Allahabad :

Sangam city had been witness to a historic occasion when the world’s first official airmail delivery took place on February 18, 1911. French pilot Henri Pequet took off on a bi-plane from Parade ground with 6,500 letters for the satellite town of Naini to raise funds for charity. The plane covered five miles in around 13 minutes to land at Naini. It was later termed as the world’s first official airmail

“The chaplain of Holy Trinity Church (presently situated on Sarojini Naidu Marg) required money to raise funds for a new hostel. In a unique coincidence, British commander Walter G Windham was in the city with airplane related machines and an imported aeroplane to participate in a cultural and handicraft exhibition on Parade Ground,” said R N Yadav, senior post master, Allahabad region.

“Later, fate brought the clergyman to Windham. He persuaded Windham to perform an aerial show to raise fund for the construction of a hostel. Windham later conceived the aerial show as as an airmail delivery event, which became historic due to its importance,” Yadav said adding that it was the world’s first officially documented airmal delivery.

“Windham felt that it could be advertisement for the exhibition as well as a demonstration of rapid and safe transportation of mails. Thus, the idea of the world’s first official airplane mail was born. Those interested in availing the service were asked to send their mail addressed and stamped to the chaplain of the Holy Trinity Church,” Yadav told TOI.

Philatelist Suryakant Awasthi said, “The clergyman had asked nominal sum of six annas per letter as a contribution for building the new hostel building. Only cards or letters weighing under one ounce in weight were accepted. A large number of people participated as the occasion was unique and letters addressed to people all over the globe were received.”

The letters include those addressed to Jawaharlal Nehru, King George V and several maharajas.

He said pilot Pequet was entrusted with the task of flying the Sommer bi-plane, which had a rotary Gnome engine of 50 horsepower. Pequet started at 5 pm and the landing took place after 13 minutes near Naini junction. When Pequet descended, there was no crowd to greet him. He merely handed over the mail bag to the only post department official present there and returned to Allahabad.

Pequet flew the plane at the speed of 60 miles per hour at a height of 120-150 feet.

The postal department, alongwith the Air Force, enacted the flying of world’s first air-mail as part of centenary celebrations on February 18, 2011, with equal number of letters but from Bamrauli airport to Naini.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City News> Allahabad / Vinod Khanal / TNN / October 15th, 2016