Page 256 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

POSTAL INDEPENDENCE

The end of an era was marked at the close of business on December
31st, 1966, when the last British Agency Post Office in the Gulf finally
ceased to operate; and on January 1st, 1967 Abu Dhabi took over her
own postal service. The same surcharged stamps continued in use until
a new definitive set, featuring the portrait of the new Ruler, the National
Flag, Hawk, Gazelle and the Palace, was issued on April 1st, 1967. From
that date the surcharged set was withdrawn from sale at post office
counters but continued to be available for a short time in the Philatelic
Bureau until the unsold remainders were destroyed. Combination use
is known for a short time after April 1st.
The British cancellers (Types 1—6) continued in use until 1968 and
later (Types 1—3 were still in use in late 1972); and, when a new Post
Office was opened at A1 ’Ain in the Buraimi Oasis area on November 1st,
1967, it was provided with British-type cancellers — a single circle
inscribed “A1 ’Ain” (in Arabic) and “A1 ’Ain. Abu Dhabi” (in English)
and a Parcel Post canceller (as Type 4, but inscribed “AL-AIN/ABU
DHABI”).
On April 1st, 1968, a wide new range of cancellers, some inscribed *4
in Arabic and English and some in English only, came into use. One of 1
these, Type 7, although not a British Postal Agency type, is illustrated
because it is both unusual and scarce - unusual in being pictorial, VP
featuring the old Palace, and scarce because, after a very short time, it
was unfortunately employed as a hammer and was damaged beyond
further use!
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I A P 6 8
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Type 7

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