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a letter from person to person
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,200
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Description
MERMOZ Jean Autograph letter signed ‘Mermoz’, Casablanca, 17 June 1927, to his grandparents, the Gillets; 2 pages in-4 and 2 pages in-8 in blue ink. An account of his expedition to recover the remains of his comrades massacred by the Moors. On Whit Monday, ‘I was able, with the authorisation of the Spanish Government—which had refused me permission on numerous occasions over the past seven months—to fly 140 km from Juby, to the very spot where our comrades Gourp, Érable and the mechanic Pintado were attacked. I intended to bring back their remains, as Érable’s mother had so often appealed to the Spanish government for her son’s body, without success. Unfortunately, nothing remained of the bodies except their imprints… Hyenas and jackals had devoured everything… I found only a lock of Érable’s hair where his head had lain, a piece of his shirt and one of his socks. I only had time to take these mementoes with me before the Moors arrived. I sent them to his mother along with a letter. At least she will have something of him. This matter was close to my heart; I simply had to do it; the House did not hold it against me, even though I had acted on my own initiative. I gave a few gifts to the brother of the Sultan of Mauritania, a very influential religious leader. Recently, he brought me a letter bearing his seal in which he calls me his friend, takes me under his protection, and threatens any Moor who might seek to harm me or treat me badly with reprisals and the curse of Allah. Most Moors cannot read, but the interpreter accompanying us can act as an intermediary. In short, this is yet another fairly substantial guarantee of safety that I have secured. Unfortunately, he was unwilling to extend the same to my comrades’… Correspondence, No. 117. Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - 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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