The envelope.

This envelope was posted on Christmas Eve 1954 in Rushden, by Dorothy Elmer (nee Warrington) to her sister Betty in Iowa, USA.

It went down in a plane crash at Prestwick on Christmas day at 3-30am, and was salvaged. Sadly 28 of the 36 crew and passengers were killed.

Research search shows the plane was a Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, developed from the B29 bomber. The build number was 15943 and it was first registered to Sweden as SE-BDP. Later registered in England as G-ALSA.

Following the crash it was written off, so quite a surprise that the letter had survived and was delivered. It arrived quite late!