INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL REVIEW
Although the Dutch East Indies was originally neutral, the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, and the progress of the war in Europe and Asia, had enormous effect on the airmail connections to and from the former Dutch territory. Under pressure of the war situation the airmail routes were altered and the Postal Authorities needed to react quickly to these events. The public had to be advised of the new routes and changed airmail rates.
AIRMAIL CONNECTIONS TO AND FROM THE DUTCH EAST INDIES DURING THE PERIOD SEPT. 1939 - FEB. 1942
1. - The Curtailed KLM Dutch East Indies Route
As neither Germany nor France allowed overflying of their territory after the outbreak of World War II, KLM was forced to terminate its Bandoeng to Amsterdam Route at Naples from 5 September 1939. Mail arriving in Naples was forwarded to Amsterdam by train, with mail for the UK and the USA being flown to Shorham for onward (air) transmission. After the German invasion of the Netherlands, the train connection between Amsterdam and Naples was suspended. When Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, Naples became unusable and the new terminus was Lydda. On 22 July 1940, a weekly service Bandoeng to Lydda commenced and was maintained until 9 February 1942.
2. - The Horseshoe Route
The air routes to England from Africa, the Far East and Australia all converged in Egypt before crossing the Mediterranean and then flying over Greece, Italy and France to the UK. With Italy in the war, the Mediterranean became a war zone, effectively closed to civil aircraft. On 19 June 1940, BOAC, in cooperation with Quantas, opened the Horseshoe Route, linking 16 countries between Durban in South Africa and Sydney in Australia with a weekly service both ways.
The Dutch East Indies Postal Authorities made regular use of this route. Mail arriving in Durban was dispatched to the UK and the USA by steamer. On 28 July 1940, TEAL opened a regular airmail service between Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand, thus connecting the Horseshoe Route with the PANAM trans-Pacific Clipper service (FAM-19) from Auckland to San Francisco.
3. - The PANAM trans-Pacific Clipper Routes
The Dutch East Indies Postal Authorities made extensive use of both the Northern (FAM-14) and the Southern (FAM-19) trans-Pacific services for mail to USA and Europe despite the higher airmail fees. Personal research has proven this after the extension of the Northern Clipper Route to Singapore on 10 May 1941, almost all Dutch East Indies mail was dispatched via this route. The KNILM route to Sydney was used mainly for mail to Australia and New Zealand. Following the Japanese attach on Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, the trans-Pacific Clipper services were suspended and only the remaining possibility for airmail to the UK and the USA was the Horseshoe Route with its long transit times.
4. - The KNILM (connecting) Routes
KLM and KNILM, in close co-operation, carried mail on various routes to connect with the PANAM trans-Pacific services. Due to the fall of Singapore and the landing of Japanese troops in the Dutch East indies in February 1942 all civil airmail services, into and from the Dutch East Indies, were suspended.
