116 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean 2 letters “Mermoz,” March 12 and 26, 1927, to his “Dearest Mom”; 1¼ pages and 2 pages in-4 format, written in blue ink. Rescue of Uruguayan aviators who crashed in the Maures region. March 12. He doesn’t have time to write. “For the past 15 days, it’s been nothing but the search for the Uruguayan seaplane. My comrade Ville and I had the pleasure of being the first to find it. The four Uruguayans had been held captive by the Moors. I’ve been shuttling back and forth between Juby and Casa to transport reporters and journalists. It’s a great publicity opportunity for Latécoère ahead of the upcoming launch of the transatlantic route. So he’s obliged to promote us. Sought by the Spanish, the British, and a host of Spanish ships and planes, it was found by Latécoère pilots, and yesterday the Uruguayans were brought back to Juby by two of our colleagues after being ransomed from the Moors”…. March 26. Their letters must have crossed paths, and he’s worried about not hearing from her. She must have read about the Uruguayans’ adventure in the newspapers: “This adventure, all too ordinary for us who have lived through it and who face the frequent dangers of this region, has become something of a legend. The facts are being exaggerated to an extraordinary degree. It’s a shame because the facts, in their simplicity, weren’t all that bad, but the fuss only serves to diminish them. We all did what we’ve done countless times: picking up a friend whose car broke down in the countryside—good heavens, what a story!”… He sold his car and bought a Moroccan handbag for his mother… Correspondence, Nos. 109 and 110. Enclosed is the congratulatory letter sent to Mermoz by the International League of Aviators on April 12, 1927, following the rescue of the Uruguayan aviators (1 p., in-4, letterhead). Provenance: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family