Charbar (arrived 9 November 1919; small mail collected of which 8 bore Indian adhesives) to Karachi (where a cds of 11 November 1919 was applied). A three-line cachet was applied “PAR POSTE D’AIR/ PAR FAVEUR DE/ M POULET” ; also a two-line cachet « BYAERIAL POST THRO/M.POULET » <Jain, London Philatelist, September 2015> The route was Issy-Les, Molineaux Paris – Frejus – Pisedome – Rome – Naples – Avlona – Sanstephano – Constantinople – Konia – Baghdad – Bushire – Bandar Abbas – Gwador – Chahbar – Karachi – Nasirabad – Delhi – Allahabad – Calcutta (25 November 1919) – Akyab – Rangoon – Moulmein. 23 November 1919 During the England-Australia Air Race, Ross and Keith Smith, with mechanics Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers, on 23 November 1919, arrived at Bandar Abbas where at least one cover was picked up, for onward transmission to Victoria Australia. <Jain, London Philatelist, September 2015> They flew Vickers Vimy G-EAOU (known as “God ‘Elp All Of Us”). http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Vickers%20Vimy%20G-EAOU.htm November 23.—Left Basra 6.30; perfect day, beautiful sunrise. Flew over Bushire along coast Persian Gulf, landed Bunder Abbas 2.20. Nearly eight hours in the air; machine never faltered. Persian coast very rough and barren. Passed several R.A.F. emergency grounds. Welcomed here (Bunder Abbas) by British Consul, the O.C. troops, and the local Persian Governor. Great interest manifested by local inhabitants; some had never seen an aeroplane. Hope to reach Karachi to-morrow if wind favourable, otherwise Charbar. <Diary of Captain Ross-Smith in “Flight”> 1920 26 February 1920 “Flight” reports – “As one surmised would be the case, the Bolshies are now becoming possessed of regular squadrons of aeroplanes, and in the Askhabad area, on the northern frontier of Persia, some of these are getting pretty busy. Amongst other purposes the planes are being used for distributing propaganda literature amongst the ‘‘heathen”.” 2 March 1920 On the Rome-Tokyo flight the pilot Lieutenant Ferrarin carried a small mail from Bandar Abbas (29 February 1920) and Charbar, arriving at Karachi on 3 March 1920. Also flying from Rome to Tokyo were Captain Masiero who carried a small mail from Bandar Abbas (2 March 1920) arriving at Karachi on 3 March 1920; and Captain Ranza who carried a small mail from Charbar (19 April 1920) arriving at Karachi on 21 April 1920. 4 March 1920 “Flight” reports - “Capt. MATTHEWS on his Sopwith ‘Wallaby’ arrived at Karachi on March 4 at 4.50 p.m., having flown from Jask, Gulf of Oman, Persia, whence he started at 7.45 a.m. It had been necessary to fly as slowly as possible as the propeller was in a shaky condition.”
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