Page 51 - 148 Years of the Royal Philatelic Society London

In 1917: U.S. joins WWl; worldwide flu pandemic strikes and kills 20 million by 1920; Winter

Palace stormed in Russian Revolution; first Pulitzer Prize; John F. Kennedy born.

At the RPSL: President Castle, joint Secretary Hausburg and prominent member Ferrari die;

Thomas W. Hall accepts post as new editor of the London Philatelist.

RPSL Presidents were M. P. Castle M.V.O., J.P. and E. D. Bacon M.V.O.

Patron H.M. King George V. Membership 297.

WWl OFFICIAL MAIL

FLOWN BY THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS

From the collection of Barry Scott FRPSL.

Member since 1975. Lives in New Zealand.

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FL.Y 1

'On Field Service' official mail from the Royal Flying Corps, Aircraft Park l.E.F. "D" station at Basra,

whose purpose was to assemble and maintain the aircraft in operations against the Turkish forces in

Mesopotamia during World War 1. This letter was posted at F.P.O. No 56 on 14th June 1917 to

Yorkshire. Official records state that "all RFC mail and important letters are to be flown from Basra

via the 'air corridor' to Baghdad and beyond to be delivered to the recipients without delay". Private

correspondence from service personnel was included in this airmail service.