Remembrance Day: The Postboxes That Carried Hope Through War

On this Remembrance Day, we reflect on the postboxes that carried hope through war — steadfast symbols of connection during one of history’s darkest times.

During the First World War, Britain’s network of postboxes played an essential role in maintaining communication between the front lines and home. The General Post Office handled an enormous volume of mail — at the height of the war, more than 12 million letters and parcels were dispatched each week to soldiers serving abroad. Postboxes across the country became collection points for messages of comfort, news, and hope, linking families separated by conflict. Many of these boxes, still standing today, bear the royal cypher of King George V, who reigned during the war. They serve as quiet historical witnesses to a period when written correspondence was a vital connection between home and battlefield.

Did you know? The Post Office also managed the Army Postal Service, which operated near the front lines to sort and deliver mail under wartime conditions — an achievement that kept morale high and strengthened the bond between soldiers and their loved ones.

18,036 is the number of GR postboxes we think we have (more or less lol); the furthest away is in Falkland islands.

I would like to give credits to groups of knitters who make amazing postbox toppers for this day and others - maybe worth a bit of research and a blog...