War and Treasury Bonds

In 1916 the Postmaster General announced that post offices would issue War and Treasury Bonds to raise money to finance the war effort. Post offices sold the bonds as agents of the newly established Commonwealth Bank. On the 1st July 1915 the first War and Treasury Bonds were issued with a target of £5,000,000.

Australians responded with great patriotism and enthusiasm, and the first issue raised an extraordinary £13,389,440. Post offices were also involved in selling the other six War and Treasury Bonds issued during the War.

Under the new Defence Act Regulations of 1914 every boy turning 14 years old in 1916 and who lived within five miles of a training centre had to sign up for ‘universal training’. Post offices were responsible for recording the details of all 14 year old boys, and processing their registrations . And there was £10 fine for the parents of any boy failing to register.

Perhaps the happiest duty performed during the Great War came on 11 November 1918 when the PMG in Victoria received news all Australians had been waiting for. The arrival of an urgent telegram from Reuters, that simply said ‘Armistice been signed - Reuter’.