Fetch all of the archive: scp -r freefall:/local/mail/archive/*/freebsd-snapshots . XXX - don't use the following, doesn't decode body properly Explode the mbox to files: cat 201810* freebsd-snapshots | split -p '^From ' - snap. The stdin trick is needed so the numbering/lettering continues properly. Correct way to split the bodies off. python splitbody.py arch/complete.txt arch/snap. Expand all the "validly" formed messages to a file: zcat $(zgrep -l 'PGP SIGNED MESSAGE' *) > ../complete.txt We only lose 2012, so no big deal. Bulk import: for i in snap.??; do sh addinfo.sh -m < $i; done -m is used to not check if they exist till the end.