BIOGRAPHY

Charles Nungesser Collection of Dave Lam, 2-22-05

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES Editor's Note: In order to put the two following newspaper reports into context, I suggest that you first read the excellent biography of Nungesser by visiting the website cited immediately below.

 

CHARLES NUNGESSER      This page offers a very comprehensive revue of his life and career. It displays two photographs, one a portrait of him, the other a painting of the Nieuport he flew in WW I. It also offers numerous links to sites which expand on some of the more important subjects in his story.      You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

Nungesser & his Wife Library of Congress Archive, Courtesy of Greg Powers, 7-23-06

 

Nungesser & Coli Collection of Dave Lam, 2-22-05

 

Hunters Report Sight of Wreckage. Search Resumed for Missing French Airmen Knoxville Journal, Knoxville, Tennessee: July 15, 1927 Transcribed by Bob Davis - 2-17-05 St Johns, N.F., July 14 (AP) Declining information as to his intentions, Major F. Sidney Cotton returned to St. Georges at six o'clock tonight and boarded his plane which observers thought he might prepare for an immediate flight to the spot where two hunters reported sighting wreckage which may be that of the White Bird, trans-Atlantic plane of the missing French fliers, Nungesser and Coli.       The hunters came out of the woods at Flat Bay on the west coast today with the report that about 40 miles inland they sighted what looked like a large white boat.

Bottle with Note from Nungesser is Found at Point May. Pencilled Scrawl,"Nungesser-Coli, Help," Washed Up - New Hope Aroused," Knoxville Journal, Knoxville, Tennessee: July 19, 1927 Transcribed by Bob Davis - 2-17-05 "St Johns, N.F., July 18 (AP). - A bottle containing a bit of paper on which was scrawled "Nungesser-Coli, Help," in French and was washed ashore today at Mike's Grove, Point May, N. F. The note, written in pencil, was tightly corked in a brandy flask and was found by Patrick Collins, a 14-year-old boy.       Their finding of the note in the bottle has revived hope that some trace of the missing French flyers may yet be found in this region where numerous reports of the plane's having been seen resulted in several searching expeditions being sent out.       The boy fished the bottle out of the land wash and had to break it to get the paper out. The words were written on a piece of discolored paper, about three inches square, which evidently had been torn from a larger sheet.       J. H. Small, inspector for the postal telegrqaph company who investigated, brought the paper to St Johns and reported that the boy's story of finding it was genuine.       Mike's Cove, Point May, is at the extreme end of Burin Penninsula between Fortune Bay and Placentian Bay, about 140 miles southwest of Harbor Grace, where the first report of hearing an airplane originated after Nungesser and Coli failed to complete their trans-Atlantic flight.tag on article: Claim to Have Seen Airship Early in May, Chicoutimi, Quebec, July 18 (AP) - Alfred Gaudreault and Pitre Desbiens, woodsmen, who emerged from the woods at St Andre de L'Epouvante have made the declaration that while working in the woods they saw an airplane on the shore of the Metabetchouan river early in May. Beyond commenting that it was early for airmen to be operating in that district they gave the matter no thought. Hearing, on their return of the missing aviators, Nungesser and Coli, they have related their story, which is being investigated.

 

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION via email from Michael Miller, 5-26-10 Dear Sir, My name is Michael Miller and I am helping a person out that is putting together a book on Bugatti's in Australia. During this time we have found out that a Type 13 Brescia Bugatti was delivered new in 1920 to the famous French World War One pilot, Charles Nungesser. This car latter in the 1920s ended up in Australia. We are trying to find a photo of this car when it was owned by Mr Nungesser. Please let me know if you can help or have any thought of how we could locate a photo. Many Thanks Michael Miller Editor's Note: If you can help Michael with his quest, please contact him through me. I will forward your message to him. Thank you.

 

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