Australia - International - AWA.
Beam Wireless delivery form: IAA-DB-1.

 
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: Form number TO 3.
BEAM WIRELESS on AWA logo.
Message area: Blank with CONDITIONS ... at the base.
Reverse side: Blank.
Colours (text & form): Red and blue on cream.
Size of form overall: 193 × 222 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:

 The Beam service operated by AWA commenced commercial operation in April 1927. The first delivery form (IAA-DR-1) used for Beam messages transmitted to Australia in the new operation was actually headed RADIOGRAM.


Printed in June 1938.
IAA-DB-1A.

Montreal, Canada to Sydney.
(28 June 1939).

Characteristics:

  • has TELEGRAPH OFFICE underneath AWA in the heading;
  • Sydney telephone number is BW 2211.
  • has a line between the 2nd last and last line at the base.
DB-1Ba
Printed in August 1939.
IAA-DB-1Ba.

Aylesbury to Sydney
and received at the Sydney Office of AWA on
30 November 1940.

Characteristics:

  • has (INCORPORATED IN NEW SOUTH WALES) between AWA and TELEGRAPH OFFICE in the heading;
  • Sydney telephone number changed to
    BO 522 (15 lines);
  • has a line between the 2nd last and last line at the base;
  • vertical text at left is slightly higher.

 

Has a form for a duplcate copy - see below.

DB-1Ba copy
Provenance: Gundersen and Johnstone.

Prestige Philately 2008.

Duplicate of the form above from Ayelsbury dated
3 March 1941 (on reverse side).

The original form was lodged in England on 28 November 1940.

 

Unusial form:

  • has serrations at left with a note about THE "OVERALL" FOREIGN TELEGRAM BOOK;
  • printed on thin translucent paper.

writing in pencil and is difficult to read.

This service of obtaining a duplicate of a sent telegram to confirm the text was available through the Beam Wireless Service at a cost of half the original fee.

Very rare - especially in combinalion.

IAA-DB-1B
Printed in January 1940.
IAA-DB-1Bb.

Owen Sound to Enfield, NSW.
(8 March 1942).

Size: 210 × 205 mm.

Characteristics:

  • has (INCORPORATED IN NEW SOUTH WALES) between AWA and TELEGRAPH OFFICE in the heading;
  • Sydney telephone number changed to
    BO 522 with three extensions;
  • has a line between the 2nd last and last line at the base;
  • vertical text at left is slightly higher.

Has a censor handstamp PASSYD/20 on the lower right side.

IAA-DB-1Bc.

Sydney to BOAC passenger
Lt. Fitzmaurice.
8 September 1947.

Has violet handstamp indicating:
"THIS SERVICE NOW OPERATED BY OVERSEAS TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (AUST).

Size: 197× 199 mm.

Note several format changes including:

  • 47 York .. algned left;
  • vertical inscription at left now finishes at the B;
  • the last two, lines are aligned left;
  • last line has no date in the schedule number - just T.O. 3C
Deliv Delivery envelope for the abpve AWA Beam message to Fitzmaurice.
8 September 1947.
DW-2 1943
Printed in August 1943.
IAA-DB-1C.

London, UK to Sydney.
(3 December 1943).

Characteristics:

  • has (INCORPORATED IN NEW SOUTH WALES) between AWA and TELEGRAPH OFFICE in the heading;
  • has no line between the 2nd last and last line at the base;
  • vertical text at left is even higher.

 

Provenance: Gundersen.

IAA-DB-1C correct
Printed in October 1943.
IAA-DB-1C
Correction notice .

For above form London, UK
to Sydney.
(3 December 1943).

Four days after the receipt of the message above, a correction notice was issued by the AWA Beam Wireless Service in relation to the signature.

The original notice began with B(ermutit) and this was corrected so as to begin with a P(ermutit).

Very rare form - few issued and only occasionally retained. This example is the only one recorded used for a Beam message.

 

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number
Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
DB-1A T.O. 3 - 500 m - 6/38 28 June 1939 at Sydney. NC
DB-1Ba T.O. 3 - 500 m - 8/39 30 November 1940 at Sydney. NC
  T.O. 3 - 500 m - 1/40 8 March 1942 at Sydney. NC
  T.O. 3 - 1 mill - 11/40    
  T.O. 3 - 150M - 12.43 L.P.L.    
  T.O. 3 - 50M - 5/43    
  T.O. 3 150M 12/43 14 September 1944 at Sydney. NC
DB-1Bb T.O.3C 14 October 1947 at Sydney (under OTC operation). R
DB-1C T.O.3 - 100m - 8/ 43/ L.P.L. 3 December 1943 at Sydney. NC
  T.O. 3c 14 October 1947 at O.T.C. Sydney. R