Welcome to Rainer's
Overland Mail Baghdad-Haifa Pages
 

 

  

The Overland Mail Baghdad-Haifa is a relatively little known part of the middle east postal history, formed after the 1st world war by two young New Zealanders (Captain Norman Nairn and Driver-Mechanic Mr. Gerald Nairn) who had served with the Royal Army Corps

These Pages try to explain primarily the postal history aspect of this company, however, for a good measure also historical facts and background information's like company pamphlets and other miscellaneous items are shown.

Website Awards
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This picture gives you an idea how adventurous the mail transport and travel through the desert has been.

Please click on the image to view it in full size (1.65 MB). That image will open in a new image layer.
Website Awards
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HELP REQUIRED / REQUESTED (Updated 14 July 2018) Whereabouts of known items (Updated 7 December 2023)
Norman Collins Archive, REQUEST FOR HELP TO IDENTIY ITEMS!  (Updated 20 APRIL 2017) 

Whats new!

December 7, 2023 The past few weeks were extremely successful and a number of wonderful items i could discover:
German Reich, cover dated 1 October 1923 to Baghdad. Remarkable that at the time the Overland Mail, has just started their regularly service Iraq and German Reich has not yet implemented Overland Mail surcharges. In fact, this is the earliest known cover sent eastward by the Overland Mail.
Hungary, the first cover from Hungary to Iraq, carried by the Overland Mail recorded. The cover is from the time when the Overland Mail surcharges were already abolished, yet so far the only cover from Hungary to Iraq by the Overland Mail.
San Marino, no Overland Mail surcharges from san Marino have been discovered yet, still 2 picture post cards sent this route i could procure.
October 11, 2023 A second copy of Route Instruction Marking HS-N44 (2) has been added. The first one listed (HS-N44 (1) is in the collection of the late Zvi Alexander.
Furthermore, one more cover with Route Instruction Handstamp HS-04 (4) added.
October 3, 2023 Finally i found time to add my latest discoveries.
Route Instruction Handstamp, now listed as HS-N72 on cover from Basrah (23 November 1926) to Vaduz / Liechtenstein.
Route Instruction Handstamp, now listed as HS-N73 on cover from Ottoman Bank, Baghdad (19 May 1934) to Praha, Czechoslovakia.
Route Instruction Handstamp, now listed as HS-N74 on cover from The Imperial Bank of Persia, Baghdad (10 November 1923) to Praha, Czechoslovakia.
Letter from Haifa to Jaffa, sent on 3rd October 1945 by Nathaniel Transport Trans Desert Service Palestine & Iraq Overland Mail. That letter is not in my collection, the image kindly was provided by another collector.
June 29, 2023 A second copy of previously unrecorded Route Instruction Handstamp, now listed as HS-N71 (2), on cover from Masdjed-Soleiman, Iran (30 May 1931) to Riesa, Germany, added.
June 28, 2023 New discovered Imprinted Envelope, now listed as IE-N14, used from Baghdad, added.
June 18, 2023 A cover from Sweden / Kristianstad, 29 April 1933 to Persia added.
June 11, 2023 After over 30 years of collecting, researching and searching, i finally have been able to find a cover with a Publicity Handstamp Typ PH-1 (2), This is now the only 3rd. copy recorded of which one is in the collection of the late Zvi Alexander and one of which the whereabouts is unknown.
May 30, 2023Website award (Gold Medal, 90 points) received at IBRA 2023 added to index page.
May 12, 2023An Inter Office Correspondence envelope from the Eastern Transport Company has been discovered.
March 9, 2023Previously unrecorded Route Instruction Handstamp, now listed as HS-N71 (1), on cover from Masdjed-Soleiman, Iran (26 February 1931) to Chicago, Illinois, added.
February 25, 2023Postal Card from Montevideo/Uruguay (20 April 1929) to Baghdad added. Route Instruction "Via Desierto Haifa-Baghdad"

 

For older updates, please view the "Revision History" Page!