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Contact the BFPO Enquiries Team
Tel: 08457 69 79 78

Freedom of Information

Defence FOI Website

Accessibility

  

Continuation of the Royal Mail Funded Free 2Kg Mail Service to Op Telic, Op Herrick and HM Ships in Support

Key points

The Royal Mail funded pre-Christmas free mail service to Op Telic, Op Herrick and HM Ships in support, which ran from 3rd Sep 07 to 9th Nov 07, has been authorised to continue from 08th Dec 07 until further notice. The funding for this service is now shared between Royal Mail and the Ministry of Defence.

Packets will be limited to 2kg in weight, for further details refer to the What is a Packet? table below.

Only relatives and friends in the UK and at BFPO addresses worldwide may send packets to named Service personnel and MOD deployed civilians in authorised operational theatres.

Items listed below should not be sent, please also refer to the list of BFPO prohibited items:

  • Aerosols - Prohibited by the BFPO mails network- e.g. hairspray, deodorant etc
  • Perishable goods - foods like fruit and meat.
  • Fragile items - glass.
  • Magazines containing pictures that might offend the cultural values of host nations, even though these might be widely available in the UK . 'Top shelf' magazines are an obvious example.

Please refer to the Customer Service Centre page for a list of FAQ's relating to the free postal packet scheme.

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Addressing your mail

Please use the format below:

Service No Rank Name
Unit/Regt
Operation Name
BFPO No

Please be advised that the Town and Country must not be included in the address.

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BFPOs included in the Enduring Free Postal Packet Scheme

 

Operation Name / Ship

BFPO Number

Op Telic

632, 635, 639, 641, 643, 661, 684, 686, 767

Op Herrick

715, 755, 758, 764, 772, 792

HMS Atherstone
215
HMS Blyth
221 (Until 18th Dec 2008)
HMS Chatham
253 (Until 30th Sept 2008)
HMS Chiddingfold
254
HMS Lancaster
323
HMS Montrose
339 (Until 30th Sept 2008)
HMS Ramsey
368
RFA Wave Knight
432
RFA Cardigan Bay
436
RFA Diligence
438

Only the BFPO Numbers detailed above are included in the Enduring Free Postal Packet Scheme.

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What is a Packet?

 

Weight

Maximum of 2Kg

Dimension

Min: One surface at least 90mm x 140mm.
Max: Length + Depth + Width= 900mm, with greatest single dimension not more than 600mm.

HM Customs Declaration

C1/CN 22

 

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Forces Free Air Letters (FFALs)

FFAL's commonly known as 'Blueys' can be posted into a standard post box in the United Kingdom or BFPO post box overses.

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Posting Items Using Forces Free Mail Service

Customers who are posting Letters, Cards and Packets up to 2kg in weight using the Forces Free Mail Service to Operation Telic/Herricks and HM Ships in support must ensure that these items are physically handed over a counter clerk at a UK Crown/Sub Post Office or overseas British Forces Post Office.

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Special Delivery

If you wish to send an item by using the Special Delivery service, please note that the Forces Free Mail Service does not apply and full postage rates will need to be affixed to the item. Please click here for a full pricing guide.

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Page last updated on: 5 January, 2011