EFM Telegram 1941

[Michael Dobbs]

Very little has been written about Forces telegrams.  We have seen very few telegrams on the Forum, the most recent from Chris Grimshaw ("Expeditionary Force Telegram").

I don't claim to be an expert on telegraph services but (prior to lockdown) I have been researching the Post Office Circulars from 1939 onwards at The Postal Museum archive and recording the various entries which related to telegrams to the Forces.  The following is a brief summary of the EFM telegraph service as contained in those Circulars.  My complete text for just EFM telegrams 1939 to 1981 runs to 48 pages, plus various appendices.

What are 'EFM' telegrams?  [b]Expeditionary Force Message[/b] (EFM) telegrams were for messages of a personal character only.  The Post Office introduced a telegraph service to members of HM Army and Royal Air Force (RAF) in France (known as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF)) and elsewhere overseas (except Canada) on [b]Friday 9 February 1940[/b].  It was for messages of a personal character only, although the Post Office instructed that messages which were not manifestly personal in nature were not to be refused.  Instead the sender was to be warned that they might be stopped by the censor or forwarded abroad by post.

Telegrams were to be accepted at the risk of the sender and the instructions stipulated that no enquiry could be made as to the disposal of a telegram.  The message had to be written on telegram form A 16 or on the appropriate phonogram form with the sender's name and address written in the space provided.  The indication [b]=EFM=[/b] had to be written in bold characters before the address and this had to be signalled forward by the telegraph service.  The text of such telegrams had to be in plain English, no code words were allowed, and all telegrams were subject to censorship.  The surname of the sender had to appear at the end of the text, but any other names could be added if desired.  Telegrams to Forces abroad could not be accepted as urgent, deferred or letter telegrams; and no accessory services such as prepaid reply (RP), delivery on ornamental form (LX), etc, were allowed

The cost of sending telegrams to Forces abroad was based on two rates: to the BEF and to all other destinations abroad.  No charge was made for the address or for the indication =EFM=.  Rates were as follows:

- telegrams to the BEF in France: 2½d a word for the text and signature, with a minimum charge of 1s 3d for six words;

- telegrams to Forces at other destinations: 5d a word for the text and signature with a minimum charge of 2s 6d for six words.

Senders of EFM telegrams were, in the main, free to word these messages as they liked, subject only to certain general conditions concerning the nature of the text and language used.  However, with effect from [b]16 June 1941[/b] senders of EFM telegrams to all countries to which the service was available, with the exception of India, had to compose their messages from a series of pre-determined standard phrases.  For this they were charged a fixed fee of 2s 6d.  Senders of EFM telegrams to India continued to send such telegrams in words of their own choice at a rate of 2s 6d for six words of text and signature and 5d for each additional word. 

Effective from [b]1 May 1943[/b] the use of standard text was extended to India (including INDIA COMMAND), which hitherto had allowed EFM telegrams to be sent in words of the senders choice.  So that from that date senders of EFM telegrams could no longer use texts of their own composition but had to choose standard phrases from the approved list

The Post Office Circular of 19 July 1944 notified that there was no Ordinary or EFM telegraph service from the United Kingdom to BRITISH LIBERATION ARMY (or BLA).  However, the Concession (CSN) service was available and telegrams could be accepted in the normal course.

With the return to normal conditions for world-wide communications, the use of the EFM telegram service was no longer considered necessary and the service was terminated on [b]31 December 1948[/b]. 

The EFM telegram illustrated is from 1941 and was sent to Catford in SE London.  The location of the originator is not known.  It is an EFM telegram sent to the UK using Cable & Wireless Limited and received at their Central Telegraph Station (Tower Chambers, Moorgate, London EC2) where it received a C. & W. Ltd datestamp dated 25 MAR 41.  Also has TELEGRAPH CENSORSHIP PASSED BY CENSOR No 48 cachet applied.  Addressed to Catford, London SE6 where it received a CATFORD B.O. / S.E.6 datestamp of 26 MR 41 and delivered in a No 198 Post Office Telegram envelope.

