Imperial Airways: The Birth of the British Airline Industry 1914-1940

227 Pages·2009·123.06 MB·English

by  Robert Bluffield

IMPERIAL AIRWA'tS
THE BIRTH OF THE BRITISH AIRLINE INDUSTRY
I 9 14- I 940
IMPERIAL AIRWAYS
I I
and lhe EAST
TO CAPE TOWN
TO THE CONTINENT
IMPERIAL AIRWAYS
THE BIRTH OF THE BRITISH AIRLINE INDUSTRY
1914-1940
Robert Bluffield
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my dear wife, Frances
I also dedicate it to the crew, passengers and those on the ground who were the innocent victims of Pan Am
Flight 103 that was blown from the sky over Lockerbie on Wednesday 21 December 1988
During the course of its short journey from London Heathrow on that fateful evening, the flight path of the
Boeing 747 would have taken it over my home in Milton Keynes
I also dedicate this work to the innocent victims that lost their lives in the dreadful events of
11 September 2001
These events altered the whole ethos of flying for ever more
The Author
Robert 'Bob' Bluffield was born in London and has had a wide and varied career that includes
advertising, cinema management, publishing and working as a private investigator. During the 1970s he
started a successful photographic studio and wrote technical features for the photographic press which
inspired three books; one on wedding photography, the others on the business aspects of running a
photography business. More recently, he has been contributing editor to a Home Counties-based
company that publishes business and lifestyle n<agazines, he has produced web copy for various clients
and has completed a history for a Bedfordshire company. He also writes about political issues, travel,
food and wine, cars, modern history and lifestyle subjects.
Bob has a lifelong interest in public transport but this is his first aviation book. He enjoys good food
and wine, travel and reading non-fiction. He is married and lives in Milton Keynes.
His web site is at www.robertbluffield.co.uk
Imperial Airways North American trade distribution:
© 2009 Robert Bluffield Specialty Press Publishers & Wholesalers Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056, USA
ISBN 978 1 906537 07 4 Fax: [phone] Tel: [phone]
Toll free telephone: [phone]
Produced by Chevron Publishing Limited www.specialtypress.com
Project Editor: Robert Forsyth Printed in England by !an Allan Printing Ltd
Assistant Editor: Mark Nelson Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road,
(www.chevronpublishing.co.uk) Hersham, Surrey, KT12 4RG
Cover and book design: Mark Nelson All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
©Text: 2009 Robert Bluffield reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in
©Colour profiles:Tim Brown any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or
Index: A! an Thatcher photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the
written permission of the publishers.
Published by !an Allan Publishing
CLASSIC Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road, Visit the !an Allan Publishing website at:
Hersham, Surrey, KT12 4RG www.ianallanpublishing.com
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHAPTER ONE A LACK OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST- 1914-1919 9
CHAPTER TWO THE RISE AND FALL OF THE PIONEERS- 1920-1923 23
CHAPTER THREE THE BIRTH OF IMPERIALAIRWAYSANDTHE PILOTS' DISPUTE-1924 39
CHAPTER FOUR THE MIDDLE EAST AND SURVEYING THE CAPE ROUTE- 1925 49
CHAPTER FIVE COBHAM SURVEYS THE LINK TO AUSTRALIA-1926 57
CHAPTER SIX MOVING FORWARD -1927-1928 65
CHAPTER SEVEN THE START OF THE INDIA SERVICE- 1929 79
CHAPTER EIGHT THE RIO I DISASTER AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE HP42 -1930 89
CHAPTER NINE THE HP42 ENTERS SERVICE, THE AFRICA ROUTE AND AIR MAILS TO AUSTRALIA-1931 101
CHAPTER TEN THEATALANTAANDTHE OPENING OF THE CAPE ROUTE -1932 113
CHAPTER ELEVEN THE ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA ROUTE NEARS FRUITION- 1933 121
CHAPTER TWELVE QANTAS EMPIRE AIRWAYS AND RAILWAY AIR SERVICES- 1934 131
CHAPTER THIRTEEN ALL THEWAYTOTHE CAPE BY AIR -AT LAST- 1935 141
CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE WEST AFRICA SERVICE OPENS, THE FIRST BRITISH AIRWAYS AND
THE C-CLASS FLYING-BOATS- 1936 161
