Postal life steps up at Mill Hill East As more UK troops are sent out to the Middle East, life at the British Forces Postal Office (BFPO) is becoming more frantic.
The BFPO, located at Mill Hill East in north London, is the heart and lungs of UK military and security service correspondence. It delivers letters, packages, parcels and classified information to and on behalf of the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence, the Royal Household, GCHQ, NATO and the Commonwealth Office - to name but a few.

The Defence Postal Service, run by the BFPO, operates six and a half days a week, 24 hours a day, serving not only the troops currently in the Gulf, but also those located at on-going military communities throughout the world including; Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and the Falklands Islands.

Unlike the days during the First and Second World Wars, the mail system is not subject to censorship, nor do the letters take weeks to arrive.

During the First World War, troops out in the field would be issued with a Field Service Card which was pre-printed with 'strike out' options, leaving the individual very little choice other than "I am well" or 'A letter will be sent directly' - not a very personal message to a loved one.

The Second World War brought a more personalised approach, but a lot more complications; the letter, written by the solider or his family, was transferred to microfiche, sent to the UK, blown up and then posted to the recipient.

Today the BFPO have, in line with civilians, developed a much more effective practice, which means troops in the field are able to receive mail within 24 hours of it being posted in the UK.

Using a format called E-Blueys, not only can troops receive mail at a super fast pace, but the letters and packages are only read by the recipient and sender.

E-Blueys work in a similar way to e-mail. By using the BFPO website, soldiers or civilians are able to register and send electronic letters, via a satellite in Texas, direct to the Forces Postal Service in the field, where the letter is then downloaded, printed, folded and finally delivered to the recipient.

The BFPO has also started to send newspapers in this format, ensuring that serving soldiers are kept up to date with current events, at least three times a day.

With the current situation in Iraq, the quantity of regular postal mail, alongside E-Blueys, has vastly increased, with family and friends sending letters and packages to loved ones and local communities writing to 'the boys and girls' abroad.

The letters and packages passed over the counter at any one of the 16,000 post offices all over the country are swiftly delivered to BFPO where people work though the night and day to sort and redirect mail.

Staff at BFPO can currently expect to receive as much as 10 tonnes of mail a day for Iraq alone, with quantities expected to rise as more troops are sent abroad and action starts to take place.

If you are waiting at home for a loved one, or simply want to send some warm words to those who are abroad in the forces, here are some helpful hints: