Switzerland – Turkey: 1944 (12 September). Airmail cover to Turkey franked with 30c and 1fr tied by Lausanne datestamps, censored in Berlin, Germany and Cairo, Egypt. Reverse 29 November Cairo transit and 29 November Istanbul arrival cds’s. Cover probably flown from Zurich to Berlin for censorship and then via Stuttgart and Lyon to Madrid. From Spain it would have been carried via Gibraltar to Cairo; finally flown to Adana and onwards to Istanbul following Turkey broke off diplomatic relations with Germany on 2 August 1944 and as a result two days after Lufthansa shut down its services to Istanbul which leaves only alternative for airmail from central and western Europe to Turkey, was via Spain or Portugal. Very scarce route. ex. W. Robertson
