Brazil - Lati. 1939 (Dec 20) Cover from Bahia, Brazil, to Germany franked 5400r, carried on the first Lati service from Rio de Janeiro to Rome, which crashed in Morocco on December 21st killing all the occupants. Handstamped "VOO INAUGURAL BRASIL ITALIA / DEZEMBRO 1939 XVIII", extensive fire damage, with an explanatory label applied in Frankfurt. Very scarce, only a small part of the mail recovered. Nierinck 391224a.

Finland / Sweden. 1941-44 Covers (2) and a card, the 1941 military postcard to Sweden from a Swedish volunteer in the Finnish army, waterstained and a Finland stamp from another item attached, from the Helsinki to Stockholm crash near Abo on November 7th with Finnish/Swedish/French trilingual cachet; and 1944 covers from Sweden to USA franked 70ore or to Istanbul with the stamps washed off, both from the B.O.A.C flight to England which crashed on the Kinnekulle Mountain on August 28th, with boxed explanatory cachet in English or label in Swedish. N.411107, 440829a,b. (3).

Canada / USA. 1941 Cover (with letter) and a severely burnt letter sent within the USA, both forwarded from Detroit in ambulance envelopes, with violet cachet or printed explanatory slip "RECOVERED FROM PLANE / DAMAGED OCT 30 1941 AT / SHEDDON ONT. CANADA" (the American Airlines New York to Chicago flight crashing on Canadian territory); and a cover from Ottawa to Edmonton with the stamp washed off, backstamped "District Superintendent of Postal Services / OCT 1 1941 / NORTH BAY, ONT.", from a mail bag lost from a mail compartment of a Trans Canada Air Lines aircraft (not recorded by Nierinck). N.411030. (3).

France & Colonies. 1942-45 Covers comprising 1942 (Sep 24) cover franked 1f.20 from Grenoble to Casablanca, fire damaged and repaired, reverse endorsed "accident avion Alger Gare le 2/10/42", backstamped at Alger Gare (Oct 7), from an Air France crash near Ameur El Ain; 1944 (March 7) cover from Beit Chebab, Lebanon, to Kankan in French Guinea, fire damaged, arrival backstamp (Apr 3) and "COURIER SINISTRE" cachet; and 1945 (Jan 1) stampless soldiers cover to Algiers with Poste Aux Armees c.d.s and "AVION ACCIDENT" cachet, from an Air France crash at Le Bourget. N.420927, 440313a, 450102a. (3).

Ireland / Nigeria. 1943 (July 23) Cover from Ibadan, Nigeria to England franked 1/3, triangular censor cachet, minor soiling, handstamped violet "DAMAGED BY / FIRE IN TRANSIT". From the B.O.A.C Lisbon to Poole flying boat which got lost and crashed in fog on Mount Brandon in Northern Ireland on July 27th, killing ten people. Less than 10% of the 30,000 letters on board were recovered, many severely damaged; the mail was mainly from West Africa or from British P.O.Ws in the Far East. A very scarce crash cover, unusually good condition for mail from this crash. N.430728. Photo on Page 28. (Image1)

G.B / Sweden / Canada. 1944 (Aug 25) Cover from Forshaga, Sweden to New York franked 1k60, recovered from the August 29th B.O.A.C flight to England which crashed on the Kinnekulle Mountain, handstamped violet boxed "Damaged through an air- / plane accident in course / of conveyance", backstamped at Stockholm (Sep 1), censored in USA. Also 1945 (Jan 22) stampless O.A.S cover from a Canadian airman in G.B, to Canada, cachet of No 435 Sqn. R.C.A.F on reverse, F.P.O 10 c.d.s and violet "SALVAGED FROM / AIR CRASH", upper right corner burnt, believed to be from an R.C.A.F Dakota which crashed at Biggin Kill in Kent on January 25th. N.440829b, 450125. (2).

Canada / Europe. 1944-45 Covers to or from Canadian soldiers in Europe, most with some soiling or fire damage, eleven handstamped "SALVAGED FROM / AIR CRASH", five of these dated March 1944 apparently from a crash in Italy, the other six apparently from a January 1945 crash at Biggin Hill, also an ambulance envelope probably used to forward a cover from this crash. N.440300, 450125a. (13).

Bahrain - India / Hong Kong. 1947 Registered cover from India franked 1r11p or from Hong Kong franked $1 (a further stamp washed off) and another cover probably from India with stamps washed off, all to England, from the B.O.A.C flying boat "Portland" which crashed at Bahrein on August 23rd whilst en route from Hong Kong to England, killing ten people. Handstamped boxed "DAMAGED BY SEA WATER" (2 types) in violet or "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER I.S" in black, the Hong Kong cover with some edge faults. N.470823. (3).

