Labuan D10 cancellation time codes A to E

18 AU 1913 - 6 NO 1941

Labuan D10 was used exclusively during the period when Labuan was administered by the Straits Settlements from October 1906 and until Japanese occupation in 3 January 1942. It was possibly used during early occupation as well. It is Straits type cancellation with a letter code to signify the time of day it was cancelled. The letter A was probably used early in the morning and E near the time of closing but it was unlikely the rule was adhered to strictly. For some time, there was speculation regarding the significance of these letter codes. One only has to look across the South China Sea to the Straits Settlements to get the answer. After all, it was administered by the Straits Settlements.

These items have the type A code and it is a coincidence 3 of them were used in October. The postage due should be uncommon and on cover or memo would cost a fair sum of money. The 35c stamp was probably used on an airmail letter to Europe with Imperial airways. 35c was the surcharge to GB and Europe. Rates were not published until January 1934 but I have good reasons to believe that this service was already operational from Borneo in 1931. The 1c+3c piece was the letter rate to GB in 1913. 

These have the code B. The Brunei stamp represents paquebot mail for items posted on the regular mail boat between Brunei and Labuan as a matter of expediency. 3c was the Brunei postcard  rate as it joined UPU on 1 February 1916. The  corresponding UPU rate for Labuan was 2c.

These show the time code C. Not shown here are possible variations eg inverted time code letter or the various components of the date.

This is the code D including a nice multiple of a strip of 5 of the 1c 1921 Straits Settlements issue. 5c was the Labuan Malayan letter rate between 1922 and 1925. 

The letter E is supposed to be quite uncommon but somehow I manage to find 3 examples. The North Borneo pair was likely used in paquebot mail from the south western part of the country, for instance, Mempakul, Sipitang, Menumbok etc going through Labuan. It could also be Tenom or Beaufort when there was an interruption in the train service. 12c was the NB foreign letter rate from 1 October 1919.

Another variation is the complete omission of the time code altogether. This is not a good example as the rest of the postmark is quite faint anyway.