121 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean L.A.S. “Ton Jean,” Casa[blanca], June 3, 1927, to his “dear little Mom”; 2 pages, in-4. Rescue of his co-pilot Éloi Ville, who went down in the Maures region. He urges his “dear little Mom” to go for her health treatment at Mont-Dore. He’ll see her in September during his leave. He probably won’t be able to go to France anytime soon: “Two pilots have been relieved of duty, including my co-pilot, and we need the remaining ones to train the new recruits.” He was able to go “rescue” his wingman, “who had crashed in the worst possible area. I managed to make a quick landing nearby despite two shots fired at me point-blank by the Moors from close range… My comrade barely had time to jump into my plane, and we took off with a dozen Moors in hot pursuit. —With a little composure, we managed to get away. Besides, I’m starting to get the hang of this kind of sport.” He mentions that he has a car, “a little 7HP Fiat,” which a friend gave him “with the promise to 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 someone would give me an airplane, I’d gladly make the Atlantic crossing myself [a reference to Lindbergh]. Colonel Denain is going to introduce me to three companies, but that wouldn’t be until next year, alas!” Correspondence No. 114. Provenance: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family