Ireland / Sweden. 1952 (Jan 9) Long window envelope from Stockholm franked 30ore, soiled, the reverse bearing the typewritten note "This item was / recovered from the / wreck of the / Aer Lingus plane / St. Kevin. / Post-Cheanntar / Baile Atha Cliath / (B.F.S 14.1.52)" applied with two Irish "Official Seal, Cover Found Open or Torn" labels each bearing a Dublin c.d.s (Jan 14). The Aer Lingus plane "St. Kevin" was flying from London to Dublin when it crashed in a hailstorm in North Wales on January 10th killing all 23 occupants; a small amount of mail from Europe was recovered. Very scarce. N.520110a. Photo on Page 28. (Image1)

India - Malaya / Hong Kong. 1953 (Apr 15 - May 1) Covers to England all recovered from the first B.O.A.C Comet crash near Calcutta on May 2nd (in which all 37 passengers and crew died), comprising cover from Singapore franked 70c; air letter from Siliau, Negri Sembilan, franked 30c; stampless O.H.M.S cover from Hong Kong Dockyard; and a letter found detached from its original envelope so enclosed in an Indian ambulance envelope, all handstamped violet "SALVAGED MAIL / "Comet" Crash, Near Calcutta / 2nd May 1953", first type cachet with large date, second type with large date and error "Galcutta" (2), or third type with smaller date. N.530502. (4).

Malaya. 1954 Covers from Singapore (3, two registered) or Malaysia (2) to G.B, all from the second Comet crash near the island of Elba on January 10th, which killed all passengers and crew. One cover with four Malaya meter marks totalling 70c, the others all with their stamps washed off, cachets comprise red "DAMAGED BY SEAWATER / COMET MAIL" (2), violet "DAMAGED IN COMET / AIRCRAFT CRASH" (2) or black boxed "DAMAGED BY SEA-WATER" (not recorded by Nierinck, triangular framed "I.S" alongside), the last with sellotape at the edges, otherwise fine, one with Officially Sealed labels. N.540110b, c. (5).

Malaya / Holland. 1954 (Jan 8) Registered cover from Singapore to Amsterdam with $1 meter, from the Comet crash near Elba, minor water damage, bearing the explanatory label "Door ongeval beschadigd to / Amsterdam CS ontvangen" tied by Amsterdam Central Station c.d.s (Jan 19), not recorded by Nierinck although one cover (probably this one) is mentioned in Major Hopkin's book. A rare cover, virtually all mail from this crash being to G.B, this cover received a week earlier than the U.K mail, ex Hardeman Smith collection. N.540110. Photo on Page 28. (Image1)

North Borneo. 1954 Large cover from North Borneo to England, the stamps washed off, from the Comet crash near Elba, handstamped red "DAMAGED BY SEAWATER / COMET MAIL" with "Officially Sealed" tape tied by London F.S datestamps (Feb. 1), a very unusual origin. N.540110a.

Italy - Pakistan / Burma. 1954 (Jan 7-8) Burma 6a air letter from Rangoon, another stamp washed off, and a cover from Karachi with water damage and the stamps washed off, to England, both recovered from the Comet crash near Elba, the air letter handstamped red "DAMAGED BY SEAWATER / COMET CRASH" with a London F.S backstamp (Jan 29), the Pakistan cover handstamped black "Corrispondenza recuperata in seguito / incidente aereo del" with separate "10 GEN 1954". A good pair, the Italian cachet unrecorded from this crash by Nierinck, although he records the same cachet used four days later on mail from another crash near Rome. N.540110. (2).

Singapore / N.Z. 1954 (Mar 10/11) Covers recovered from B.O.A.C Lockheed Constellation "Belfast" Sydney to London flight which crashed at Singapore on March 13th killing 33 passengers and crew. The covers, all to G.B, comprise a New Zealand cover with the usual boxed cachet, enclosed within an ambulance envelope bearing similar printed cachet; registered cover from Wellington franked 2/- (red "IRREGULARLY POSTED" cachet) with violet loose type "SALVAGED MAIL / SINGAPORE CRASH" ("A" inserted in "Mail" in manuscript); and an ambulance envelope with similar cachet (missing the "A"). N.540313a, aa, bb. (4).

Singapore / Australia. 1954 (Mar 11) Cover from Sydney to London with 2/- meter, a little stained, with red boxed "SALVAGED MAIL / AIRCRAFT CRASH / SINGAPORE 13.3.1954", enclosed within an ambulance envelope bearing the loose type violet cachet "SALVAGED M IL / SINGAPORE CRASH" (missing "A" in Mail). N540313a/bb. (2).

