Australia - Brown years: 1923-1939.
1934 Anzac Day greetings: AB-GA-34.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: Form number T.G. 42 J.
Anzac Day Greetings in two lines between side images.
Message area: Blank.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Multi-coloured on buff coloured paper.
Size of form overall: 150 × 200 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:
 

In response to the strong demand for Christmas and Birthday ornamental telegram forms, it was decided in 1933 to broaden the range of forms to include Mothers' Day, Birthday, Congratulatory and Anzac Day Greetings.

The Post Office Circular of March 1934 announced the issue as being "for use in connection with greeting telegrams lodged on Anzac Day" - although later in the same circular the dates were specified as being "from the 19th to 25th April 1934 (both dates inclusive)." It is this short time period on offer that has contributed to making this issue the rarest of all the ornamental delivery forms in used form.

The circular also noted:

"(a) To ensure that the telegram will be issued on the special form, the sender should write before the address the instruction "Anzac Greeting" which will not be counted or charged for.

(b) The usual low telegraph rates will apply, there being no additional charge for the special form;"

Detailed instructions related to the transmission and receipt of Anzac Day telegrams are reported separately.

Details of the numbers of Anzac Day telegrams sent are not known. Details in various reports indicate that the Anzac Day forms were actually available until March 1940 when the following announcement was made in the March Post Office Monthly Circular:

"Anzac Day - Special Telegram Forms and Envelopes - The special greeting service associated with Anzac Day has now been withdrawn. No publicity is to be given to the withdrawal of the service. Ornamental forms and envelopes now on hand at Post Offices are to be returned to the Superintendent of Telegraphs (Statistical Section)." T.A. 40/404.

The inference is that few Anzac Day telegrams were actually issued - hence their rarity now used and especially with their associated delivery envelope.

Information in the form of a pamphlet (printed only on one side).
Announc 1		 Announcement as carried in several newspapers.
Anzac Press

GAF-34 AB-GAF-34.

Unused delivery form.
GAE-34 AB-GAE-34.

Unused opaque delivery envelope.

About 27 February 1934, various newspapers around Australia carried the announcement as follows:

"ANZAC DAY GREETING TELEGRAM FORM.

The Postmaster General's Department, in deciding to make available an attractive coloured telegram form and envelope for the exchange of Anzac Day remembrance messages, feels that it is meeting a wide public demand. The Anzac Day greeting telegram service will be available from April 16 to 25. The usual low telegraph rates will apply there being no additional charge for the issue of Anzac Day remembrance messages on the special form.

To secure the issue of a telegram on the special form, the words Anzac Greeting should be written before the address. These words will not be counted or charged for. A telephone subscriber may send his message as a phonogram.

With the exception of the Chief Telegraph Offices in the capital cities, Fremantle and Launceston, all telegraph offices close at 10 am on Anzac Day and it is desirable for telegrams to be lodged early on that day to ensure delivery".

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
GAF-34 None  

C in mint condition but RR used.

No tied pair is recorded.
GAE-34 None