Enjoy, Mike  :)

[Jim Mackay]

Hi Mike
Many thanks for raising his neglected service.
I've accumulated several over the years but never really investigated them to any depth.

I attach an undated form sent by a RAF sergeant under training in Canada.  He was allowed three fixed texts from the options on the reverse of the form.

The (undated) post war GPO notice is interesting in so far as it shows that EFMs could still be sent to Forces in Japan and Korea and RN seagoing ships in the Far East station.

Kind regards
Jim

[Michael Dobbs]

Jim

Many thanks for your response and for the attachments.  It is a pity that your Canadian EFM is undated - it is the first "original" EFM telegram form I have seen.  The ones I have are all from the receiving end, where the numbers had been replaced by the standard phrases.

Whilst Canada was left out of the initial EFM telegraph service the Post Office Circular of 31 July 1940 announced that the EFM facilities had been extended to include Canada.

As regards the post-war years:

The Post Office Circular of 17 January 1951 stated that the EFM telegraph service would be re-introduced in stages between the UK and HM Forces (including certain civilians who were entitled to use a military address) in Japan (British Army Post Office 5) and Korea (British Army Post Office 3 and 4) in [b]1951[/b].  The first stage of its re-introduction (said to have been "imminent") involved the introduction of an EFM service from Korea and Japan to the UK. 
A further Circular stated that the EFM service from Japan and Korea to the UK was available and that the service from the UK to Japan and Korea would begin on [b]29 January 1951[/b].  the EFM telegraph service to HM Forces serving in Japan and to civilians serving with those forces was to be withdrawn after [b]31 December 1953[/b].

With effect from [b]Monday 28 May 1951[/b] the EFM telegraph service was to be made available to and from members of the Royal Navy (RN) serving in seagoing ships on the Far East station, as well as members of the Royal Marines and Royal Navy shore establishments serving in Korea and Japan. 

As from [b]18 May 1953[/b] the EFM telegraph service had been extended to HM Forces serving in Malaya and Singapore and to any civilians serving with these Forces who were authorised to use a service address (either ℅ GPO Singapore or ℅ GPO [place name] Malaya). 

As from [b]1 February 1954[/b] the EFM telegraph service was to be extended to HM Forces serving in Kenya and to any civilians serving with these Forces who were authorised to use a service address (either BFPO 10 or ℅ GPO Nairobi). 

As from [b]2 May 1956[/b] the EFM telegraph service was extended to HM Forces serving in Cyprus and to any civilians serving with these Forces who were authorised to use a service address (either BFPO 53 or BFPO 60).

EFM services to HM Forces in Cyprus, Singapore and Malaya were to be withdrawn as from [b]1 May 1961[/b]. 

In [b]1958[/b] the EFM telegraph service had been extended to HM Forces serving in Jordan and to any civilians serving with these Forces who were authorised to use a service address (BFPO 73).  There were other subsequent extensions to Bahrain, Southern Cameroons and Kuwait.

Later in the same year it was announced that the EFM telegraph service had been extended to HM Forces serving in Bahrain and to any civilians serving with these Forces who were authorised to use a service address (BFPO 63). 

The Post Office Gazette of 18 March 1981 contained a Supplement on revised telegram tariffs effective from [b]1 April 1981[/b] which stated that the EFM service had been withdrawn as from the same date.

With reference to your undated Telegraph Service leaflet, the only reference to PG219(2) I have so far found is in the Post Office Circular of 28 July 1954 which advised that leaflet PG219(2) was to be withdrawn on 1 August 1954 and that a revised leaflet - PG219(3) - would be issued later. 

Mike  :)

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hi Mike

What a fascinating subject, shows that even  Post 1939 material can be interesting.  Something I knew nothing about.  Worth an article perhaps? 

Chris

[Jim Mackay]

Here are a couple more EFM items.
Its interesting to note how long the service was available for but yet seems to have had a fairly low profile and usage.

Jim

[Michael Dobbs]

Jim

You have amazed me even further with the additional forms you have shown below!  They are very attractive items.  The amount of telegams which appear on the market appears to be indicative of their low use, whatever the type of telegram used.

