First air mail between Australia & England 1931

Official Australian National Airways envelope, First All-Australian Air Mail Service, Australia to England, postmarked St. Kilda, 13 November 1931. Eustis #222 *

Introduction

In April 1931, at the behest of the London Chamber of Commerce, Imperial Airways of Great Britain implemented the first of two experimental air mail flights between London and Melbourne. It was hoped that these would be followed by the introduction of a regular service. However, that was not to happen until December 1943. Meanwhile, these 1931 flights would be the first air mail flights between Great Britain and Australia to have the support of both postal authorities, and therefore deemed official. One reason for their occurring at this point in time was the fact that the Dutch airline KLM had already established an air route from Amsterdam to the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) and were planning an experimental flight to Australia for April/May 1931 (see below). This prompted into action Imperial Airways, which was officially sponsored by the government of Great Britain. The ultimate success of the venture (despite two crashes), and inevitability of the efforts by both Imperial Airways and KLM resulted in the first all-Australian service taking place during November 1931, organised in that instance by Australia's own Charles Kingsford Smith through his short-lived Australian National Airways (ANA). A number of Kingsford Smith related postage and air mail commemorative stamps had been issued in Australia during 1931 (illustrated below).

Kingsford Smith's World Flights + Air Mail Service stamps, issued on 19 March, 4 May, 4 + 17 November 1931.

This arose out of the aviator's pioneering exploits and the increasing use of aeroplanes to ship mail within Australia and to nearby countries such as New Zealand. Kingsford Smith and his famous plane the Southern Cross were to play a significant role in the England - Australia experimental flights which took place during this Depression year of 1931 and through to early 1932. The following story focuses primarily on the experimental flights by KLM and Imperial Airways between April and June 1931, along with the ANA flight of November through to January 1932.

But were these the first air mail flights between the two countries? No. During 1919 Mathews and Kay, along with the famous flight by Ross and Keith Smith carried unofficial mail from England to Australia (Eustis #26 - #27). And a cover dated London, February 1931, and addressed to Tongala, Victoria, reveals what happened in th intervening years. The envelope is inscribed on the front upper left corner: By Air Mail / London - Karachi and Perth - Melbourne.

London to Tongala, Victoria, February 1931. Back-stamped Tongala 23 March 1931.

By February 1931 aircraft were being utilised for the London to Karachi and Perth to Melbourne legs of the mail route. The intervening leg from Karachi to Perth was by sea. Such journeys were slow in 1931, and the passage of mail between England and Australia could stretch into months. The introduction of regular air mail flights promised to speed up the mail between Australia and countries in Asia and Europe, turning months into weeks, and eventually days. As a result of improvements in airplane construction during the 1920s, both in regard to cargo capacity and flight duration, by the end of 1930 the race was on to establish a regular service between England and Australia.The two parties initially involved were the Dutch and the English, though there were also firms in Australia who would have a role to play, including Qantas and ANA.

The KLM competition 1930-1

On 10 February 1930 KLM pilot J.J. Moll was the captain of the H-NAFB (since 1928 registered as PK-AFB) on its trial flight from Batavia via Palembang to Singapore. This flight was seen as proof to the British that KLM was ready to be considered as an important part of the air connection between England and Australia. Since 25 September 1930, KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij or Royal Dutch Airlines) had operated the longest regular air mail route in the world from Amsterdam to Batavia (modern Jakarta) on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia). The KLM route from Karachi to Batavia was similar to that which would be used the following year in the experimental Imperial Airways flights, except that the route from Alor Star to Batavia was via Medan rather than Singapore. The regular KLM route was also used for air mail between Malaya and London. There was therefore a fear on the part of the British that the Dutch would secure the air mail market between Europe and Oceania. Such an outcome was considered a blight on the political and economic status of the British Empire at that time. Even after Imperial Airways opened their route to Singapore in 1933, the KLM route continued to be used in South-east Asia for London airmail, despite being more expensive, as it was significantly faster. To test the feasibility of a through service from Amsterdam to Australia, KLM undertook an experimental flight at the end of April 1931.

Fokker 'Abel Tasman'

KLM Experimental Flight

29 April - London to Amsterdam

30 April to 9 May - Amsterdam to Batavia

9 May - Batavia cachet applied

11 - 18 May - Batavia to Sydney

18 May - Mail transferred to New Zealand by ship

19 May - Sydney to Melbourne

Return

22 to 27 May - Melbourne to Batavia

29 May - Surabaja

6 June - Amsterdam

The following information by Han Jansen from the May 2019 edition of Netherlands Philately describes the endeavour from the Dutch perspective:

May 1931: Pattist / PK-AFC (Abel Tasman) flight - The Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Vereeniging voor Luchtvaart (KHILM) (Royal Dutch East Indies Organization of Aviation) had in 1930 received a letter from a Mr. Pattist, suggesting that the KLM should make a flight from Batavia to Australia. Mr. Pattist was attached to the Dutch Artillery during the mobilization while the Great War was being fought and went to the Dutch East Indies in 1918. In 1920 he transferred to the Airforce part of the army, in 1923 going to Paris for a course in aeronautical engineering. He was still in the Airforce when he received special permission to undertake the Australian flight. Mr. Pattist asked Mr. Moll to be his co-pilot on the flight. Mr. Moll and Captain Pattist attended the same flying school and since Mr. Moll was very familiar with the KHILM and its planes it seemed like a very logical choice. The first announcement in the Dutch press about this Batavia to Australia flight was on January 24, 1931:

Mail flight Batavia - Melbourne

Early in May Captain M.P. Pattist and 2nd pilot J.J. Moll of the KHILM, accompanied by flight engineer Elleman, are planning on making a mail flight from Batavia to Melbourne and back, using a three-engine Fokker airplane. The purpose of the flight is to make aviation related connections with Australia and set up a regular round trip air service between Batavia and Australia and also promote Australian interest in the D.E.I.s in general. The departing flight will connect to the regular scheduled KLM plane coming from the Netherlands and the return flight will connect with the plane leaving from Batavia for the Netherlands. This is in order to be able to take with them airmail between Australia and Europe. Various organizations and official institutes promised their financial support, this to help defray the costs which partially will be paid for with a special One Guilder airmail stamp, which would pay the surcharge for a letter up to 20 grams. The KLM is taking on the responsibility and financial oversight for the flight.

1 guilden stamp

The Nederlandsch Maandblad voor Philatelie of January describes the special airmail stamp as follows: “A pilot, holding the steering wheel; the background is made up of a simple map of the route (Java, the Minor Soenda islands and the N.W corner of Australia). The stamp has a horizontal format; the text reads 1ste Post-Vlucht Java-Australia. On the left is “Nederl”, on the right “Indie” ”. The original stamp design was made by Mr. Pattist, the final drawing by Mr. de Kruyff van Dorssen. The silhouette of the pilot is supposedly Mr. Pattist. Although this was a Dutch East Indies issued stamp, it also had to be used on letters from the Netherlands transported on the flight. The stamp was issued on April 1, 1931 and withdrawn on May 16, 1931. In the Dutch East Indies 18,058 copies were sold and another 17,710 in the Netherland. The plane used for this flight was the PK-AFC (Figure 10). On this occasion the name “Abel Tasman” was painted on its side. The British Flight Magazine of 25 June 25 1931 wrote:

The Dutch Service to Australia.

