Page 404 - Sierra Leone to 1961 - The Collection
P. 404
Air Mail Services
Elders Colonial Airways Service to Bathurst to connect with German Service to Europe
On 25 June 1938 Elders Colonial Airways Limited introduced a service from Freetown to Bathurst, piloted
by Captain W. Pudney. The aircraft was a Short Scion flying boat, G-AENX. Mail was specially handstamped
to mark the first flight, which left one day later than planned due to mechanical difficulties.
23 June 1938 - Freetown to London, United Kingdom.
The northbound Freetown to Bathurst scheduled weekly services were coded ‘FB’ and a sequential number. This
cover was carried by Elders Colonial Airways Flight FB1 (25 Jun). This service connected with Deutsche Lufthansa
Flight L358 from Bathurst (25 Jun) to Frankfurt (26 Jun). The postage rate from Freetown through to the United
Kingdom was 1s 4d per half ounce.
The special First Flight handstamp was only used on FB1.