With reference to your EFM telegram form - the additional label concerning suspension over the Christmas period could be either 1943 or 1944:

The Post Office Circular of 19 November 1943 notified that the period of suspension for the acceptance of EFM telegrams in the UK would be from 6 to 25 December 1943 inclusive.  The only exception to this was EFM telegrams for destinations in the USA.  These could be accepted throughout the suspension period from the US Forces after local unit censorship and in accordance with existing arrangements.

The Post Office Circular of 18 October 1944 announced that the Post Office had issued a telegram (under list C circulation arrangements) on 14 October 1944 which stated:

"PRESS NOTICE WILL APPEAR TOMORROW THAT EFM SERVICE WILL BE SUSPENDED 6 TO 25 DECEMBER INCLUSIVE.  CHRISTMAS GREETINGS AIRGRAPH FORM WILL BE AVAILABLE.  DETAILS LATER. DESIRABLE ADVISE ALL OFFICES."

The further details were given in the Post Office Circular of 29 November 1944 which notified that the period of suspension for the acceptance of EFM telegrams to and from the UK would be from 6 to 25 December 1944 inclusive.  Local stocks of the special EFM A form (A 10) and standard phrase list (T 217G) were to be kept away from Post Office counters during this period.

Mike  :)

[Peter Harvey]

So here is a Marconi Form with EFM in the address - so I assume the same, in this case Egypt to RAF in Nairobi 1943

EFM NO 1296941 STRATTON GD
RAF BOX 666 NAIROBI KENYA
EAST AFRICA

Shows the datestamps EA APO 83 (14 Jan 43) and EA APO 2 (17 Jan 43).

[Michael Dobbs]

Peter

Thanks for this - a most interesting Christmas telegram.  I have three EFM telegrams that were sent from UK to Forces in the Middle East that went through the Marconi Cairo office and also received FPO cancels as well as the PTB 4 BAPO cancel (Private Telegram Bureau, 4 Base Army Post Office) in February, March and May 1943 - but they only used one telegram form as opposed to your two!

As regards the message on yours - it was a phrase B (special Christmas and New Year greetings were introduced in 1942) and you can see the B at the bottom of your second page:

In 1942 the General Post Office introduced a restricted EFM service over the Christmas period.  This was because the previous year the volume of EFM traffic over the Christmas season exceeded the capacity of the available channels and resulted in delays.  It was announced in the Post Office Circular of 2 December 1942 that for the period 7-27 December 1942 (inclusive) the stipulation of a maximum of three phrases from the T 217G list was suspended.  Instead senders were allowed to choose one only from a special list of seasonal greetings as follows:

A - A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  All well.
B - Love and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.  All well.
C - Love and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all at home.  All well.
D - Love and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from all at home.  All well.
E - Love and best wishes for a Happy New Year.  All well.
F - Every good wish for the New Year.

The text was, therefore, to consist of one letter only (of A to F) instead of the maximum of three numbers as hitherto.  The above arrangement applied to all standard text telegram services, including EFM telegrams to the USA handed in by personnel of the US Forces. 

A very nice telegram - thanks for sharing.

Mike  :)

[Neil Williams]

Dear all

many thanks to all for the postings on this - totally informative!

for what it's worth, I attach a telegram sent from Aden to the UK in September 1940, received October. The message is interesting - the BECHER referred to was S/L JH Becher, killed outside AHQ Steamer Point on 10 August during an Italian air raid; the only fatality. I've not discovered who James Marsden was, but I'm surprised this got past the censor as I thought mention of casualties was a no-no.

Neil Williams

[Michael Dobbs]

Neil

A very nice telegram - sent before the introduction of pre-determined phrases.
Thanks for sharing.

Mike  :)

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for this and as you say this is a topic in its own right. I have always been interested in the Cable & Wireless telegrams and thought that the company was a name from the past. However, back in 1990 when I first went to the Falklands they were the telephone network provider across the Islands.

Peter Burrows has many of these. Maybe we should encourage him to show them when the society meetings are back and running.

Peter