In the natural excitement caused by the first experimental England-Australia and return air mail, operated by Imperial Airways, Ltd., little was heard of another and, perhaps, not unimportant experimental air-mail link between England and Australia. About the same time as the Imperial flights to and from Australia, mails from London were being carried by air to Australia along an existing and well organized Dutch route operated from England to Holland and from Holland to Batavia by the Royal Dutch Air Lines, a company well known for the regularity of its Amsterdam - Batavia fortnightly air-mail service. From the Dutch East Indies to Australia the last link in the chain was forged by a return mail flight between Batavia and Australia by the KHILM, a Dutch East Indies air-traffic company, which operates highly successful air lines in the Netherlands Indies. The outward trip was without incident and ran to schedule, and the mail machine from Batavia to Australia was named the "Abel Tasman," after the Dutch explorer who discovered Australia in 1642. The return journey to England was interesting, because, from Sydney to London, the mails only took 18 days, and of these, two were spent inactively in the Dutch Indies because the " Abel Tasman " arrived two days before the KLM Batavia - Amsterdam machine was scheduled to depart for Europe. Thus, if such a service became regular, there is no reason why the Australia-England journey should not be performed in 16 to 17 days with regularity. The Amsterdam - Batavia line of the Royal Dutch Air Lines is already so popular that a number of passengers have been carried the 9,000 miles by air, amongst them being a well-known Dutch stage favorite on the homeward trip, and a business man of 64 on the trip to the Colonies. In October next, this successful air link between Holland and her overseas Colonies will, it is hoped, be operated weekly. Passengers and freight, as well as mails, will be carried, and departures will be every Thursday from Holland and every Friday from Batavia.

Mail from London was accepted and flown to Amsterdam on 29 April. The rate to both Australia and New Zealand was 2s 6d. The through flight left Amsterdam on 30 April 1931 and arrived in Batavia on 9 May. The experimental Batavia to Melbourne leg took place between 11-19 May. Some covers were back-stamped at Sydney upon arrival on 18 May. A special blue and grey one guilden stamp was issued in both the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies to pay the airmail postage for this flight. The KLM flight entered Australia at Wyndham rather than at Darwin.

Fokker FVII-3M PK-AFC (Abel Tasman) at Wyndham after carrying the first air mail from the Netherlands to Australia, 16 May 1931. Source: State Library of Western Australia.

The plane was a Fokker FVII trimotor (like Australian National Airways' famous Southern Cross). It was named Abel Tasman and that name is shown on the special diamond cachet applied at Batavia and Soerabaja during May. It read: Abel Tasman / Batavia-Centrum / 9 MEI 1931 or Abel Tasman / Soerabaja / 9 MEI 1931. The pilot and co-pilot were J. Pattist and P. Moll who was to take first place for KLM in the handicap section of the MacRobertson Air Race from London to Melbourne in 1934.

Registered envelope by the pilot J.J. Moll to himself, Bandeong, 11 May 1931. Eustis #194.

KLM test flight - Dutch postcard from Batavia to Sydney, 23 April / 9 May 1931.


KLM test flight - German postcard to Sydney via the Netherlands, 29 April - 18 May 1931.

KLM test flight - Soerabaja to Sydney, 8 - 9 May 1931. *

KLM test flight - registered letter from Semarang to Sydney, 11 May 1931 (front and rear).

KLM test flight - Batavia to Sydney, 11 May 1931.

KLM test flight - Bandoeng to Sydney, 11 May 1931.

The KLM flight was a success and without incident, having covered the journey from London to Sydney in 20 days.

Abel Tasman at Sydney, May 1931.

The return flight left Melbourne on 22 May and arrived in Batavia on 27 May and Amsterdam on 6 June. A special cover was produced for the return flight, and a cachet was applied in purple ink at Melbourne. It read as follows: Australia - Netherlands Indies - Special Air Mail Flight / May 1931 / Melbourne to Batavia.

KLM return test flight - Forrest, Western Australia via Batavia to London, postmarked 16 May 1931.

KLM return test flight - Sydney to Bandeong, Dutch East Indies, postmarked 21 May 1931.

KLM KP-AFC return test flight - Melbourne to Batavia, 22 May 1931 (front and rear). AAMC204. Note the special Abel Tasman cachet stamp dated 27 MEI 1931 on the back of the cover (below).

The KLM experiment was a success, though the Imperial Airways equivalents, including ANA and Qantas, would initially win out in securing an air mail contract for the route between England and Australia at the end of 1931. On 28 June 1938 that KLM implemented a regular service to Australia. A special cachet was applied to envelopes on that flight (illustrated below). It read: Amsterdam - Batavia - Sydney / Nederlandsche Luchtdenst / Opening 28 Juni 1938.

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The 1st Imperial experimental flight, April-May 1931

The first Imperial Airways flight left Croydon Airport (London) on 4 April on the regular Imperial Airways service to Karachi and Delhi, with the intention of transferring the mail to a second plane which would fly on to Darwin. There were already Qantas services flying from Brisbane to Darwin, and an Australian National Airways (ANA) service from Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney.

1st Experimental flight

Flight route from Karachi to Darwin.

4 April - London to Cairo

9 to 12 April - Cairo to Karachi

13 April - Karachi to Delhi

14 April - Allahabad via Calcutta to Akyab

15 April - Akyab via Rangoon to Victoria Point in Southern Burma

16 April - Victoria Point via Alor Star in Kedah to Singapore

17 April - Singapore to Samarang

18 April - Samarang to Sourabaya

19 April - crashes at Koepang in Timor

25 April - Koepang to Darwin

26 April - Darwin

27 to 28 April - Darwin to Brisbane

29 April - Brisbane to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne

Return

23 April - Melbourne to London

24 April - Sydney to Brisbane

25 to 26 April - Brisbane to Darwin

27 April to 3 May - Darwin to Akyab

5 May - Karachi

14 May - London

The flight schedule was to arrive in Australia on April 20, but the back-stamp on some covers shows that Sydney was not reached until 29 April. The route from London was by an AW Argosy via Cologne and Vienna to Skoplje from where the mail was sent by train to Salonica. The next stages were by Short S8 Calcutta flying boat from Salonica to Alexandria where it arrived on 8 April. The DH 66 Hercules City of Delhi flew from Cairo to Karachi between 9-12 April and then from Karachi to Delhi on 13 April where the mail was transferred to DH 66 City of Cairo which flew on to Allahabad. On 14 April, the mail was flown from Allahabad via Calcutta to Akyab. A cover from London to Calcutta is back-stamped at 11.30 on the morning of 14 April and again at 2pm. The rate from London to India was 1s 0d. On 15 April, the mail was flown from Akyab via Rangoon to Victoria Point in Southern Burma. A surviving postcard was flown from Delhi to Victoria Point. It is postmarked Civil Aerodrome Delhi on 13 April. Although there was an overnight stop, apparently the mail for Victoria Point was off loaded in Rangoon and sent on by surface. One card has a Victoria Point hand-stamp on 22 April which is when it eventually arrived there. On 16 April the mail was flown from Victoria Point via Alor Star in Kedah to Singapore. The mail left Singapore on the 17th for Samarang, the capital of Java in the Dutch East Indies, and then to Sourabaya on 18 April. Unfortunately, the City of Cairo crashed badly at Koepang (Kupang) in Timor in the Dutch East Indies on 19 April.