CHAPTER FIFTEEN NON-STOP FROM ALEXANDRIA, THE MAYO PROJECT AND THE DEATHS OF
GEODES AND SAMUEL INSTONE- 1937 171
CHAPTER SIXTEEN NEW MONOPLANES AND THE CADMAN REPORT- 1938 185
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN SCHEDULED TRANSATLANTIC OPERATIONS BEGIN, BOAC
AND THE OUTBREAK OF WAR- 1939-1940 201
APPENDIX I BRITISH AIRLINES AND THEIR AIRCRAFT 210
APPENDIX 2 MAJOR ACCIDENTS & INCIDENTS INVOLVING BRITISH REGISTERED
COMMERCIAL PASSENGER AIRCRAFT 1919-1940 219
SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 221
INDEX 222
INTRODUCTION
MA NY years ago by chance I picked up the Penguin paperback Princess flying boat that once sat neglected and forlorn on a ramp on the
edition of Alexander Frater's wonderful book, Beyond the Blue Medina River at Calshot. This vast, historic machine joined the great
Horizon (Penguin 1986). I was searching for some light reading to take on Shorts Empire boats and the Sikorsky, Martin and Boeing Clippers of Pan
holiday and was browsing through the travel section in a local shop, when American Airways to the breaker's yards and I regret not being old
I was attracted by the cover. Until then I knew little about Imperial enough to have ever seen any of these stately machines either statically or
Airways; less still about the pioneering days of civil aviation and nothing in flight.
at all about the people who surveyed the routes or founded and managed My interest started to grow but it soon became apparent that there
the first airlines. The inter-war period has often been referred to as the was relatively little in print about the formative years of British civil
Golden Years of civil aviation but in reality flying during this period was aviation. There are numerous excellent books dealing with aircraft types;
anything but glamorous. Aircraft were extremely basic, unreliable, noisy, especially those published by Putnam, but when I conm1enced this
uncomfortable and frequently very unsafe and anyone who actually project there were few titles that told the stories of the early British
wanted to fly as a passenger in one of the early aircraft must have been airlines or anything about the people and the companies that operated the
either foolhardy or nurtured a death wish. Fortunately there were a flimsy former war machines on the first London to Paris services. I was
number of innovative entrepreneurs, pioneering pilots and aircraft aware of Robin Higham's exceptional book Britain's Imperial Air Routes
manufacturers who had the courage to follow their beliefs that 1918 to 1939, first published in 1960, but my exhaustive efforts to locate
conm1ercial aviation had a future. A certain number of well-heeled a copy failed for some considerable time despite visiting second-hand
members of the public were also brave enough to support the pioneers shops and book fairs far and wide. My local library eventually located a
and were prepared to fly in the early machines. But, had it not been for copy and I also acquired a copy of The Early Birds that tells the story of
the untiring efforts of individuals such as George HoltThomas, Sir Sefton the Inst one Airhne, one of the four independents that came together to
Brancker, the Short brothers, Frederick Handley Page, Geoffrey de form Imperial Airways.
Havilland, John Alcock and Arthur Brown, Alan Cob ham, the Inst ones, As my quest for knowledge rapidly grew; I became conscious that my
Herbert Brackley and others, then civil aviation would not have lust for information was developing into an obsession and I feared I was
progressed as rapidly as it did. Those prepared to take massive risks to becoming a bore and turning into an 'anorak'. I attended a growing
follow their dreams pushed the boundaries and somehow, during the number of air shows, more to rummage through the shelves of old books
process, managed to create an amazing industry against overwhelming and memorabilia than to watch the flying displays. It was at this point that
odds. Some lost everything, including their lives, but the tragedies and I came into contact with a specialist book dealer that was at that time
devastation that inflicted some merely strengthened the resolve of the located in a run-down, dusty shop in Holloway Road, North London.
