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The R34 airship shortly after landing at Mineola in America on July 6th, 1919.

A charming letter which was carried on the first airship to cross the Atlantic has come to light 100 years later.

Reverend George Jones, who was stationed at the Royal Naval Air Station East Fortune near Edinburgh, wanted to surprise his sister Donie by sending her a letter from America.

So he gave the letter to one of the crew of airship R34 ahead of the historic flight on July 2, 1919, and asked him to post it to Donie from New York.

He obliged and the letter reached its final destination in Bournemouth, Dorset, several months later as it made the return journey via ship.