The great adventure is over!
For those lucky few of us who took part in the whole flight, it was an amazing experience. For those who came to the various stops, or who flew accompanying aircraft at different stages, it certainly provided memories that will endure.
At each stop we were welcomed with enthusiasm, and sometimes (notably Benalla and Wangaratta), by crowds of hundreds of people, despite freezing weather. Even this was eclipsed by the ‘whole town’ welcome from Harden, an amazing event that will soon be fully recorded.
Mail was carried by a wide range of aircraft – RAAF trainers, a glider, the magnificent Dragon Rapide 1930’s airliner with its marvellous Royal Mail badge, a 1940’s Wirraway ‘fighter’ aircraft, a Piper Cub, a formation flight, and not least some Australian lightweight aircraft including the mighty Jabiru. On the ground it was conveyed by French cars ranging from 1905 models to the mighty Citroen DS, and for the fianl stage it was guarded and escorted by the Australian version of the French Republican Guard .
The full story will eventually be told, and the history of 1914 will be completed, but at the moment we have time for only a couple of quick messages: the participants, including the IT department, were exhausted and now have to attend to the final philatelic details.
Mail
collected enroute and the ordered postcards will be sent out on Friday 18 July,
the exact hundredth anniversary of Guillaux’ arrival in Australia. If you
order postcards from the website today (Wednesday 16) or tomorrow (Thursday 17)
we will be able to include them.