Singapore / Cyprus / Australia. 1954 Cover from Melbourne to Cyprus franked 2/- with red Singapore Crash cachet, Nicosia arrival backstamp (Mar 24), a very unusual destination. N.540313a.

Samoa / Singapore / India. 1954 (Mar 5) Cover from Apia, Western Samoa, to India repaired with two "Found Open and Officially Secured" labels, five strikes of the red boxed "SALVAGED MAIL / AIRCRAFT CRASH / SINGAPORE 13.3.1954" (3 strikes on the Officially Sealed labels), backstamped in Bombay (Mar 23), roughly torn open at left, nevertheless a rare origin and destination, and use of Officially Sealed labels in Singapore. N.540313a. Photo on Page 30. (Image1)

Ireland / Singapore / Australia. 1954 (Mar 11) Australia 3½d lettercard uprated 2½d + 1/6, to Dublin, a little edge singeing, unusually without the usual Singapore crash cachet but endorsed on reverse "Salvaged Mail, Aircraft Crash, Singapore 13-3-1954", very scarce. N.540313d.

Singapore - Royal Household Mail. 1954 Stampless cover with royal arms on the flap, addressed to "Major Edward Ford, C.B., M.V.O, Buckingham Palace" and endorsed "By Bag", edge singeing, with violet boxed "SALVAGED MAIL / AIRCRAFT CRASH / SINGAPORE 13.3.1954. One bag of mail from the royal party then touring Australia (being sent back to London in a special bag outside the normal postal system) was recovered from the crash at Singapore; mail in this one bag received the "Salvaged Mail" cachet in violet instead of red. Very scarce. N540313h. Photo on Page 30. (Image1)

Singapore / New Zealand. 1954 (Mar 11) Registered cover from New Zealand to London franked 2/-, with the rare loose type violet cachet "DAMAGED BY FIRE / SINGAPORE CRASH" applied to both the front and reverse of the cover, the cachet on reverse with the top line crossed through in crayon and similar type "SALVAGED MAIL / SINGAPORE CRASH" applied above (the "A" in "Mail inserted by hand). This "Damaged by Fire" cachet not recorded by Nierinck but one other example is known, on a large registered cover from Australia, sold in the last Argyll Etkin auction (1 Oct. 2020, lot 37) for £2,500. A very rare cover. N.540313. Photo on Page 30. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image1)

France / Singapore / N.Z. 1954 (Mar 11) Cover from Auckland to Paris franked 1/9, minor singeing, handstamped red boxed "SALVAGED MAIL / AIRCRAFT CRASH / SINGAPORE 13.3.1954", the reverse with boxed "PARVENU EN MAUVAIS / ETAT A PARIS-AVIATION / LE 19-3-54 / REPARE PAR NOS SOINS" (the final line crossed out), an unusual destination, vertical fold, the French cachet very scarce. N540313a, c.

Sudan. 1954 (Apr 7) W.H Smith newspaper wrapper containing a complete airmail edition of "The Daily Telegraph", from London to Khartoum, water damaged with the stamp washed off, from the third Comet crash which occured in the Mediterranean on April 8th, killing all 21 passengers and crew. Two mailbags were recovered with mail to Sudan, one opened at Khartoum, the other in Rome. A rare wrapper from the "Khartoum" mailbag bearing the explanatory label "This item was amongst mail / salvaged from B.O.A.C Comet / GALYY which came down in the / sea north of Stromboli on / 8th April 1957", the wrapper and label both with "Sudan Air Mail Khartoum" c.d.s (Apr 29). We only know of one other similar complete wrapper and newspaper. N.540408a. Photo on Page 30. (Image1)

Sudan / Italy. 1954 (Apr 6) Cover from Bournemouth to Khartoum, a little water damaged and the stamp washed off, recovered from the Comet crash near Stromboli, from the second mailbag to be recovered and opened in Rome. Handstamped violet "Corrispondenza recuperata in seguito / incidente aereo del" with separate "8 MAR 1954" altered in manuscript to "April". Very scarce. N.540408b. Photo on Page 32. (Image1)

South Africa / G.B. 1954 (Apr 6) 6d Air letter from Sidcup to a passenger on the Union Castle Liner "Drakensberg Castle" at Cape Town, water damaged, reverse with large violet "SALVAGED MAIL / COMET CRASH / 8.4.54", a "Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co. Ltd, Cape Town" receipt cachet dated 23 July 1954, fifteen weeks after the Comet Crash in the Mediterranean, near Stromboli. Nierinck states two mailbags for Sudan were recovered from the crash; this air letter proves a third bag for South Africa must have been recovered several weeks later. Very rare, one of five recorded examples all on similar G.B air letters. N.540408c. Photo on Page 32. (Image1)