City of Cairo crashed at Koepang, Timor, 19 April 1931.

ANA were contacted and Kingsford Smith, with G.U. 'Scotty' Allan as co-pilot, flew the Southern Cross from Sydney to Koepang between 21-24 April to retrieve the mail. And account of this is included below and in Kingsford Smith reminiscences of 1931 at the end of this article. The Sydney Morning Herald of Saturday, 25 April 1931 reported on the Koepang retrieval as follows:

DEPARTURE FROM DARWIN.

Darwin, Friday. Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith left for Koepang at 7.20 o'clock this morning. A large crowd saw the Southern Cross rise easily into the air after a run half-way across the aerodrome. When last seen, the famous 'plane was over Point Charles and flying north-west. Before the departure, Mr. Hewitt, the mechanic, paid much attention to the engines, seeing that everything was in order for the long flight. Kingsford Smith expects to leave Koepang to-morrow morning with the first experimental English air mail and arrive at Darwin about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. It is expected that Messrs. Mollard and Garner, members of the crew of the City of Cairo, will accompany him. On Monday morning the Southern Cross is due to leave Darwin for Akyab (Burma), via Koepang, with the outward mail. Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith will leave Akyab on May 5 with the mails for Australia. These mails are due at Darwin on May 10, at Brisbane on May 12, and on the following day at Sydney, and probably at Melbourne. As the Southern Cross is the largest 'plane that has ever been at the aerodrome it has been suggested that if Darwin was made a regular stopping place for mail 'planes the aerodrome could be enlarged and hangars built.

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The Australians picked up the mail and flew it from Koepang to Darwin on 25 April. The mail was then flown from Darwin to Brisbane by Qantas in a DH 61 Giant Moth on 27-28 April and by ANA from Brisbane to Sydney on the Avro Ten Southern Sun on 29 April. Later on 29 April, mail was flown from Sydney to Melbourne by Jim Mollison of ANA in the Southern Star. The New Zealand mail was forwarded from Sydney by sea on the Maunganui and arrived on 5 May, 31 days after leaving London. The Darwin-based Northern Territory Times of Tuesday 28 April reported on the arrival of the mail there as follows, including the text of a letter from the managing director of Imperial Airways:

FIRST IMPERIAL AIR MAIL FLIGHT

By the Southern Cross' carrying the first air mail from England to Australia the following letter was brought addressed to the 'Times' and we print it as an item of interest to Darwin folk. There is not a large population in the Territory but if it is to become one of the main mail stations on the direct air mail route then the advancement of the place is sure. The isolation and the handicaps under which the place has suffered well become a thing of the past where the Imperial Airways gets, firmly established and it is for us as residents of the North to work for that result.

April 1931.

Dear Sir - This letter is coming to you by the first Air Mail from England to Australia covering in fifteen days a journey which by the fastest surface transport takes twenty eight days. It is the first of two experimental return air mail flights between England and Australia. It is our earnest hope, that in the not too fair distant future this may develop into a regular weekly air mail service between Australia and India which would form part of the Empire route linking up with our passenger and mail service from India to England and connecting in Egypt with our other main trunk route through Africa. With the establishment of the regular service the journey between Melbourne and London would be accomplished in eleven to twelve days. There is no greater factor making for understanding and development of trade than quick communication, and there has never been greater need than there is today for the speedy communication provided by air - to bring together the business communities and peoples of the Empire and to strengthen and maintain its position among the other nations of the world. I hope that the special envelope containing this letter will serve as an interesting souvenir of the first Empire Air Mail between Great Britain and Australia.

Yours faithfully

Managing Director.

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS LTD.

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The Brisbane Courier of Saturday, 2 May, reported on the significance of the arrival of this first England to Australia air mail as follows:

AVIATION NOTES.

ENGLAND - AUSTRALIA AIR MAIL.

By "PROPELLER."

The delivery of the first air mall from England to Australia, the most important step in Empire air service since the inception of civil aviation in 1919, proved to be a veritable triumph for Australian aviation. Hardly had the Imperial Airways machine crashed at Koepang than Kingsford Smith, in that wonderful old "bus," the Southern Cross, was ready to hop off to the East Indies to carry on with the interrupted journey. And he successfully accomplished his part of the contract with an absence of fuss quite typical of the world's foremost pilot. Quite rightly Qantas refused to make the journey across the Timor Sea in a single engine machine. By so refusing Qantas denied itself the honour of landing the first English air mall at Darwin. But such a consideration did not outweigh the much more important one of keeping inviolate a very fine record of accident free air travel.

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The Victorian Sunraysia Daily of 2 May 1931 noted the following in regard to the special Imperial Airways cover printed in blue ink for the experimental flights, a number of samples of which are illustrated below:

FIRST OFFICIAL ENGLAND - AUSTRALIA AIR MAIL

Imperial Airways Ltd. took the opportunity of forwarding Sunraysia Daily a letter by the first air mail - a courtesy appreciated by "Post Mark" needless to say. The envelope was printed in blue with the "By Air Mail" and inscribed "1st England - Australia, Official Air Mail, 1931, by Imperial Airways." The envelope bore the London F.S. date April 3, and was back-stamped Melbourne, 4.30 p.m., April 29.

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London to Port Darwin, Australia, 3 April 1931. AAMC187.

London to Port Darwin, Australia, 3 April 1931. Back-stamped Arthur's Hill, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 22 May 1931.

The Western Australian Daily Telegraph and North Murchison and Pilbara Gazette of 23 May 1931 reported on the flight as follows:

First Air- Mail for Australia

London-Port Darwin in 15 Days

The first 11,194 miles of Imperial Airways air-mail, from England to Australia, left the London air-station at 8.30 a.m., on April 4th,1931, in a 9-ton Armstrong-Siddeley air liner, and is due at Port Darwin on April 19th, completing in 15 days a journey which, by surface transport, would occupy 28 days. This outward-bound aeroplane from London carried, in addition to the first Australian air mail, the Indian and African mails, the combined load representing a total of approximately 50,000. The first Australian mail comprised roughly 15,000 letters.

This is the first of two experimental return air mails which, by arrangement between the Post Office, Air Ministry, and Imperial Airways, are to be flown between England and Australia. Proposals for a weekly air mail, carrying letters from England to Australia in 11 or 12 days, have been submitted by Imperial Airways, and are now under review by the Governments concerned. The route followed by this outward-bound service to Australia is via Paris, Athens, Cairo, Bagdad, Karachi, Delhi, Calcutta, Rangoon, Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies to Port Darwin, Australia. At Port Darwin this first air mail from England will be met by an aeroplane of the Australian "Qantas" Company, and flown across Australia to Sydney and Melbourne, Sydney being reached on April 22nd. Time having been allowed for people receiving letters by the first air mail from England to reply to them, the return mail for England leaves Port Darwin on April 27th, being due in London on May 14th.

A second air mail from England to Australia leaves London April 25th, being due in Australia on May 10th, while a second return service leaves Australia on May l7th, and is scheduled to reach London on May 31st. It may be recalled that it is only 11 years since the pioneer flight between England and Australia was made by two Australian airmen, the late Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith in a Vickers-Rolls-Royce biplane in 28 days.

