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The Landstorm (Territorial Defense) Society of Öland, in Sweden, arranged in February 1914 a collection for the home defense through the undertaking of flights between Kalmar and the island Öland. The flights were carried out by pilot Enoch Thulin.
The persons who wanted to send cards on the flights between Kalmar and Öland could buy the cards in book- and tobacco shops in Kalmar. Besides these shops, possibilities existed to buy the cards at the airfield during the flying days. Profits from the sale of the card went to the Kalmar & Öland Landstormsförening (Kalmar & Öland Territorial Defense). Every card is cancelled with the five-line airmail handstamp which had been especially prepared – “Airmail forward via aeroplane of Dr. Thulin from Kalmar to Öland the 7 or 8 of February 1914.”
The pilot Enoch Thulin carried out two official mail transports. The first mail transport was carried out on 8 February 1914 from Kalmar to Öland. The second mail transport was carried out on 13 February 1914 from Öland to Kalmar.
During the flight on 8 February 1914, between Kalmar and Öland, Enoch Thulin carried with him approximately 100 cards and a few copies of the special issue of the newspaper ”Kalmar,” which had been printed for the flight. Each copy of the newspaper was franked with 4 öre and cancelled with the red airmail handstamp. The special issue of the newspaper cost 20 öre per copy. For those who wanted the newspaper to be carried in the air, the cost was 25 öre, which included the 4 öre stamp. The plane could not land at Öland as the ground was too soft and wet. The mail bag, with cards and newspapers, was thrown from the plane and was then delivered at the post office at Färjestaden were the mail was stamped. To date only two newspapers are known in private hands. One of the newspapers is shown here and the owner is the writer.
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