Labels - URGENT

Australia: 1917-1988.
Labels - Urgent.

Urgent labels were used at three distinct periods for Australian telegrams:

from about World War 1 through to the 1920s - when there was an insufficient supply of paper for the Urgent rate delivery forms;
in the World War 2 period when there was an insufficient supply of paper due to War economies;
after 1974 when Urgent rate forms were abolished due to insufficient use.

Provenance: Dave Elsmore.	VI-LU-1. Used on a Reply-Paid form sent from Rialto to St Arnaud 4 May 1916. Characteristics of label: printed in black on orange paper; has Form number E.T. 4a. no schedule number; size is 87 × 217 mm; heading is underlined.
No image presently available.	AB-LU-1. Characteristics printed in black on orange paper; has a form number E.T. No. 14; 126 × 40 mm (so very large);
No image presently available.	AB-LU-2. Characteristics printed in black on pink paper; form number changed to "FORM T.G. 54" and printed to right of ..T; 126 × 40 mm (so very large);
Label used on AB-GS-36.	AB-LU-3. Cairns to Melbourne C.T.O. 17 June 1939. Characteristics printed in black on pink paper; form number printed about 1.5 cm to the left of and below U..; has no printed authority; 126 × 38 mm (so very large);
Label used on Form AW-DO-9Bb and is the earliest recorded date for that form. Form printed in July 1942.	AW-LU-4A. Sydney Rail to Elwood (Melbourne C.T.O. 16 December 1942). Characteristics of label: reverse printed red on very bright pink paper all over; G has no horizontal bar; has form number T.G.54 spanning adjacent halves of UR and the G has a horizontal bar; no schedule number; size is (approximately) 31 × 82 mm; reverse printing extends down 13 mm to base of letters.
Label used on AW-DO-10B (43). See also example used at Townsville.	AW-LU-4. Telegram to Melbourne (C.T.O. 31 December 1944). Characteristics of label: reverse printed red on white paper; G has no horizontal bar; has form number T.G.54 starting below white upright of U; no schedule number; size is (approximately) 33 × 82 mm but cuts do vary up to 2 mm; reverse printing extends down 24 mm (so nearly ¾ of the label) and then plain white. Used between 31 December 1944 and February 1954.
	AW-LU-4 - unused example.
Provenance: Dave Elsmore.	AW-LU-5. Unused example. Characteristics of label: reverse printed red-maroon on poor quality white paper; has schedule number at same level as the form number T.G. 54; size is
Label used on AA-DO-10(60).	AA-LU-6. Melbourne for local delivery (rubber C.T.O. 19 December 1962). Characteristics: thicker letters and G is more enclosed; form number T.G. 54 is left justified to the middle of U...; the schedule number is aligned under the form number but in the unprinted white region; size 32 × 82 mm; reverse printed in red on white for top section; printed area 18 mm high (so about 55% of label);
Schedule number Sch. 3435/66 (printed in 1966).	AA-LU-7. Used on generic greetings envelope (AA-GGE-2a) but no date stamp to show when it was used. Characteristics of label: G has small horizontal bar; form number T.G. 54 is left justified to the left edge of U...; has schedule number also left justified under the left edge of U in the unprinted white region; size is 32 × 79 mm; reverse printed in red on white for top section; printed area 18-19 mm high depending on printing;
Urgent label O/N C 3566/67. Provenance: Anne Fricker.	AA-LU-7. Used on delivery form AA-DO-13D at Glenside, South Australia on 22 September 1971. Telegram notifies family of a casualty in the Vietnam War.
Used on a AA-DO-13D form.	AA-LU-8. Sydney to TELEGRAPHS Mortdale (22 March 1974). Label number changed to T.X. 54. See below for characteristics.
Printed in 1971.	AA-LU-8. Unused label. Characteristics: Form number changed to T.X. 54. size is 32 × 82 mm with 13 mm white section at base; printed on very shiny, thin and tough paper; reverse printed in red in top section; schedule number also left justified in white section.
Use of the LU-8 URGENT label (1975 printing) on a Phonogram with an Overseas label (1978 printing) as well.
Printed in 1976.	AT-LU-9. Unused label. Characteristics: size is 31 × 82 mm with 12 mm white section at base; printed on very shiny, thin and tough paper; reverse printed in red in top section; has TELECOM AUSTRALIA PRINTED at right below urgent; schedule number also left justified in white section.
Printed in February 1980.	AT-LU-10. Unused label. Characteristics: URGENT is centered on the label; size is 31 × 83 mm with 14 mm white section at base; printed on thin matt paper; reverse printed in red in top section; has no printed authority; schedule number is left justified in the lower corner of the white section.
Printed in February 1980.	AT-LU-11. Unused label. Characteristics: URGENT is centered on the label; size is 31 × 82 mm with 12 mm white section at base; printed on thin matt paper; direct printed in red in top section; has no printed authority; schedule number is left justified in the lower corner of the white section.

Details of use and rarity.

Form sub-number	Schedule number	Earliest recorded date	Rarity
VI-LU-1	None.	4 May 1916.	RRRR
LU-1	Sch. C. 107 - 6/1927.	(H p. 230)	RRR
LU-2	None.	(H p. 231)	RRR
LU-3	None.	17 June 1939 at C.T.O. Melbourne.	RR
LU-4	None.	31 December 1944 at C.T.O. Melbourne.	R
LU-5	Sch C. 6815/52		RR
LU-6	Sch 3743 6/61	19 December 1962 at C.T.O. Melbourne.	R
	Sch. C. 8997 - 9/62
LU-7	O/N. C.3252.-6/65.	15 January 1970 at Blackall, Qld	R
	O/N. C.3435/66		R
	O/N. C.3566/67 ....	22 September 1971 at Glenside, S.A.	R
	Sch. C5433/68	30 July 1978 at C.T.O. Hobart.	R
LU-8	Sch C6503/71	9 February 1976 at CTO Hobart	RR
	Sch C 6973/72	22 March 1974 at Telegraphs, Mortdale, NSW.	RR
	Sch. C7391/73	24 December 1974 on a Phonogram used at Hobart.	RR
	Sch CT 8341/75	3 March 1982 on a Phonogram used at Hobart.	R
LU-9	Sch. C8602/76
LU-10	None but has (2/80) after form number.
LU-11	None but has (2/80) after form number