Australia - War years: 1939-1957.
Ordinary rate delivery envelopes: AW-EO-11.

 
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: Form No. T.G. 65B.
TELEGRAM is right justified.
Message area: Boxed advertisement for financing the War effort and a War-related slogan at the base. Address area blank.
Reverse side: Two war-related slogans - the top one is always
BE SURE TO FULLY ADDRESS ...
Colours (text & envelope): Dark blue on cream.
Size of envelope overall: 80 × 135 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:

 

 

WSC War Savings Certificates.
Introduced in 1940.
Nat savings
National Savings Bonds
announced in April 1942.
"There was strong bond issuance by the Australian Government during WWII. Government bond issuance was mostly domestically sourced through 'war bonds' that were marketed patriotically to the general population. Households drew
down bank deposits, sold shares and took out bank loans to buy war bonds". (Source: RBA).
DateVictory Bonds
introduced in 1944 and supported by the Banks.

Short films were also produced to support the campaign to encourage Australians to save.

The above poster is a famous image produced for Canada - all countries following similar economic approaches.

The main distinctions amongst the formats used for these envelopes are:

Format: Form number
(T.G. 65 B).
Bars in G of
TELEGRAM
M of
TELEGRAM
Flap on reverse
11A 5 and B joined Horizontal only Normal Rectangular
11B None Horizontal only Normal Rectangular
11C Very small font Both bars Normal Rectangular
11D B is a superscript Vertical only Splayed Rounded
11E None Vertical only Splayed Rounded
11F 5 and B joined Vertical only Splayed Rounded
11G 5 and B joined Horizontal only Splayed Rectangular
11H Very small font Both bars Normal Rectangular

AW-EO-11B AW-EO-11A.

Used delivery envelope but with no date indicated.

Characteristics:

  • no space between the 5 and the B of form number T.G.65B;
  • G in TELEGRAM has only a horizontal bar;
  • top left slogan begins INVEST IN ...
    BUY is in italics and there are four lines of text with "or 5/-" in the 4th line;
  • slogan above base is SWITCH OFF ...
AW-EO-11A rev AW-EO-11A (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • flap with rounded peak and deeply curved sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • 2nd slogan begins IDLE TALK ....
AW-EO-11C AW-EO-11B.

Unused delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • no form number;
  • G in TELEGRAM has only a horizontal bar;
  • printed in very dark blue;
  • top left slogan begins BE PROUD ...;
  • slogan at base is PLAY SAFE ...
AW-EO-11B_rev AW-EO-11B (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • flap with rounded peak and deeply curved sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • 2nd slogan begins SEALED LIPS ....
AB-EO-11D AW-EO-11C.

Delivery envelope used at Hampton Park
24 March 1950.

Characteristics:

  • space between the 5 and the B of form number T.G.65B;
  • G in TELEGRAM has both horizontal and vertical bars;
  • top left slogan begins INVEST IN ...
    BUY is not in italics and there are five lines of text with "or 5/-" on a separate line;
  • slogan above base is SAVE ALL ...
AB-EO-11D rev AW-EO-11C (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • rectangular flap with straight sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • second slogan begins IDLE TALK ...
AB-EO-11D AW-EO-11D.

Used window delivery envelope but with no date indicated.

Characteristics:

  • B is printed as a small superscript in the form number T.G.65B;
  • G in TELEGRAM has only the vertical bar;
  • M has splayed legs;
  • top left slogan begins BE PROUD ...;
  • slogan above base is PLAY SAFE ...;
AB-EO-11D rev AW-EO-11D (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • flap with rounded peak and deeply curved sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • 2nd slogan begins SEALED LIPS ....
AB-EO-11E AW-EO-11E.

Delivery envelope used at G.P.O. Sydney 1.
15 June 1943.

Characteristics:

  • no form number;
  • letters in TELEGRAM are 8 mm high and span 57 mm;
  • G in TELEGRAM has only a vertical bar;
  • M has splayed legs;
  • top left slogan begins BE PROUD ...;
  • slogan above base is PLAY SAFE ...;
AB-EO-11E rev AW-EO-11E (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • flap with rounded peak and deeply curved sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • 2nd slogan begins "SEALED LIPS ...".
AW-EO-11F AW-EO-11F.

Used delivery envelope but with no date indicated.

Characteristics:

  • space between 5 and B of form number T.G.65B;
  • G in TELEGRAM has only a horizontal bar;
  • M has splayed legs;
  • top left slogan begins BE PROUD ...;
  • slogan above base is PLAY SAFE ...
AW-EO-11F AW-EO-11F (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • rectangular flap with deeply curved sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • 2nd slogan begins "SEALED LIPS ...".
AW-EO-11G AW-EO-11G.

Used window delivery envelope but with no date indicated.

Characteristics:

  • no space between 5 and B of form number T.G.65B;
  • G in TELEGRAM has only the vertical bar;
  • M has splayed legs;
  • top left slogan begins INVEST IN ...
    BUY is not in italics and there are four lines of text with "or 5/-" in the 4th line;
  • slogan above base is SWITCH OFF ....
AW-EO-11G AW-EO-11G (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • flap with rounded peak and deeply curved sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • 2nd slogan begins "IDLE TALK...".
AB-EO-11H AW-EO-11H.

Delivery envelope used at Hampton Park
24 March 1950.

Characteristics:

  • space between the 5 and the B of form number T.G.65B;
  • G in TELEGRAM has both horizontal and vertical bars;
  • top left slogan begins SAFEGUARD ...;
  • slogan above base is LETS FINISH ...;

The nature of these slogans seems to imply that this format of the delivery envelope was printed soon after World War 2 had finished. They imply the reconstruction effort.

AB-EO-11H rev AW-EO-11H (reverse).

Reverse side of the above delivery envelope.

Characteristics:

  • rectangular flap with straight sides;
  • two slogans but not boxed;
  • second slogan begins THE JOB'S NOT DONE ... and it is printed in thick letters.

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number
Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
EO-11A None.   C
EO-11B None.   C
EO-11C None.   C
EO-11D None.   C
EO-11E None. 15 June 1943 at G.P.O. Sydney 1. C
EO-11F None. 28 August 1944 at Stratford, Vic. NC
EO-11G None. 16 November 1945 at Naval P.O. Balmoral, NSW, C
EO-11H None. 24 March 1950 at Hampton Park, Vic. NC