Baghdad Air Port 1934 - Macrobertson Air Race UK to Australia
<span style="color:#000000;">As you can see, KLM written on it, and the elusive Baghdad Air Port postmark, supposedly only used for the Air Race.</span>
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I think the explanation is that the letter was carried from England by the KLM DC2 as far as Baghdad from where it was posted back to Scotland. I have to add that I Know B.... All about stamp collecting but it seems that on arriving in Australia that some of these special 'Covers' would then be posted by normal air mail services.
Perhaps Al can enlighten us ?
However I do see your point Jhieminga because one would expect the envelope to also carry a British Stamp (Which it doesn't) if my explanation is to stand scrutiny. I suppose the possibility is that the letter originated from Baghdad in the first place. (So take no notice of my previous ramblin').
What say you Al ?
Perhaps Al can enlighten us ?
However I do see your point Jhieminga because one would expect the envelope to also carry a British Stamp (Which it doesn't) if my explanation is to stand scrutiny. I suppose the possibility is that the letter originated from Baghdad in the first place. (So take no notice of my previous ramblin').
What say you Al ?
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If this post has done nothing else, it has made me look at other options, particularly that it was posted in Baghdad and sent to the UK on a normal KLM flight, rather than Uiver.
I'm off to work now,, but this will keep me thinking all day.
Thanks to everyone for your input.
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Alan, it has been very interesting and fun too ! You are a lucky chap to possess such a rare survivor - just think of the number of such envelopes that would have been chucked in the rubbish basket or put on the fire all those years ago. Hope you will continue to contribute to PPRuNe. All the best. Some good pics here:
https://www.uivermemorial.org.au/race_album.html
https://www.uivermemorial.org.au/race_album.html
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 14th Nov 2023 at 22:17.
Good point - I'm only going on other information that I've received.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;If this post has done nothing else, it has made me look at other options, particularly that it was posted in Baghdad and sent to the UK on a normal KLM flight, rather than Uiver.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;I'm off to work now,, but this will keep me thinking all day.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;Thanks to everyone for your input.
Just as an aside, have you read Stuart McKay's excellent book on the race: ""Mildenhall to Melbourne, The World's Greatest Air Race "" ??
Last edited by Planemike; 15th Nov 2023 at 09:14.
other KLM aircraft, besides DC2 PH-AJU "Uiver", were passing though Bagdad on a regular basis, likely carrying airmail
KLM’s first intercontinental flight took off on 1 October 1924. The final destination was Jakarta (then called ‘Batavia’), Java, in the Dutch East Indies; the flight used a Fokker F.VII with registration H-NACC and was piloted by Van der Hoop. In September 1929, regular scheduled services between Amsterdam and Batavia commenced. The regular run was made by Fokker FVIIA/3m until the DC-2.
Last edited by megan; 15th Nov 2023 at 03:43. Reason: Add a bit
They started out with the Fokker F.VII (first trip by H-NACC was very much a trial run), starting the commercial flights with the /3m variant. KLM then went on to use F.IX, F.XII and F.XVIII models before switching to Douglas-built options. I may have skipped over some interim solutions... but these were the types that formed the backbone of the East-Indies line in those pre-WWII days.
And thanks for letting us share in an interesting puzzle like this!
And thanks for letting us share in an interesting puzzle like this!
Thread Starter
I've thought about this most of the day and I think the postmark is the collectable part of this cover, rather than the cover itself - it was just a normal flight from Baghdad to Scotland.
Ironically I have another envelope from Baghdad to the UK, but with normal postmarks and to a Squadron Ldr Townsend. And that was another interesting research story!!!
He had a long and successful career in the RAF.
And just to wind it all up, here are some covers that REALLY did fly on Uiver to Australia
Ironically I have another envelope from Baghdad to the UK, but with normal postmarks and to a Squadron Ldr Townsend. And that was another interesting research story!!!
He had a long and successful career in the RAF.
And just to wind it all up, here are some covers that REALLY did fly on Uiver to Australia
Interesting I see your second Baghdad Cover from The Imperial Bank Of Persia (shortly to find itself in difficulties) is in the same hand as your first example.
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One can only surmise who it was in the bank - a mail clerk, a secretary, a manager - I guess we will never know :<(((
And I can't fathom what "1st duplicate service" which is handwritten on the back, could be.
I doubt it is anything to do with flying, but who knows.
alan
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