SA: 1935 SAA RAND - CAPE SHUTTLE SERVICE: First flight CAPE TOWN to BEAUFORT WEST: Envelope franked ½d Springbok and 1d Ship tied Cape Town cds 9 AUG. Backstamped arrival 9 AUG. Only 176 covers flown on this the first return (northbound) service. VF, scarce. This service was established when the airliner "Jan van Riebeeck" commanded by Captain L Inggs left the Rand airport for Cape Town on 6th August. The route of this SAA service differed from that taken by Imperial Airways for instead of landing at Victoria West the SAA liners flew to Beaufort West after leaving Kimberley. This established Beaufort West as a regular airmail centre.