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Prior to the return flight, Australia postal authorities issued information in regard to the placement of philatelic material in the program (copy published belatedly in The Horsham Times, 5 May 1931):

EXPERIMENTAL AIR FLIGHTS

Australia to England

The postal authorities direct attention to the experimental air flights between Australia and England, and furnish the following particulars regarding the conveyance of mails by this service, in the hope that the public will take full advantage of the flights, which may prove to be the forerunner of a regular air service between Australia and England. There are two flights from Australia to England and mails will close at Melbourne as follows:-

First flight.- Letters : Close General Post Office, Spencer street, and Elizabeth street Post Office at 7 a.m. on 23rd April, 1931. Registered articles : Close at Elizabeth street Post Office and General Post Office. Spencer street, at 6 p.m. on 22nd April, 1931.

Second flight.- Letters : Close General Post Office, Spencer street and Elizabeth street Post Office at 7 a.m. on 13th May, 1931. Registered articles: Close at Elizabeth street Post Office and at General Post Office, Spencer street, at 6 p.m. on 12th May, 1931.

The surcharge for matter addressed to Great Britain, Irish Free State and European countries is 1/9 per half ounce, which must be prepaid in postage stamps affixed to the envelope. This charge is in addition to the ordinary rates of postage. Correspondence should be endorsed ."By Australia-England Experimental Mail." Any correspondence not bearing the correct postage will be forwarded by the ordinary mail service and not by air mail.

The philatelic aspects of the inaugural flight were well publicised, as reported in the News, Adelaide, of 16 April 1931:

OVERSEAS AIRMAIL.

Adelaide Experiment

"Continuance of the service will depend on the use made of the air mall by the general public." said Mr. E. P. Ramsay (Deputy Postmaster General) this morning in commenting on the experimental air mail service between England and Australia. "If few letters are posted by the air mail it will be deduced that the public does not require such an expeditious service." he added. Mails for the first return flight will close in Adelaide at 3 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon; and are due in London on Thursday, May 14. Those for the second flight will close at 4.30 p.m. on Monday, May 11, and are due on Sunday, May 31. The Postal Department has decided to impress on the cover of each postal article dispatched by the first flight a cachet indicating that it was forwarded by the first official air mail flight from Australia to England. The cachet will be 2 1/4 in. wide by 1½ in. deep, and in addressing correspondence space for the impression should be allowed, if practicable, on the left-hand side of the cover. The cachet will be of attractive design and contain the following wording:- "Commonwealth of Australia: Australia - England first official air mail flight from Melbourne Australia to London England. April, 1931." Letters may be sent to any part of the world, Mr. Ramsay pointed out. One for Canada, for instance, should be sent by way of London with the endorsement "Australia - England first experimental air mail." There will be no extra postage for letters sent in this way to any part of the British Empire. For half an ounce the cost is 1/11 in all. For countries outside the Empire the total cost is 2/. Special notices drawing attention to the service have been put up in the General Post Office, Adelaide, and suburban and country offices. The local branch of Burns Philp & Co. Limited (agents for Australian National Airways) has sent to Sydney requesting a further supply of special souvenir envelopes. Within half an hour yesterday the first supply had been sold.

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The return flight for London left Melbourne on 23 April with the mail from New Zealand being sent from Wellington to Sydney on the Ulimaroa between 17-21 April and joining the flight at Sydney on Friday, 24 April. The Sydney Morning Herald of the 25th reported the departure as follows:

Plane leaves Mascot

An almost complete absence of ceremony marked the departure of the first air mail from Sydney to London yesterday morning. The flight attracted few sight-seers. At 7.30 a.m. the huge tri-engined monoplane, the Southern Sun, which will carry the mail on the first stage of its long journey, was wheeled out of the National Airways hangar on to the aerodrome. With a deafening roar the propellers commenced revolving, blowing icy blasts of wind on to the few muffled and already shivering spectators. On the fuselage of the machine the wings and crown of the Royal Air Mail service were inscribed.

The new white canvas bags, with their bold red stripes, were appropriately marked for the occasion. Each of the 17 bore the inscription, "Sydney - London Air Mail, First Flight, 24 4.31." The number of letters despatched was most satisfactory from the postal authorities' point of view. The total weight of the letters and packages despatched was 467 lb l ounce. The letters sent from Melbourne totalled 8577, from Hobart 264, from Adelaide 2506, from Perth 1400, and from Sydney 9046. It is expected that more than 3600 letters will be sent from Brisbane.

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A special cover was prepared for the first return flight. It featured the following text: First All the Way by Air / Royal Mail Service From Australia. Two printing variants are known. Sent covers also featured a cachet with the following text: Commonwealth of Australia / Australia - England / First Official Air Mail Flight / From Melbourne Australia to London England / April 1931. The Burnie Advocate of 17 April 1931 had published the following in regards to this cachet:

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Sydney to Carlisle, England, 23 April 1931. "Per first..." All the Way By Air envelope #1. *

"First ...." All the Way By Air envelope #2.

Darwin to London, 26 April 1931 (front and rear). *

Kew, Victoria, to Dublin, 20 April 1931.

Special envelope plus letter, Darwin to London, 26 April 1931.

229 ordinary and 106 registered letters were sent from New Zealand. It was carried by Australian National Airways from Sydney to Brisbane on the Southern Sun on 24 April and then by Qantas in a DH 61 from Brisbane to Darwin on 25-26 April. The plan had been for the Imperial Airways DH 66 to fly the mails from Darwin, but as it had crashed at Koepang on the 19th and Imperial Airways had no replacement aircraft, Kingsford Smith and Allan, who had arrived in Darwin from Koepang on the 25th, flew the mail from Darwin to Akyab in Burma on 27 April - 3 May. At Akyab, the mail was transferred to the Imperial Airways DH 66 City of Karachi and flown to Delhi, arriving on 5 May. From Delhi it joined the regular Imperial Airways flight to London where it eventually arrived on 14 May, 27 days after leaving New Zealand.

Official covers were available in Australia, but none are known from New Zealand. A special flight cachet was also used. Part of the inscription reads: "ALL THE WAY BY AIR" Royal Mail Service from Australia. One cover has the full set of the Kingsford Smith commemoratives which had been issued a month earlier on 19 March. Imperial Airways also produced an official cover and it was used both for flights to and from Australia. One is postmarked Darwin on 26 April and was flown (27 April - 3 May) on the first part of its journey (to Akyab) by Kingsford Smith and Allan. Mail was picked up along the route. A cover is postmarked Rangoon 28 April and was flown from there to Akyab by Kingsford Smith on 3 May. Later on 3 May, it was flown from Akyab to Calcutta by Imperial Airways in the DH 66 City of Karachi. It has a First Airmail purple cachet that was applied to all mail that was picked up from, or delivered to, Rangoon. The cover was back-stamped on arrival in London on 14 May.

