Five official first-day covers (OFDC) were issued this March as part of Canada Post’s five-stamp “Canadians in Flight” set; however, one of the OFDCs, this featuring William Barker, includes a typo.
In the French text, Barker’s birth and death years incorrectly read as “1984-1930.”
It should be 1894, when Barker was born in Dauphin, Man., until 1930, when he died in Ottawa.
“We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused,” reads a statement issued by Canada Post in its latest issue of Details magazine.
The most decorated military service member in the history of the British Empire, Barker received the Victoria Cross; the Croix de Guerre; the Distinguished Service Order and the Medaglia d’Argento al Valor Militare twice each; and the Military Cross three times. He flew more than 900 hours in combat, during which time he recorded 50 aerial victories. No pilots under his command or aircraft under his escort were lost in that time.