After WWI, the Nairn Brothers, two New Zealanders who had served in the E.E.F., decided to re-establish the old caravan route across the desert and to ferry passengers and mail. The service commenced in late 1923 over a distance of 527 miles between Damascus and Baghdad. It was called the BAGHDAD - HAIFA Overland service and the route was: Baghdad - Rutba Wells - Damascus - Beirut - Haifa. The route changed twice during the Druze Rebellion, in 1925 and 1926. The postage from Iraq for a 20 gr. letter was 3 Annas, with a surcharge of 3 Annas for the Overland service. For every additional 20 gr., the postage was increased by 50% and the surcharge doubled. The Overland charge was reduced to 1.5 Annas from 1927 and eliminated on April 1,1929. All the pre-printed Overland covers, as well as all the various Overland Labels were supplied by the relevant Post Offices. All the other letters forwarded by the Overland service had to carry an appropriate manuscript notation. A relatively small number of covers sent by commercial firms carry different individual Handstamps - Cachets produced separately for each firm. Some of these Cachets are extremely rare, with sometimes only one example surviving. The service continued from 1923 until the 1940's.