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Auction: 18030 - Brunei, The Collection formed by Bill Toye
Lot: 185

Brunei
Covers and Cancellations
Air Mail
1930 R.A.F. Survey Flights
1930 (28 June) envelope addressed to and by F/O Grierson to Singapore bearing 4c., 5c. and 10c. cancelled by Brunei c.d.s. with the deep blue "by air mail" label at foot which has been endorsed "To Singapore" in red ink, the reverse with Singapore (7.7) arrival. Field handstamp on the reverse. It is believed that only 28 covers were carried, of these it is thought that only two were sent from Brunei to Singapore. Photo

The first ever flight in Brunei took place on the 31st of May 1930 when two RAF Southampton seaplanes, S1419 and S1149 visited Kuala Belait from Miri. This was part of a larger “Borneo tour” expedition from the R.A.F. base in Singapore for a reconnaissance and survey of the northern coastline of Borneo to locate suitable sites and seaplanes bases for later use.


The crews of the S1419 aircraft were Squadron Leader, G.E. Livock, F/O Grierson and LAC Baker; while the crews for the S1149 aircraft were F/O Nicholettes, Sgt Tansley and LAC Buckingham.


Outward flight


On May 31st 1930, the S1149 left Miri for Kuala Belait although the S1419 remained until the following day. On June 1st 1930, both planes flew to Brunei town and thence to Labuan and Jesselton on the 2nd of June 1930. There has been no records of letters sent to North Borneo or Labuan on this outward flight.

Return flight

The two planes flew to Brunei on the 26th June 1930 and after two reconnaissance flights, both planes on the 1st of July 1930 and travelled via Miri, Bintulu, Sibu, Kuching then on to Singapore.


Covers carried on this flight to Sarawak are usually found bearing a special cachet inscribed AIR MAIL BRUNEI. Some covers also bear the ordinary Brunei circular datestamp but all correspondence appears to be affixed with either brown or blue airmail etiquette .

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Sold for
£4,200