FR EN
two old letters and a piece of paper with writing on them
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,200
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Description
MERMOZ Jean 2 L.A.S., 1920, to his grandparents, the GILLETs; 6 pages, in-12 format, the second letter bearing a vignette and the letterhead ‘Le Foyer du Soldat’. Franco-American Union (Y.M.C.A.). Flight school. Easter, recalling Easter Day ‘back when I was a little boy; I could picture myself running to the barn first thing in the morning to look for the Easter egg, letting out a cry of joy when I found it in the middle of the straw, throwing my arms round your neck, and thanking the cockerel for his marvellous egg’… He signs off ‘Little Jean’. Istres, 31 October, on his arrival at the Aviation School in Istres to become a ‘cadet pilot’: ‘The camp is 2 km from Istres, tucked away in the arid plain of La Crau. It is immense. We are housed in single-storey reinforced concrete barracks, built in an oriental style with arcades and a terrace. Here, it is a desert of pebbles with ponds and reeds; I felt a little disoriented and lost in this solitude, having just left the hustle and bustle of Paris. […] I won’t get my leave until I’ve passed my pilot’s licence. I’m starting my training on Tuesday and in 15 days’ time I expect to begin flying with dual controls alongside an instructor; the technical exam will be tough; my licence will involve flying a triangle route: Istres, Nîmes, Miramas; I hope the Mistral won’t cause us any trouble during our training so that we can get it over with quickly; after that, it’ll be peace and quiet, once we’ve passed our licence”… Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family
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About the sale Historical Memories
Auction location
Auction time 11/03/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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