Premium Artcurial
121
-
MERMOZ Jean
See original version (French)
121
-
MERMOZ Jean
See original version (French)
Estimate €700 - €800
Voluntary lot
Description
MERMOZ Jean
L.A.S. ‘Ton Jean’, Casa[blanca], 3 June 1927, to his ‘dear little Mum’; 2 pages, in-4.
Rescue of his co-pilot Éloi Ville, who went down in the Maures.
He urges his ‘dear little Mum’ to go for her spa treatment at Mont-Dore. He will see her in September during his leave. He will probably not be able to go to France any time soon: ‘Two pilots have been relieved, including my co-pilot, and we need those who remain to train the new recruits’.
He managed to ‘rescue’ his wingman, ‘who’d broken down in the worst possible sector. I was able to make a quick landing a short distance away, despite two shots fired at me point-blank by the Moors from close range… My comrade only had time to jump into my aircraft and we took off with a dozen Moors in hot pursuit. – With a bit of composure, we managed to get away. Besides, I’m starting to get the hang of this sort of sport.”
He mentions that he has a car, ‘a little 7HP Fiat’, which a friend has lent him ‘on the understanding that he’ll take it back before going on leave at the same rate’…
He doesn’t want his mother to worry: “I’ll have enough money for both of us.”
He adds in a postscript: “Ah! If only I were given an aeroplane, I’d gladly make the Atlantic crossing myself [a reference to Lindbergh]. Colonel Denain is going to put me forward to three firms, but that would only be for next year, alas!’
Correspondence No. 114.
Provenance: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936);
- Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955);
- Then passed down through the family
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like