Page 10 - Cameo 53

West African Airmail First Flights, Part 3

Jeremy Martin

The earlier parts of this listing have appeared in previous Cameos (Ref. 1). I have already received some
additional information; more is welcomed. Much of what has been written needs substantiating or clarifying.

1940

1 April BOAC took over operations of Imperial Airways and British Airways.
April French African airline, Aeromaritime, added Lagos [Nigeria] and Accra [Gold Coast] to their
route from Point Noire [Belgian Congo] to Dakar [Senegal]. Service terminated in June 1940.
23 May Cover ex UK via Aeromaritime in Dakar, arrived Bathurst [Gambia] 23 May. Last outward
Aeromaritime flight from France.
26 May Dunkirk evacuation until 4 June.
10 June Italy entered war.
10 June Sekondi [Gold Coast] to London [United Kingdom] by Aeromaritime. Envelope marked on
reverse 'last airmail from Africa received 1 July 1940'.
14 June ECA suspended operations. Never resumed.
17 June France capitulated.
19 June Accra to Freetown [Sierra Leone] service noted by Muller (Ref. 2). Carrier unknown.
28 June BOAC suspended Khartoum [Sudan] to Takoradi [Gold Coast] service. Vichy government
banned British flights across Sahara.
July French governor of Chad allowed BOAC to refuel at Fort Lamy. BOAC resumed Lagos to
Khartoum land-plane route.
July BOAC operated African west coast route connecting UK with Lagos. Route was Poole
[United Kingdom] - Lisbon [Portugal] - Bathurst - Freetown - Lagos.
6 - 9 August BOAC carried out a new survey for a UK to West Africa route. Capt. Lorraine in Clyde flew
Poole - Lisbon - Bathurst - Freetown - Lagos.
19 August Capt. Lorraine took Clyde on a special flight to Leopoldville [Belgian Congo]. A meeting on
board brought French Equatorial Africa on to the Allied side. At Leopoldville this would
connect with the Horseshoe Route at Kisamu [Kenya].
August BOAC resumed the Takoradi to Khartoum service and later extended it to Cairo [Egypt].
September BOAC flying boats Cassiopeia, Corinthian and Cooee flew from Poole to Lagos. The Cooee
continued to Leopoldville. Later all three flew to Lake Victoria, presumably Kisamu, to join
the Horseshoe Route.
19 October BOAC began a series of flights at ten day intervals using flying boats Clyde and Clare to
connect Poole - Lisbon - Bathurst - Freetown - Lagos.
October SABENA, by arrangement with BOAC, opened a weekly service Takoradi - Lagos - Douala
[Cameroons] - Libenge [Belgian Congo] - Stanleyville [Belgian Congo] - Juba [Sudan] -
Khartoum - Cairo.

1941

13 February Direct service Gambia to UK suspended. Alternative weekly route via Sierra Leone.
15 February Flying boat Clyde lost in a gale at Lisbon. Loss reduced frequency of UK to Lagos service.
1 April Imperial Airways absorbed into BOAC.
May At end of May, SABENA's Takoradi to Cairo service terminated at Juba. The Juba to Cairo
section was flown by BOAC flying boat services.
3 July Private letters from Gambia could be sent airmail to the UK 'Not guaranteed. No enquiries'.
4 July BOAC opened flying boat route Lagos - Libreville [Gabon] - Pointe Noire - Leopoldville -
Coquilhatville [Belgian Congo] - Stanleyville - Port Bell [Uganda] - the river Nile - Cairo.
28 October Pan-Am began thrice-weekly service Accra to Khartoum; later extended west to Takoradi.