy landings. | A Twitter account for World War Two tours of Jersey tweeted Royal Mail to point out that the featured ship, LCI-30, did not participate in the Normandy landings. |
| Writing on Facebook, Peter Simpson said the stamp was "offensive and disrespectful of those that lost their lives on D-Day". | Writing on Facebook, Peter Simpson said the stamp was "offensive and disrespectful of those that lost their lives on D-Day". |
| Late on Thursday, a Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "We work very hard to ensure that our Special Stamp programme appropriately commemorates anniversaries and events that are relevant to UK heritage and life. | Late on Thursday, a Royal Mail spokeswoman said: "We work very hard to ensure that our Special Stamp programme appropriately commemorates anniversaries and events that are relevant to UK heritage and life. |
| "We would like to offer our sincere apologies that our preview release for our 2019 Special Stamp programme included a stamp design which had been incorrectly associated with the D-Day landings. | "We would like to offer our sincere apologies that our preview release for our 2019 Special Stamp programme included a stamp design which had been incorrectly associated with the D-Day landings. |
| "We can confirm that this image will not be part of the final set, which will be issued in June 2019." | "We can confirm that this image will not be part of the final set, which will be issued in June 2019." |