SA 1939 BARBERTON FLOOD MAIL: Cover to Barberton franked 1d Ship clearly tied by the Pretoria machine canceller 12 FEB 39. Arrival mark 13 FEB on reverse. Annotated at top "Cover Flown during the Flood Period at Barberton." Also boxed UNCLAIMED cachet. VF, scarce, little mail being carried and few surviving. In February 1939 abnormally heavy rains fell in the Northern and Eastern Transvaal with resultant flooding of rivers, impassibility of roads and washing away of railway lines. An emergency airmail service was officially arranged with mail flown between Johannesburg and Barberton by South African Airways. See additional image below.