The 2nd Imperial experimental flight May-June 1931

2nd Experimental flight
"Per..." All the Way by Air envelope #3.
25 April - London to Delhi

4 May - Delhi

5 May - Calcutta

6 May - Calcutta to Akyab

6 to 11 May - Akyab to Darwin

12 to 13 May - Darwin to Brisbane

14 May - Brisbane to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne

Return

15 May - Melbourne to Sydney

16 April - Sydney to Brisbane

17 to 18 May - Brisbane to Darwin

19 to 26 May - Darwin to Delhi

27 May - Delhi to Cairo

30 May - Cairo to London

4 June - London

The second experimental airmail left London on 25 April and was flown on the regular Eastern Route to Delhi arriving on 4 May. The total mail for Malaya, Australia and New Zealand was 5,000 items. The DH 66 Hercules City of Karachi had arrived in Delhi on 5 May from Akyab with the mail from the return flight of the first experimental airmail. The mail was exchanged and the City of Karachi immediately returned that day (via Allabad) to Calcutta. A known cover is franked with 8d and was flown to Calcutta where it arrived on 5 May and was back-stamped at 7am on 6 May. It is addressed to Stephen Smith, a well-known aerophilatelist, with a purple cachet applied. The mail was flown from Calcutta to Akyab on 6 May and was then flown from Akyab to Darwin from 6 to 11 May by Kingsford Smith and Scotty Allan in the Southern Cross. The route was: Akyab - Rangoon on 6 May, to Alor Star on 7 May, to Singapore on 8 May, to Sourabaya on 9 May, to Koepang on 10 May and to Darwin on 11 May. From Darwin it was flown to Brisbane on 12 -13 May in a DH 50 by Qantas and then by ANA to Sydney on 14 May in the Southern Moon with P.G. Taylor as pilot. Sydney - Melbourne was later on 14 May on the Southern Sky. A known cover is postmarked in London on 24th April and is addressed to New Zealand. It was flown on the second flight and the postage rate was again 1s 4d. The cover was off-loaded in Sydney on 14 May where it was back-stamped and sent to New Zealand by sea. The mail arrived in Wellington on the Maunganui on 18 May, 23 days after leaving London and is back-stamped in Christchurch on 19 May. The special Imperial Airways cover was utilised for the flight from London, and the return flight from Australia.

London to Johore, Malaya, 24 April 1931.

There were 266 acceptances from New Zealand for the second return flight and they were sent from Auckland to Sydney on the Maunganui on 8-12 May 1931. As with the first return flight, the postage rate was 2s 2d made up of 2d ordinary postage and 2s 0d airmail fee.The return flight left Melbourne on 15 May and the New Zealand mail joined at Sydney on 16 May.

Melbourne to London, 15 May 1931.

Brisbane to London, 16 May 1931.

The Melbourne - Sydney - Brisbane leg was flown by ANA in the Southern Sun with Jim Mollison as pilot. Qantas flew the leg from Brisbane to Darwin on May 17-18. The pilot was Hudson Fysh in a DH 50. He was Managing Director and co-founder of Qantas and this was the last time he flew a scheduled service and a known cover is autographed by him. By this time, Imperial Airways had purchased a replacement DH 66 and it flew the leg from Darwin to Delhi (May 19 - 26). The mail arrived in Singapore on 22 May where the DH 66 remained overnight. One cover is postmarked 21 May and was flown from Singapore on 23 May. It is addressed to Alexandria in Egypt and has a Cairo back-stamp on 30 May and an Alexandria back-stamp on 31 May. It is re-addressed to London to where it was presumably carried by surface. As well as the ordinary Singapore postmark, a special back-stamp was applied in Singapore. Unfortunately, in this example, it is largely obscured by the Alexandria back-stamp of 31 May. However, it is possible to make out the date of 22 May together with the slogan Imperial Airways Ltd London - Australia Air Mail on four lines. Another cover is postmarked at Penang on 21 May and joined the flight at Alor Star which was reached on May 23. It is addressed to London and has franking of 48c while the previous cover to Egypt only has franking of 37c. The mail connected with the scheduled flight from Delhi on May 27 and was flown to Cairo where it arrived on 30 May. The route from Alexandria on May 31 had recently been changed and was now by a Short Kent flying boat to Genoa where it was due to arrive on June 1. However, the flight was delayed for two days in Corfu and so it was June 3 before it arrived in Genoa. The mail was sent by overnight rail from Genoa to Basle and then flown to London where it arrived on 4 June.

Politics #1 - House of Commons, London, 22 May 1931

Air Services (Australia).

House of Commons Debate, 22 May 1931, volume 252 cc2415-6W

Colonel HOWARD-BURY asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the result of the experimental air mail from this country to Australia; whether any regular air mail is to be instituted; what was the loss, if any, on the experimental service referred to; and on what lines is it reckoned that such an air mail can become self-supporting?

Mr. MONTAGUE - As regards the first and third parts of the question, the experimental flights are not yet complete, and it would be premature at present to attempt to assess their financial result. As regards the second and last parts, as the House is already aware, proposals for a regular air mail service, which, of course, entail the payment of a subsidy, are under consideration by the Governments concerned. It can be assumed that a regular service could not be organised on a self-supporting basis for some time to come, since the postal rates entailed would be prohibitive.

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The 1st 'All-Australian' air mail service, 20 November 1931

Following the 'success' of the various experimental flights, it took another six months before a follow-up flight, this time organised and conducted by the short-lived Australian National Airways. This first all-Australian air mail service from Australia to England left Melbourne on 20 November 1931 in the Southern Sun, piloted by G.U. Allan. A special envelope was prepared for the flight by ANA. It had a picture of the aircraft on the front and a special place for the cachet, which read: Special Air Mail Flight / Nov 1931 / Australia - England. Text on the back described the route, which was further illustrated by a map.

Hobart to Southsea, England, November 1931 (front and rear). Eustis #222

Rear of the First All-Australian Air Mail Service envelope, November 1931.

Other general envelopes were used for the flight, posted from various destinations in Australia, such as the Registered Letter example below postmarked Chelsea, Victoria and addressed to the secretary of the India Society, Westminster, London.

Melbourne to London, 19 November 1931.

The Southern Sun crashed at Alor Star in Kedah, Malaysia. Charles Kingsford Smith flew to Kedah in the Southern Star, retrieved the mail and flew on to England, arriving on 16 December 1931.

Kingsford Smith unloading mail - 50,000 letters - from the Southern Star, London, 16 December 1931.

The Southern Star originally intended to immediately return to Australia, and deliver the mail before Christmas. However it did not arrive back in Sydney until 2 January. A special Christmas (Xmas) cover had been printed for dispatch from England to Australia. It bore the message: Xmas Greetings by First All-Australian Air Mail. Another example also bore the words New Year in the upper left corner. An example of the first cover in the Australian War Memorial collection is postmarked London, 21 December 1931 and autographed by both G.U. Allan and Charles Kingsford Smith. It contains a note reading: Australian National Airways. This letter was carried by air from England to Australia in the Southern Star, the first All Australian Mail Aeroplane to leave England. Piloted by Air Commodore C.E. Kingsford Smith and Mr G.U. Allan. Left London 22 December 1931.

Xmas Greetings envelope, London to Melbourne, (?)21 December 1931 (front and rear). Eustis #245 [?].

Xmas New Year greeting envelope, Bromsgrove to Sydney, 21 December 1931 (front and rear). Back-stamped Mosman, Sydney, 2 January 1932.