remainder. The British Government was also extremely uncompromising There I met Simon Watson, who now owns The Aviation Book Shop, the
and showed a remarkable lack of support, refusing to accept that the business he formerly managed, but which he now runs from a new,
burgeoning industry would eventually replace merchant shipping as the brighter location in Tunbridge Wells. Using Simon's enthusiasm,
most convenient way to reach the distant corners of Britain's once knowledge and recommendations I bought every book I could find that
mighty Empire. contained the slightest reference to Imperial Airways (see the lengthy
Frater's work is an intriguing account of a journey that he made to bibhography at the end of the book). This allowed me to form a picture
replicate, as closely as possible, the original path of the Empire Route to in my mind of how the early airlines were conceived and operated. Simon
Australia that Imperial Airways had opened with Qantas Empire Airways then called me to say that he had located an almost mint condition copy
in 1935. Flying on modern day aircraft between each stage, Frater used of Higham's book. I was delighted. I wanted my own copy and to avoid
comparisons and contemporary reports to describe, in sharp detail, the the risk of entrusting the Post Office to deliver such a valuable title, I
conditions early passengers had to endure while travelling through immediately set off to London keen to get my hands on the book. This
Europe, the Middle East, India and South East Asia during the 1930s. The became my bible. As I read and re-read the factual information held in its
author searched for, and found, some of the remaining colourful pages I was more convinced than ever that a modern version of the
characters who had been associated in some way with the route and Imperial Airways story needed to be told, not least because Higham's
Frater's lively prose managed to convey a colourful and interesting pot book has become extremely rare. I owe much to Robin's authoritative
pourri of a former age. The book paints a fascinating portrait of the work, and admire the way he examined the political intrigue behind the
formative years of civil aviation, but more importantly it compares airline Government's first Chosen Instrument. However, I felt there was still
travel then to now. The book is a thoroughly good read but it left me plenty more to be told especially about the other independent companies
unfulfilled because it provoked a desire to learn more about the dreams that operated small aircraft on internal services, many of them between
and aspirations of the adventurous men (and a few women) who risked some surprising British locations. I also felt an urge to delve much deeper
their lives to open a viable network of conm1ercial routes. Being into the way commercial aviation was conceived in this country,
inquisitive by nature (my wife insists I am nosey) left me with a need to domestically and internationally, during the unsettled period between
learn more about the lives of the individuals who surveyed inhospitable two costly and devastating world wars. In order to do this I have drawn
virgin territory to open mail and passenger services that would eventually comparisons with developments in other countries that may have directly
span the world. or indirectly influenced the industry's progression here. This has included
The book also left me curious about the role of the flying boats.T hese an account of some of the earliest overseas passenger services and an
leviathans of the sky ceased operating long ago, leaving behind a legacy of examination of a short-lived obsession with lighter than air dirigibles
intrigue that conjures up a very different way of travel since replaced by that, for a period, captured the Government's imagination.
the cramped, sterile cabins of modern sub-sonic airliners. When I started As tends to happen, during the lengthy process of bringing this
my research, my experience of flying boats was restricted to the Short project to fruition, I have witnessed a sudden growth in the number of
Sunderland exhibited at the Imperial War Museum's Duxford facility and parallel books that have appeared to satisfY a certain nostalgic interest in
to watching rare appearances of a couple of airworthy Consolidated the old airlines. The most notable titles appeared not long after I had
Catalina amphibians performing magnificently at air shows. I also have a started my research but I remained undeterred. The first of these was
vague recollection when, as a ten year old, I went on a school trip to the Imperial Airways and the First British Airlines 1919-40 by the late Archie
Isle of Wight and my class was taken to see the huge Saunders Roe Jackson; a title not dissimilar to my own. Next; a succession of books
VI
about flying boats; the late John Stroud's book on The Imperial Airways Unfortunately this has meant that many photographs that I would have
Fleet and a few other titles associated with the formative years of the liked to have included have had to be omitted purely on economic
British airline industry. I contacted the eminent historian, R E G Davies grounds, but I hope those that have been obtained will more than
at his home in Virginia hoping his company, Paladwr, might be interested compensate particularly as some of these images have never been
in my project. He replied pleasantly, taking the trouble to send me a published before.
lovely handwritten letter inform.ing me that his book British Airways: My sincere hope is that the time I have spent on researching and
The Imperial Years was already in production. He asked me to keep th.is a writing th.is manuscript has not been wasted and that the end product
secret, but wished me well with my own project. I respected this and will be considered as a valuable contribution by anyone who shares an
because I have many of Ron Davies' exceptional books in my aviation interest in the history of British conm1ercial aviation. My other hope is
library I knew that anything with his name on the cover would be that the reader finds my text informative and interesting to absorb;
thoroughly researched, factual and concise in every aspect and it would nothing will displease me more than the thought that my prose m.ight be
certainly be a major challenge to my work. But, by then I was too far into considered laborious or boring.
my research to become dismayed and I remained resolute in my belief
that no single title can ever hope to tell the complete story in a limited
number of pages no matter how hard one tries. In spite of other books Robert Blufiield
entering the market I hold the view that every writer brings their own Milton Keynes
element to a particular subject, often by adding previously undiscovered June 2009
facts that can make a story slightly more unique from the next. Of course,
it is also inevitable that there be some overlap. History is history after all,
and the key facts of a non-fiction work should never be d.istorted to
become fiction. As long as authors keep to this basic rule it is always
possible to add a new dimension so that every book on a particular
theme can compliment the next. This is the fun and challenge of writing.
