Description:

1929 (March 30) Australia-England #131 cover carried by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Charles Ulm, HA Litchfield & T McWilliams on the 'Coffee Royal incident' flight endorsed 'Per Squadron-Leader CE Kingsford Smith & Flight-Lieut CTP Ulm "SOUTHERN CROSS" AUSTRALIA/ENGLAND FLIGHT MARCH 1929' signed "C Kingsford-Smith" and "CTP Ulm" on face franked with KGV 1½d red tied 'RICHMOND/30MR29/NSW' datestamp, Cat $2,750. [On 1 April en route to England the 'Southern Cross' met bad weather and made an emergency landing in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia; before the crew and plane were recovered on 13 April, Keith Anderson and Robert Hitchcock had perished in the search; dubbed the 'Coffee Royal' incident after the brand of coffee and brandy the crew drank while awaiting rescue; 8 of the 12 covers carried were subsequently flown to England on the record-breaking flight in June; the Eustis example - in all respects identical - sold for $5,750]