Page 8 - Chinese International Airmail to 1949

1.1.2 IAL Hong Kong to Bangkok, IAL Empire Service to Europe

Rate 1.1.2.6: 1 Nov 1939 to 13 Jun 1940 (225 days).
Surface first 20g $0.50 Air per 5g to Western Europe $1.75

11 May 1940 ‑ Posted in Shanghai intended for the Dutch airline KLM in Amsterdam. Single rate letter $0.50 + $1.75 = $2.25.

The sender of this letter intended that it should
travel on the BOAC Empire Service from Hong Kong
to London, and then be forwarded to Amsterdam.

The first steps were successful:
• BY I.A.L. / Hongkong handstamp applied in
Shanghai (McQueen Type 31)
• Surface to Hong Kong (arrived 15 May)
• Censored in Hong Kong
• Flown by Delia (HB237) from Hong Kong
(15 May) to Bangkok (15 May)
• Flown by Camilla (S240) from Bangkok
(16 May) to Poole, UK (22 May). Reverse: Hong Kong backstamp and German censorship (75%).

The British Post Office knew that there was no longer a service to The Netherlands, so struck the boxed NO SERVICE
handstamp and sent the cover back to the sender in China. The regulations stated that such mail should be returned
by surface mail, so the Par Avion label was struck through with red cancelling bars. The likely route being Lisbon,
Berlin (where it was censored by the Germans), Moscow and then by the Trans‑Siberian Railway to China. Back
in Shanghai, the envelope received the roller cancellation dated 19 July and the handstamp Réexpédié par voie
ordinaire après / été retourné à Shanghai (English: Forwarded by ordinary mail after / it was returned to Shanghai).