Every writer will describe events according to their individual slant,
placing their own varied levels of emphasis according to the author's
personal points of view. It is also human nature that d.ifferent approaches
to a comparable subject will inevitably give rise to a certain level of
disagreement over key matters of fact but this is not necessarily a bad
thing provid.ing there is no straying from the truth.
I could not have anticipated, when I took the decision to write this
book, that I was about to embark on a ten year JOurney that at times has
become extremely involved. My quest was disadvantaged because I was
hampered by the fact that almost everybody who had been involved with
the airlines during the inter-war years were no longer living. This has
meant having to rely on contemporary publications and archived records
that are not always as accurate as they might be.W henever possible I have
gone to great lengths to double or triple check my facts. But, even by
adopting a system of research that I consider to have been extremely
vigilant, there have been occasions when officially recorded information
has raised conflicts. When this has occurred I have done my utmost to
arrive at what I believe has been a calculated conclusion after evaluating
alJ of the material at my d.isposal. But on a few occasions I have been
forced to take an 'educated guess' based on my judgement of which set of
conflicting information appears to be the most reliable. Almost certainly
th.is is bound to give rise to a few uncertainties which in turn might
create disputes. If this subsequently leads to healthy dialogue then this is
no bad th.ing and I will welcome your opinions if you care to contact me.
If this can lead to me having the opportunity of rectifYing any erroneous
or uncertain material I will certainly be most grateful. In the meantime
I offer my sincere apologies in advance for anything that might be
construed as unintentionally inaccurate.
This book has really been a labour of love; my involvement has been
mostly enjoyable, but like any love affair, at times it has led to certain
frustrations. One of the major problems has been with trying to locate
and obtain permission to use historic photographs and ephemera to
illustrate the text. Few can ever earn a living by writing a work of this
kind and the production costs are considerable if the book is to be as
visually exciting as this one. Although I am extremely appreciative of the
assistance I have been given by many people, especially by Jim Davies at
the BA Museum, Peter Skinner of the Croydon A.irport Society, Simon
Watson and others named in the acknowledgements, I have been
disillusioned by the high reproduction fees demanded by others.
VII
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THIS book would never have been possible without the help, resolution files of many early timetables for inclusion in this book and I
encouragement and cooperation of a variety of individuals and cannot thank him enough for his consideration.
organisations. Out of necessity I am eternally grateful to all of the authors Mention must also be given to the US Library of Congress which
and historians who have written on the subjects I have covered within maintains a website (www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.htm.l) from which a
my text. Regrettably many of these talented people were from a former number of fascinating photographs of Imperial Aitways have been used
generation and are now no longer with us, which reminds me in my own for this book.
advancing years, of how so few aviation historians remain. Fortunately, The process of bringing an initial idea for a book to eventual
when their souls departed, they left behind legacies in the form of their publication, as any writer will know, is frequently paved with trepidation
published works that can never be erased. I am extremely grateful to my and the success of any project depends on the efforts, enthusiasm and
predecessors for the amazing amount of tireless research most of them inspiration of those involved in the publishing industry. From an early
conducted to create books containing much priceless information. I am stage in the process of writing I was greatly encouraged in my project by
also conscious that almost all of the literature that precedes this book Robert Forsyth of Chevron Publishing (www.chevronpublishing.co.uk)
had been faultlessly researched without any aid from the internet, or who has been untiring and unselfish in his support. Robert is
even word processors. Both of these media have made my life far simpler entirely responsible for the production you are now reading and he must
and in this computer age, like others, I am guilty of taking them be given full credit for introducing it to Ian Allan Publishing
for granted. (www.ianallanpublishing.com) and making it a reality. Without his
All of the books that I have read and re-read as a major part of my knowledge of the publishing industry this book simply would never have
research are included in the bibliography, but I owe particular thanks to seen the light of day. I also wish to thank Mark Nelson, also of Chevron
the wordcraft of the late John Stroud; R E G 'Ron' Davies, Archie Publishing, who has been responsible for designing the book.
