Airway to the East 1918-1920 - Clive Semple

The origins of what became officially known as No 1 Aerial Route lay in the newly formed Royal Air Forces desire to move several squadrons of the then recently designed first heavy bomber to enter service
the Handley Page O/400, to the war in the Middle-East. The aircraft had served on the Western Front with some success, although not in the long-range capacity. During the spring of 1918, the Wing Commander of No 5 Wing, Billy Borton, requested that one of the HP O/400 aircraft be flown to Egypt. This was approved by Major General Sir Frederick Sykes. Before the flight could proceed a great deal of planning was required since the aircrafts maximum range was only 600 miles. Several refuelling and maintenance bases along the route were required. When planned in 1918 the route was from Paris
Lyons, Istres, Pisa, Rome, Barletta, Taranto, Athens, Crete, Mersa Matru and finally Cairo. Each landing station would require fuel, spares, and communications and back-up personnel. On July 25 1918 a new HPO/400 set off from Manston in Kent with Borton and his pilot Major McLaren plus two crew. After a comparatively trouble-free flight the bomber arrived in Aboukir, Alexandria on the evening of 7 August.