Stamp collectors, aviation
history addicts....
July 1914: the French aviator Maurice Guillaux
carried 1785 specially prepared and numbered postcards from Melbourne to
Sydney, taking 2 days 5 hours and 43 minutes. This year, we are co-ordinating a
major re-enactment flight: 1785 numbered postcards, based on the originals,
will be carried. Read on to find out how to secure these valuable items!
Aviation Historical Society of
Australia (NSW) inc
Air Mail Centenary Commemoration Group
The original flight, 16-18 July 2014
Maurice Guillaux spent fewer
than 200 days in Australia in 1914. He gave air displays of amazing aerobatics
in Sydney, Newcastle, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Melbourne,
Bendigo, Ballarat, Adelaide and Bathurst. He was the first person in Australia
to fly a seaplane.
But he is mainly remembered
for his mail flight, as above. It was an epic feat: it was claimed as the
longest such flight in the world at that time.
His flight occurred just
before the start of World War I and so his epic feat was largely lost to
historic memory.
How to buy your postcards
You can choose from the
‘standard’ card ($30) with the lower denomination stamp (currently 60c) or the
$35 ‘premium’ card with the lower denomination 60c stamp and the higher
denomination stamp (currently $2.60). Website purchasers can select the number
they prefer.
There will be no extra
charge if stamp prices rise before the commemorative stamps are issued. You
will be able to print off your purchase details and will also receive by post a
Certificate of Purchase. On 18 July, the exact
anniversary of the conclusion of Guillaux’ flight your card will be sent by
registered mail to the address you provided.
Buy now: get your choice of low numbers and assist the re-enactment!
Christine Ewoldt,
manager, philately
Original
card carried on the 1914 flight. Ours is very similar: we alter the small print
to reflect the present flight and instead of Inauguration of Australia’s Aerial Mail we have Re-enactment
of Australia’s Aerial Mail, with the date 2014.
The 2014
re-enactment 12-14 July 2014
We
are using a Jabiru aircraft (Australian-designed, Australian built) as our lead
aircraft. It is a lightweight sports aircraft, of similar weight and engine
capacity to the Bleriot. It will be flown by John Fowles, from Albury, who is
one of the most experienced Jabiru pilots in Australia. It will be escorted by
an all-weather aircraft that can take over the carriage of the mail for a few
stops if necessary because of bad weather.
The
arrival of the mail will be a central feature of the Bastille Day celebrations,
conducted by the French community in Australia, to be held at the Parade
Grounds, Centennial Park, on Bastille Day, Monday July 14. On July 18, the
centenary of the arrival of the original flight in Sydney, your postcards will
be backstamped and mailed to you by registered post.