Jackson, George HoltThomas, Robin Higham,John Pudney,Arthur W J Jeremy Ins tone, the grandson ofTheodore, one of the three founding
G Ord-Hume, Alfred Instone, Herbert and Frida Brackley, Sir Alan brothers of the original lnstone Air Line has also provided useful
Cob ham and many others I never had the opportunity of meeting. Most assistance by allowing me access to historic photographic images retained
of these prolific and proficient historians have long passed away, but their by his company, Instoneair (www.instoneair.com), that carries on the
shapely prose remains as a testimony of their achievements. Although I family tradition within conm1ercial aviation. I would also like to thank
have borrowed, and sometimes quoted, from their texts, I sincerely hope Eddie Creek who helped with images of early German civil aviation from
that I have given appropriate acknowledgement to their efforts where his collection.
due and I trust that I will not be charged with plagiarism in any way Family and friends will always play a key role in the progress of any
because this has never been my intention. literary work, more especially as a work of this kind involves thousands of
I owe my first great debt to Simon Watson of The Aviation Book hours spent tucked away in libraries and archives while researching, usually
Shop (www.aviation-bookshop.com) who offered me early guidance on alone in a quiet room with only the computer for company once writing
a subject I knew precious little about and I am thankful that he brought conm1ences.As any writer's spouse will know; they have to possess a single
to my attention many of the books I refer to in the bibliography. minded resilience in order to accept their partner's obsession while they
I am totally indebted to the help and facilities provided by Jim Davies become totally absorbed with the project at hand, often to the detriment of
during my frequent visits to the British Airways Museum at Heathrow all social activities including meal times. I thank my wife, Frances, for
Airport (www.bamuseum.com) and to his cups of coffee that kept me accepting the solitude that has become part and parcel of being an author's
awake during lengthy reading sessions. lt should be known that Jim, a wife, and she has endured my single-mindedness, usually without
modest man, is a volunteer but he goes about his work with great energy complaint. It cannot be easy playing 'second fiddle' to my computer and a
and enthusiasm and his wisdom should be regarded as a gem. I must also growing clutter of aviation books and documents mat have threatened to
thank Jim's boss, Paul Jarvis, for allowing me access to the facility that engulf my tiny house. Hopefully our marriage of 20 years has become
he controls. stronger as a result of her resilience and she knows that I could not have
The Croydon Airport Society' (www.croydonairport.org.uk) keeps achieved the end result without her love and acceptance.
interest alive and maintains a vast archive of ephemera, books, magazines, I am also extremely grateful to the comradeship of my closest friend,
artefacts and photographs related to the operation and preservation of Christopher Kennedy, who has accompanied me to many distant air shows
Croydon Airport and the airlines that used it. I am proud to be a member (including a mad weekend when we came close to freezing to death while
of this worthy association but I regret it is now showing signs of decline attending the Confederate Air Force show at Midland, Texas). Chris has also
because it is unable to attract sufficient young blood willing to carry its been c;Uoled into providing his time as my research assistant during
work into the future. Peter Skinner, the archives and artefacts coordinator numerous visits to archives and has provided me with the encouragement
of the CAS has given me much of his valuable time and a vast amount of to continue with the work in hand during periods when I may have
assistance, allowing me to visit and scan many of the images and considered giving up. Fortunately, although Chris is more an aficionado of
documents held in the Society's bulging filing cabinets. I urge you to take military fast jets, he shares more than a passing interest in flying machines of
an active interest in this society and take the trouble to visit the every kind, so hopefully he has not regretted these forages.
beautifully restored airport terminal building and control tower to gain a When it comes to acknowledging those that have contributed their
first impression of the early years of airline operation in this country. time and energy to bring any published work to fruition, it is always easy
Without Peter's kind assistance this work would have been struggling to to forget an important role played by an individual. Hopefully I have
find sufficient content to make it the visual feast it has become. mentioned all of those that have played a part but ifl have omitted anyone
I have mentioned the value of the Internet as an aid to research, but unthinkingly; please accept my humble apologies because this has never
it also provides access to organisations that hold historical artefacts, some been my intention. Finally, however, I must thank you, the reader, for
of which have been reproduced in the pages of the book. One site taking the trouble to pick this book up and by reading tlus far you have
contains an amazing collection of timetables and other travel literature expressed an interest, however slight, in what I have to say. Please enjoy.
that covers the entire worldwide history of airlines. After approaching
Bjiirn Larsson who operates The Airlines Timetable Images site
Images provided by the Croydon Airport Society are referred to as CAS in the illustration
(www.timetableimages.com) with David Zekra, he kindly sent me high captions.
