243 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean L.A.S. “Jean,” Marseille, May 9, 1932, to his grandparents, the GILLETs; 2 densely written pages, in-4 format Aviation convention in Rome; preparations for the Arc-en-Ciel. He hopes, as Gilberte announced, to visit them for Pentecost… “I’m leaving on the 20th for Rome, where I’ve been invited by Mussolini and Balbo to attend the Transatlantic Aviators’ Congress for eight days. We are to discuss all matters relating to the possibilities of commercial and postal transatlantic routes. I’m going there with a new twin-engine seaplane, which I’ve just finished testing and which the Aéropostale Executive Committee is making available to me. Dabry and Gimié are, of course, accompanying me. The Italians prefer those who have achieved results to our incompetent lawmakers. They’re smarter than we are”… His wife Gilberte is deeply saddened by her brother’s death: “This does nothing to bring me the peace of mind I’ve been longing for over the past year and which I so desperately need. Fortunately, I have my work, which gives me every satisfaction and renews all my energy to keep fighting. But I’ll admit to you… just between us… that right now I feel the need to spend a month or two alone in some remote village… a month in the countryside to calm my nerves, completely cut off from everything that makes up my current life of worries—a month alone with the two of you who care for me and possess the wisdom to understand everything—that would be very good”… Then he returns to the subject of aviation: “My long-range aircraft will be ready, I hope, by the end of this month, and I’ll begin my test flights in Paris in preparation for my record flight to Buenos Aires, the date of which I’ll set based on weather reports […] Things at the Aéropostale seem to be falling into place very quickly. The left-leaning election results will favor this development, which I believe will be very positive for Mr. Bouilloux-Lafont. I would be happy for both him and myself... My situation would change overnight, and I would be able to look toward the future with even greater optimism. I have no reason to complain at the moment. Everyone at the Aéropostale is eager to please me. It’s true that I’m above all the political maneuvering, that I get along well with everyone because I spend a lot of time acting as a mediator, smoothing things over, and clearing up doubts and misunderstandings. I never would have believed that men could tear each other apart with such passion as soon as their personal interests are at stake”… Source: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down through the family