There is a reference to the Southern Sun leaving London on 7 January 1932, after some repairs due to an accident. An interesting postcard bearing the inscription: England to Australia, by postponed experimental direct Xmas air mail 1931 (illustrated below) was postmarked Market Place, Bromsgrove, 17 December 1931 and back-stamped at Sydney on 21 January 1932 and Mosman the following day. It is unclear at this stage what the 'postponed' element was in reference to, as the return 22 December 1931 Christmas / New Year flight had already taken place.

What next?

The Sydney Morning Herald of 9 November 1932 reported on the political machinations associated with the implementation of a regular service following the 1931 experimental flights. The Australian government rejected offers from KLM, citing Empire solidarity. However, there was local opposition to a suggested British-run Imperial Airways monopoly which would exclude local firms and cost the Australian taxpayer.

AIR MAIL.

The Australia - England Proposals.

(BY AUSTRALIAN PILOT.)

It seems that on the eve of the report of the departmental committee of inquiry into Australian internal and oversea air services which recommends the rejection of the Dutch offer to run a British mail service to Darwin, we are now faced with the fact that Imperial Airways Limited is apparently anxious to obtain from Australia the contract for the Australian oversea end of this service. Now, when Australia has the chance to develop its airways to the financial and generally material benefit of the country we are in danger of an English company taking from us what will be the most profitable of our air routes and, in fact, that which is operated by Australia will be the means and the only means (other than the abandonment of our internal services and consequent ruination of our promising aviation industry), of permanently relieving the country of the expense of air service subsidies. We read of interviews with our Minister in London, Mr Bruce, and of speeches made by Sir Eric Geddes, chairman of directors of Imperial Airways Limited, much that clearly indicates the desire of that company to monopolise as much of our Empire airways as it possibly can. Sir Eric expresses views with which, if taken literally, we are largely in entire agreement, but much that he says has a significance far beyond its literal meaning. Imperial Airways Limited, a public company operating for its own profit, is naturally out to secure air mileage and the profits resulting therefrom, and many of us are likely to be misled by our own strong views of Empire unity. Their propaganda would, if believed, lead us to think that Imperial Airways Limited is a vast organisation run by Britain largely for the benefit of British and therefore, Australian, aviation and the Empire generally. It is not. It is an English company heavily subsidised by Britain and operating aeroplanes for profit. Now it quite naturally desires to do so at the expense of Australia, for, on the basis of the subsidy rates which it is paid by Britain, a subsidy out of all proportion to what is required for economical and efficient operation of the Australian air mail service, will be asked by Imperial Airways. In this direction it is significant that no mention has yet been made of what subsidy this English company will ask from Australia in its proposals, whereas the combined Australian companies have made definite and concrete proposals and have stated their requests as regards Government support.

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS' SUBSIDY

In the British Air Ministry report for 1930-1931, statistics show that Imperial Airways Limited received from the British Government a subsidy of £428,000 for a total of 1,819,376 miles per annum, the equivalent of 4/9 per mile flown. In fact their average subsidy per mile flown on subsidised services would be nearer 6/6 per mile. It would also be interesting to know what portion of the Dominion and Colonial vote has also been applied to the operations of Imperial Airways Limited. On the basis of the subsidy paid to this company by England, it is reasonable to suppose that it would require from Australia a somewhat similar subsidy for the Singapore-Darwin section of the route. The Australian companies in their proposal have asked for no direct subsidy at all. If, on the proposed weekly service, the air mail load carried is 1,000lb it will cost the Australian Government nothing, and when as should be the case in a year or two the load reaches figures in excess of 1,000lb the proposal is that the Government and air service companies will share the profits, and there will be profits. The air mall carried weekly between India and England is now over 1,200lb, or 15 percent of the total first-class mail. The average weight of first-class mail weekly between England and Australia taken over a period of one month was 11,368lb inward and 5813lb outward. 15 per cent of the average of these amounts is 1,288lb, and surely it is reasonable to suppose that when the service is established our proportion of air mall to total mail will be no less than that of India. In fact, inquiries by the Australian companies of leading business and financial houses in the capital cities indicate the probability that air mall loads will, from the inauguration of the service be considerably in excess of 400lb, this last figure being the very conservative estimate which places Australia in a position of no greater expense than that to which it is already committed for the operation of its internal services only. It is no wonder that air service operating companies of other countries are anxious to secure from our Government the contract to run our mails over this, the most valuable long-distance air route in the world, and one can readily appreciate the sincerity with which Sir Eric Geddes expresses his views that the Empire air routes should "from end to end be under one control" by which he means under the control of his own company - Imperial Airways, Limited. He also states that the only hope of rapid successful, efficient and economical development of Empire routes lies in the co-operation of all sections of the Empire. With this Australians will agree, but we must fail to see what form of co-operation there is in one company reaching out to grasp for its own profit every air route in the Empire. Sir Eric urges uniformity of control and type of aircraft in operation as a reason why his company should run our mails. At the end of 1931, out of a total of 32 aircraft owned by Imperial Airways Limited there were 11 different types. At the present moment, operating between London and Karachi Imperial Airways Limited have at least three different types. Why should he suddenly be so concerned about a single type for the remainder of the run to Australia?

UNITY OF CONTROL

As to unity of control, an aeroplane flying between Darwin and Sydney travels over 2000 miles. So also does an aeroplane flying from Darwin to Singapore. The fact that one is flying over a piece of earth called Australia does not make it any more or less desirable that it should be controlled by the same body which runs services to India than an aeroplane which files over a piece of water called the Timor Sea and along a lot of islands called the Dutch East Indies. Why select what is obviously going to be the profitable section on which our internal services will live for the special benefit of Imperial Airways Limited? 'Uniformity of control' of one profitable section is not uniformity of control. Geographically Australia is a terminal point of an airline which embraces a very large portion of the Empire of which Australia by reason of the wealth of its trade is one of the most important units and consequently the England-Australia airline is by far the most important chain in Empire air communications. It has been proved beyond any shadow of doubt that on all grounds Australia is capable and willing to undertake what is clearly the Australian section of the route So, in our desire for Empire unity we must not allow our Judgment to be influenced by nothing more than the sheer bluff and clever business propaganda of a large profit-making company. The true Empire outlook is one which embraces the whole Empire and no one company alone in any particular part of the Empire. It is the benefit of the whole which we have to look, for only by building up the strength of each unit of our Empire can we remain combined as one great nation.

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Reminiscences of Charles Kingsford Smith

In the 13 October 1931 edition of The Advertiser, Adelaide, Charles Kingsford Smith published his reminiscences on the year to date, including his involvement in the England - Australia experimental flights.

