From Vol. 22, No. 3 (1996/97)
Canada's UNTEA / UNSF operation in Dutch New Guinea (1962-1963)
by J. L. Emmenegger
An e-mail query from David Hopper raised the question about Canadian participation in the
UNTEA/UNSF operation conducted by the United Nations. Here is some of the information we
had in our files.
Our UN documents refer to the "UNSF" as the "United Nations Security Force" in West
New Guinea (West Irian). The UNSF was the military component of the operation; and
"UNTEA" was the civilian one.
The UNSF/UNTEA operation was decided upon by the UN Security Council, Resolution
1752, dated 21 September 1962.
The period of the UNSF/UNTEA operation was October 1962 to April 1963.
Its mandate was: to maintain peace and security in the territory under the United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) established by agreement between Indonesia
and the Netherlands.
Biak Base Post Office postmark properly used
on a free mail cover sent by a Canadian
serviceman from 113 ATU to his wife in
Canada. From October 3, 1962, members of the
UNSF had free mail privileges to their home
country. Mail destined for other nations had to
have postage affixed.
Military observers of the UN (unarmed officers) were there from 18 August to 21
September 1962. They came from Brazil, Ceylon, India, Ireland, Nigeria and Sweden.
The logistics support elements were provided by Canada and the USA (US Air Force).
Pakistan had 1500 soldiers there. Canada had a Royal Canadian Air Force unit named 113
ATU (113 Air Transport Unit), which assured air transport to and from the city of Biak,
where the HQ of UNSF/UNTEA was established.
No special lease post office or postmark was used by the Canadians. They used either the
postal facilities of the UNTEA BPO (Base Post Office), writing on the front side of the
envelope "UNSF Free Mail", or the civil post offices opened in the UNTEA territory.
During this UNTEA period, the Dutch West Guinea stamps were overprinted "UNTEA"
and sold at the post offices.
Many CTO (cancelled-to-order) envelopes exist, as well as philatelic items, from the
Canadians. Really-used mail (not philatelic) is hard to find!
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Updated: October 29, 1997