War & Conflict

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Please note that the History section is constantly under development. New pages will be added regularly. Until these History pages contain more information, it is best to refer to the PDFs on the main History page.


Montage of images of war and conflict

From the Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815) the Post Office has played a key role in British conflicts.  The main contribution involved coordinating communication between the front line and the home front.  This was crucial to boosting morale. In addition, its role in the censorship of mail was vital.

From 1868 onwards the Post Office even had its own regiment: the Post Office Rifles.  In 1916 the Dublin Post Office was also the scene of the Easter Rising.

During the Second World War, Tommy Flowers of the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill created Colossus.  Colossus was the first programmable digital computers and had a lasting effect on technology.

In this section:

  • The Post Office During the First World War

  • The Post Office During the Second World War

  • The Post Office Rifles

  • The Easter Rising