ENGLAND - AUSTRALIA AIR MAIL

The disappearance of the "Southern Cloud," and the subsequent search, involved us in heavy losses, exceeding £10,000, and we were able to maintain our organisation only with great difficulty. At this time, the Imperial Airways decided to dispatch two experimental air mails to Australia from England, and the onward progress of this first air mail to Australia was followed with interest. Suddenly news came through that the mail plane had crashed badly, 10 miles from Koepang aerodrome, which the pilot was endeavoring to reach. Inquiries were at once made as to the best means of recovering the mail, and bringing it on to Australia with the least possible delay, and, after some preliminary negotiations, the task was entrusted to me, as representing Australian National Airways. The Imperial Airways machine had crashed on April 17, and at less than 24 hours' notice we took off from Mascot aerodrome late on the morning of April 21. Needless to say, for this rather arduous service I had chosen the "Southern Cross." She had already made a few trips as a regular mail plane between Sydney and Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, and Melbourne and Launceston. She was flying better than ever, if that were possible, and since she was more economical in petrol consumption, and was better adapted to long-distance flying than the other machines, I had no hesitation in choosing her for this new venture. With me in the plane were "Scotty" Allen as co-pilot, and our chief engineer, Mr. Hewitt, together with a newspaper representative. Off we went across the continent once more, making Cloncurry the first night, Darwin the second, and Koepang the third. I was in my element again; some of the memory of the terrible days I had spent in the search for the Southern Cloud passed away; the weather was fine; I had splendid companions, and we had a job after our own heart. How familiar all this country was tome! Even the desolate wastes of the Northern Territory were a welcome sight, and as for that 517-mile Timor Sea crossing - it was a mere ditch for the three-engined Fokker, registered number VH-USU, more familiarly known as the "Southern Cross."

At Koepang Again

We landed at the Koepang aerodrome and found the disconsolate crew of the Imperial Airways Hercules machine awaiting us with news that the mail bags were at the local post-office. Their wrecked machine - a De Haviland Hercules - was ten miles away, and we went out to inspect it. I learned that when approaching Koepang their petrol was becoming exhausted, and seeing what appeared to be a fine grass field, the pilot decided to make a landing. Unfortunately, the field proved to be covered with tall grass, six feet high, which concealed a mass of coral boulders. The machine had struck these boulders, and had been wrecked beyond repair. We had no time to do more than sympathise with the pilot. Our job was to rush the mail to Australia without delay.

"While the breath's in his mouth, he must bear without fail,
In the name of the Empress, the overland mail!"

We had left Sydney in a hurry on April 21; we left Koepang four days later with the first all-the-way-by-air mail for Australia, and landed in Darwin safely with it on Anzac Day. In the meantime Pilot Tapp, of the Qantas Company, had set out from Brisbane with the first out-going mail which had arrived from Melbourne, and was landed in Darwin on the 26th April. He handed over the 700 lb. mail for us, and returned with the English mail we had carried over from Koepang, while we were to go on to Akyab, where an Imperial Airways machine was to meet us. As soon as this first outward mail arrived at Darwin, where we awaited it, it was bundled into the "Southern Cross," and off we went again, early on the morning of April 27th, two days after our return from Koepang. We were now thoroughly contemptuous of the Timor Sea crossing or "The Ditch," as we called it. This was the fourth time the "Southern Cross" had flown over it—and I had crossed it five times — on one occasion hi the single-engined "Junior."

Perfect Organisation

The whole organisation—rapidly improvised—for the carrying of the air mail after it had temporarily broken down, was functioning with perfect regularity, due In large measure to the knowledge and experience of those who had now assumed the responsibility. We took off for Koepang, and were across in five hours, and on the following morning we left early for a nonstop flight to Sourabaya, distant 778 miles. We had a good breeze with us and arrived there early, spending a pleasant evening with my former host. Mr. Ferrier. But while we had been congratulating ourselves on the speed and regularity with which the mail had hitherto been carried, a nasty snag awaited us the next morning. The heavy rains had made the Sourabaya ground soft, and as I taxied the "Southern Cross" for the take-off, she bogged badly. There was only one thing to be done, and that was to get out—and get on. With the assistance of a company of Javanese soldiers and some Dutch residents, we managed to haul the machine cut to firmer ground, and lightened our load by removing 200 gallons of petrol. By the time we were ready it was too late to reach Singapore that night, and we therefore slept at Batavia. Off we went the next morning from Batavia to Singapore, cutting corners, flying long stretches over open sea, and pushing the old bus along. "Scotty" Allen and I took turns at the controls, and when off duty we had a nap in the cabin. When we arrived at Singapore we were somewhat chagrined to learn that, as the outward-bound Imperial air liner would be delayed in reaching Akyab there was no desperate need to hurry. This information, however, subsequently proved to be incorrect, as we found on arrival at Akyab that the Imperial Airways machine was already there. Accordingly we spent the next night at Alor Star. 60 miles north of Penang, and the following night at Rangoon, where the whole population was anxiously awaiting the breaking of the monsoon to alleviate the stifling heat. Our last stage, Rangoon to Akyab was completed on May 3, and we handed over the mail to the Imperial Airways pilot. Owing to the additional bags, we had picked up at Alor Star and Rangoon, it now weighed nearly 800 lb. We waited in Akyab for three days (May 3-6), while the Imperial Airways machine flew to Delhi, handed over the homeward mail, and brought back to us the second experimental mail from England. We left Akyab on May 6, and five days later (May 11). landed in Darwin.

Regular Route Suggested

This experience—at very short notice — of carrying a long-distance mail, convinced me of the practicability of establishing a regular route without further delay, provided that Government assistance — for a limited period only — is available. The organisation for an England - Australia air mail is no more difficult to provide than that already in use on Australian airways. A regular and efficient service could be established immediately, and it is. my belief that within one year no further Government assistance would be required, as the revenue from mails and passengers would make the service self-supporting. I am as much against the principle of Government subsidies as any one else, but I recognise that such a subsidy is necessary in the initial stages of the service, to maintain it until it became evident to the public that a regular and efficient service was in operation which justified its support and patronage. The type of aircraft I have in mind is the three-engined Fokker. It can fly with safety over comparatively short stretches of water up to 500 miles, and would make feasible a fortnightly service each way without night flying, landing mails and passengers every twelve days at either end. At present, the necessary deviation of the Empire air mail for the African route apparently necessitates the use of flying boats for the Mediterranean section. In my view, three-engined planes, capable of flying fully-loaded on two engines, offer an ample margin of safety for short sea routes, and would obviate the change from land machines to flying boats, and eliminate the costly maintenance of the latter. Our Dutch, friends have already set us an excellent example of regular long-distance mail operations with their weekly Amsterdam - Batavia service which has now-been in operation for two years. What type of machine does this shrewd and air-minded people employ on this very efficient service? The three-engined Fokker!

Bad Time for Aviation

The winter of 1931 was a bad one for aviation in Australia, and our company began to suffer a considerable falling-off in revenue, which was in no wise due to the disaster of the "Southern Cloud." but to the fact that the financial depression precluded people from travelling by air except on urgent occasions. In July we were obliged to close down most of our services, and I heard subsequently from many people that they missed the regular drone of the engines of our planes over their homes. So regular, indeed, that many people had timed their daily routine by the sound overhead of these birds of passage. A cessation of our flying operations caused a serious decline in my income, and it became necessary for me to seek some means of augmenting it. In this extremity I looked once more to the old bus which had never failed me. It occurred to me that, during the depression, I might, by means of a tour of the country towns in the "Southern Cross," not only give people an opportunity for a reasonable fee of "taking the air" in the famous machine, but also recoup myself in this time of stress. The plan when not into practice was most successful. I visited many country centres in the Riverina at the week-ends, and the arrival of the plane was invariably the occasion for a gala day. Indeed I was frequently embarrassed by the kindly attentions of mayors and municipal councillors who pressed civic receptions upon me which, though highly appreciated, I regarded as in appropriate when offered to an air salesman with something to cell. However, the country people, doubtless attracted by the novelty cf the occasion, freely patronised the old bus, and I had the pleasure of giving many thousands of people their first flight, an event which I trust will increase their airmindedness. A large proportion of the passengers were small boys who revelled in the experience, and it was a constant source of amusement and interest to me to watch the excited exuberance of the younger generation, who apparently regarded both 'plane and pilot with profound awe.

