Subačius is a town in Aukštaitija, ca. 30 km east of Panevėžys, with a railway station on the line to Daugavpils (Dvinsk, Dünaburg). In World War One, during the battle of Kupiškis, it was taken by 78. Reserve-Division on August 2, 1915.
During the German withdrawal from Russia at the end of 1918, Subačius was entered by units of the Red Army in early January 1919. Lithuanian regulars (Panevėžio grupė) pushed out the Bolshevik formations on May 27, 1919.
In the czarist period, Subačius had had a post office (Suboch) but none during the German occupation. A Bolshevik document names a Subačius (Suboch) postal facility in April 1919, but it is not clear whether the facility was functioning or being planned.
A mandate, as įgaliotinis, to open a Lithuanian P.O. in Subačius was given to Povilas Budrys in July 1919. On August 17 a postman, Pranciškus Juknevičius, was appointed. Later another postman, Povilas Ažusienis, was added.
For stamps, Fourth Berlin Issue was supplied, followed by the Sėjėjas Issue etc.
In the absence of a standard canceller, early cancelling was done in MS, later by means of a one-liner cachet in large lettering “SUBAČIUS”.
Before end of 1919 cancelling was also done by using a rectangular cachet.
The cachet was in use (occasionally ?) as late as 1922 or 1923, although a calendar-type postmarker had been provided in 1920.
Known provisional markings:
Cancelling by MS:
27 / IX (1919) singles, Berlin IV 10, 20 [colln. V. Jurkša]Cancelling by one-liner “SUBAČIUS”:
11 – XI – 19 pair, Berlin IV 60 [colln. Bubnys]
No date single, Berlin IV 40 [colln. Doniela]Cancelling by boxed cachet:
No date single, 1c/20sk no wmk. [colln. Doniela]
15 – XI – 19(19) single, Berlin IV 30 [colln. V.Jurkša]