VIII
CH A PTER ON E
LACK OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
19 4 1919
B
EFORE the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 it was fortunate discuss peacetime aviation. Yet they were not able to ignore it either.
that a small hub of innovative individuals already fostered a belief The Civil Aerial Transport Committee formed on 26 April 1917,
that the future of flying could be viewed as a conm1ercial chaired by Lord Northcliffe, was empowered to consider and control
proposition that could be developed to form a viable challenge to the role of civil aviation. Forty members comprised the main
conventional travel by road and rail. The Government of the time conm1ittee that was appointed on 22 May 1917. This included
however was not so convinced. Before the pioneers could put their interested parties from the Dominions, India and Newfoundland as well
ideas to the test, the needs of State dictated that every effort had to as members of governmental departments, the Services, aircraft
concentrate on training fighter pilots and building war machines instead designers, manufacturers and Members of Parliament. By February
of considering the feasibility of civilian flying. Thus, any development of 1918 what was referred to as a voluminous report had been prepared and
commercial air transport as a worthwhile cause could not be considered handed to the Air Council. This advocated' State action.for the development
until after the armistice had brought a halt to fighting. Even then, the of aerial transport services' and stressed a need to survey and open routes
Liberal Government of the day under David Lloyd George remained that would link the Empire to the motherland. After the initial meeting,
seriously reluctant to endorse the fledgling industry in a favourable way. N orthcliffe, every bit an aviation protagonist, embarked on a fact
Despite the odds stacked against it, the British civil aviation story finding mission to America leaving Major J L Baird (the Under
became embryonic as far back as 1910. Less than seven years before, Secretary of State for Air) to chair the Committee. Other notable
Orville Wright had made history at Kill Devil Hill, Kitty Hawk, North members of the committee were, Brigadier-General W Sefton
Carolina when he briefly flew the first power-driven heavier-than-air Brancker who was later killed in the R101 airship disaster; Brigadier
machine on 17 December 1903. Between 18 May and 28 November General E M Maitland who, in 1919 flew both ways across the Atlantic
1910 The International Conference for Aerial Navigation (!CAN) had in the R34 but later died in the R38 airship accident; Captain J C
already debated issues relating to the use and sovereignty of the air. Porte, a Royal Navy flying-boat expert and H G Wells, the author.
Germany registered a keenness to promote a freedom of the skies The Foreign Office was consulted on the desirability of an
poEcy, but the British Foreign Office opposed this, preferring to protect international convention for aerial navigation and two principal issues
the air space above the Kingdom as the sole reserve of British pilots. The emerged:
Government construed that the air above Her Majesties' Nations must 1. What should the Government's attitude be towards any future
remain inviolable. This resulted in the Air Navigation Acts of 1911 and conference on the subject of international civil aviation?
1913 devised to protect the nation against aviation
rather than to promote it. This, as was later
discovered, proved to be a huge mistake that
caused Germany, in an act of stubborn retaliation,
to block Britain's attempts to establish early
commercial routes to Prague, while France and
Italy prevented the Imperial air service from being
fully functional until as late as the mid-1930s.
Britain's pompous stance also gave rise to lengthy
delays in making progress on the India route
because Persia (now Iran) forced flights to use the
southern side of the Persian Gulf instead of
allowing shorter, more direct access over its
territory. By the late 1920s, the British
Goverru11ent had started to appreciate its own
stupidity and backtracked, this time by arguing in
favour of freedom of passage whereby before it had
staunchly opposed it. It is no surprise that the
nations the British Government had previously
offended were now reluctant to support it.
A voluminous report
While the dark clouds of war were still hanging over vast tracts of Commander John Parte (left) glances at the camera from the hull of an America flying
Western Europe, the British Government was hardly in a mood to boat in late 1914/early 1915. In 1917 he served on the Civil Aerial Transport Committee.
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