Joy Riding Plane

This was indeed a new role for the "Southern Cross," who from her triumphant crossing of oceans and continents had now been reduced to the more humble, though, no less honorable station, of a common joy riding plane. But, as of yore, she served me to earn a modest sum to tide over the difficult times.While engaged in these country tours, I became increasingly aware that new long-distance stars were emerging above the horizon. Scott, whom I know well, had flown from London to Darwin in 9 days 5 hours, thus breaking my record in the "Southern Cross junior." He had also flown home in 10 days 20 hours, breaking the record of the "Southern Cross" herself. Then came Mollison —one of our own company's former pilots—who, as all the world knows, had lowered Scott's record for the homeward flight in the astonishing time of 8 days 21 hours. These feats attracted my attention. I was struck, also, by the opinions expressed at the time, that Mollison's record represented the minimum time that any solo flier could hope to achieve in flying from Australia to England an opinion from which I ventured to differ. An examination of Mollison's journey convinced me that he had been unfortunate in his weather, that there was room for improvement in the laying out of the daily stages on the route, and that there were also minor factors which, if taken into consideration, would enable a yet faster time to be made. Further, I was very anxious to beat Scott's record on the England-Australia, journey, and thus regain both records for Australia, since neither of these skilled airmen are Australian. Finally, I conceived the idea that properly to demonstrate the great advances which have been made, and are being made, on this route, the return journey should be made at once, with out any delay. With this in view, I propose to remain in London only long enough to have a brief rest and overhaul of my engine, before setting out on the return flight to Australia, to which I hope to bring back the "aerial ashes." (How Kingsford Smith was thwarted is now known to everyone, as well as his announcement to renew the effort next year.)

A Pilot's Life

The flying life of pilots, and of their planes, is short, compared with other forms of transport. An airman's reputation in these days is made over night, and he wakes to find himself famous. At the age of 34, and after 15 years of flying, I recognise that I must be placed in the category of "veteran." The years pass, but though "getting on," one is still not too old to compete on equal terms with the younger generation, and in any case we veterans have the right and indeed the duty, to show the young fellows that there Is life in the old dog yet. "Restless at home and ever prone to range,'' the sailor pines for a tall ship and the soldier fights his battles over again. The aviator differs somewhat from his comrades, in that he looks not back but forward—per ardua ad astra—and the reader will perhaps understand the long-distance airman's desire to be off once again on the cut trail, the long trail — "Down, hull down, on the old trail. The trail that is always new." As for the "Southern Cross"—that grand old plane has bad a gruelling time these past eight months on her country tours, the continual taking off and landing on strange and often rough grounds imposing an undue strain on her. But she has many more hours of flying still left in her; and though she has done at least three times more long-distance work than any other plane, she retains a full airworthy certificate to this day—Al at Lloyd's. What of her future? It would be asking too much to expect that she could continue such work indefinitely. She has had a long and useful life; she has carried many thousands of people; she has covered, at a rough estimate, over one hundred thousand miles in many countries and in many climes; her engines are the same as when first installed: they are as good as ever they were, and the same great wing span still bears her aloft. Fokker built her for a flight across the Atlantic; Wilkins took her over Arctic seas; I have flown her round the world—and more; now the tale of her long travels has been told in this "Story of the Southern Cross." The End).

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1st Regular Service 1934

The first regular airmail service between England and Australia was implemented in December 1934 by Qantas Empire Airways in collaboration with Imperial Airways. The initial England to Australia flight appears to have departed London on 8 December, judging by surviving covers.

Postmark: London, 8 DEC 1934. Eustis #469.

The initial Australia to England flight departed Brisbane for Singapore on 11 December, following a ceremony involving the Australian Prime Minister, the Minister for Defence, the King George V's representative the Duke of Gloucester, the Premier of Queensland, flight Captains L.J. Brain and G. Allan and the Qantas plane DH61 Diana. A special cover was printed in light blue and black, or dark blue and red, to mark the first flight from Sydney to London.

Postmark: Air Mail, Brisbane, 7DE34.

Postmark: Adelaide, Sth Australia, 7DE34.

Postmark: Air Mail, Sydney, N.S.W. 9DE34.

Covers postmarked Adelaide and Brisbane on 7 December 1934 are known, as is another postmarked Sydney on 9 December. A registered cover postmarked Melbourne on 8 December 1934, is back stamped Lymington, Hampshire, and Farnham, Surrey, 27 December 1934. Though the journey was advertised as taking 14 days, it appears that this initial foray took 16. However, a corresponding cover sent from England postmarked 4 December was received in Brisbane on 16 December, talking only 12 days.

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50th Anniversary

The 50th anniversary was commemorated in 1981 by the issue of two Australian stamps depicting a 1931 stamp issued to commemorate the flights of Charles Kingsford Smith. However the 1931 stamp had nothing to do with the Australia-UK airmail. It was issued on 19 March 1931, i.e. before the airmail flight took place.

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References

Envelope and letter: First all Australian air mail from England to Australia [webpage], Australian War Memorial, Canberra, accessed 28 June 2022.

Eustis, Nelson, The Australian Air Mail Catalogue, Volume One, 1914-1941, Review Publications, Dubbo, 1965, 63p.

-----, do., 4th edition, Hobby Investments, Adelaide, 1984, 230p.

Experimental Airmail UK - Australia 1931, New Zealand Stamp Images [website], accessed 28 June 2022.

Experimental Flights of 1931 between England and Australia [brochure], n.d., 4p.

From the Archives: First Australian air mail for London, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 April 2019.

Jansen, Ben, The eventful flying career of J.J. Moll, Netherlands Philately, Vol. 43, No. 5, May 2019.

Lee, Ron, The first scheduled airmail service Australia to England, Australian Stamps Professional, 16(4), 96, 16-18.

Philatelist, England - Australia - First Direct Aerial Mail [1934], The Stamp Collector: State Journal of the Philatelic Society of Western Australia, no.78. Reprinted in the Sunday Times, Perth, 30 December 1934.

Proud, E.B., The Postal History of British Air Mails, 1991.

Rosenblum, Alec A., Pioneering the Air Mail, The Herald, Melbourne, 7 April 1934.

Stapleton, James, The New Zealand Airmail Catalogue, 2nd Edition, 1994.

Walker, Douglas A., Airmails of New Zealand, volume 2, 1986.

Wingent, Peter, Aircraft Movements on Imperial Airways' Eastern Route, Vol 1, 1927 - 1937, Winchester 1999.

Wolf, E., The 1931 Imperial Airways experimental airmail flights, Imperial Airways Gazette, Issue 30, 2-18, December 2006.

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Acknowledgement

The above text has been compiled from the New Zealand Stamp Images webpages on the Imperial Airways and KLM experimental flights of 1930-1, the 2022 article by Ron Lee, and the author's personal research. Other useful sources are included in the references list.

NB: Items marked with a * are from the author's collection.

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Last updated: 10 October 2022

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