Who was Henri Bregi?

neville_hayes · 8 June 2005, 08:27 PM

I know Henri flew a Bleriot from Casablanca to Fen in Morocco in Sept 1911 on some sort of raid;
was in Argentina shortly afterwards teaching aviation;
died about 1917;
was involved in Breguet Aeroplanes Ltd.

But what else? Was , this September Casablanca Fen raid/ flight Bombs leaflets or postal items?
What was it? It pre-dates the Guilio Govatti grenade attack in Turkish positions at Aiun-Zora of Nov 1 1911, and must push back the date of the first hostile use of aircraft to Sept 1911?
Who was this chap; who has details of his flights?

jempie · 9 June 2005, 09:17 AM

Hi!

Brégi Henri, I know him but bio's on (French) aviators isn't my specality!

What I have found yet is the following:

French Pilot and ingeneer born at Sédan on 4th December 1888
Employed at the factory of Unic & Milne later by Astra (= Airship & plane constructor!).Interested into aviation he got his license (n°26) on 21st December 1910. Went to South Almarika and early 1910 made the first flights at Buénos Aires. Returned to France he did his military sevrice and was trained on Bréguet. 1911 is chosen to represent Bréguet-Gnôme on the military aviation contest for his country in which he became 4th.
1911 he undertook the flight on Bréguet-Salmson with a passenger (named Lebaut) the flight to Casablanca-Fez via Rabat and Mèknes.
Than he got interested into hydroplanes and was quite succesfull on the aviation events reserved to these.
During WWI he stayed by the hydroplanes and was killed when he was shot down during 1917 by a German submarine crew on which he chased.

What goes on the flight Casablanca-Fez, I think it was a pure non war action flight!

There is surely more to find on his carreer into contemporary articles and also on internet! (Try once http://www.earlyaviators.com ?)

What goes on military use of planes (Morrocco) I see Lt. Do Hu mentioned (1911) on Blériot for observation duties and a civil aviator named Serviès which made observation flights for the French from March 1912 on on the people of the region of d'Oudjda. Little time after three sections of the French Military aviation were joined and based first at Casablanca under command of Lt. Clavenad and later based respectively at Fez and Oudjada.
Before the French made use during the period 1907-1908 of the Morrocco campaign of a captif observation balloon based near Casablanca.

VBR

Jempie.

neville_hayes · 9 June 2005, 07:59 PM

Thank you, Jempie. I now know a little more. But to explain my use of the word RAID; I presume it means the same in French as in English.

I found reference ro Bregi's Fen flight in an Archive digitisation at Nat Arch of Aust. www.naa.gov.au /recordsearch <breguet aeroplanes ltd>
The Series number is A289 Control number 1849/8/227
but just using Breguet, or Breguet Aeroplanes Ltd as a keyword will get it for you.
On page 6 of that file , beneath Motors, I find,
" Henri Bregi made his famous raid from Casablanca to Fen"
Checking through a search engine it looks like a postage stamp was issued in honour of this flight. It also seems that it was a postal delivery flight, too.
So, was Bregi's flight with mail, or bombs for rebels? That word RAID has me wondering.

vb136 · 9 June 2005, 11:01 PM

The word raid was used about any type of long-distance flight. It did not
necessary mean that the flight was a military one.

jempie · 10 June 2005, 10:13 AM

Hi!

Just found a page of L'Illustration with a photo of the Bréguet landed at Meknès on the flight by Brégi from Casablanca to Fez (Not "Fen"!)
A Senegalize soldier (from the French-Morrocan Légion d'Honneur!)standing watch...(The so called Morrocan (these were horseman!) or Senegalize SPAHIS (The black soldiers) wich were feared by the Germans ont French and Belgian front WWI! They had no fear at all in fight!)

Nearly Din A3 page size!

The annotations by the photo tells that René Lebaut was a reporter of the French magazine "Le Petit Journal" and the flight was sponsored by this magazine (they tell it's "the plane of Le Petit Journal")

Indeed "raid" stood in principle for "long distance flights" !

They started at Casablanca on 19th September 1911 at 6 a.m. to the coast at Rabat (80 km) and had to wait to continue their fligth for Meknès until 19th September due to severe winds and made flight of 1 h 45' over 135 km.
At Meknès they stayed the nightover and the next day (20th September) they made the last lap of 60 km to arrive at Fez into 1 h.30'!

It was a pure civil flight for perhaps publicity reasons and to please the Morrocan Sultan (?)
Not a word about eventually "Airmail" on this flight carried!
But certainly not a military raid one!

VBR

Jempie

neville_hayes · 10 June 2005, 07:41 PM

O K Jempie. That just about covers it, thanks.
I saw "Raid" and "Fen" in the Archives item. How does the English version at the front, compare with the French version in the rear pages of the Archives file. Is there a subtle difference?
Perhaps Breguet Aeroplanes Ltd wanted to impress the Commonwealth Government with military possibilities of their aircraft, and emphasised certain aspects , while less emphasis was applied to others.
But, I will accept that the word Raid, was applied to any long distance flight.

rammjaeger · 11 June 2005, 12:28 AM

Jempie,

I am always admiring your contributions with this wealth of information.

Nevertheless I have to add something concerning the Spahis etc. They were especially feared by the Germans mostly because of many inhuman cruelties and killings of captured German soldiers. As well I have seen many photographs of captured "Senegalesen" etc. - and many of these guys looked very frightened and fearful if captured.

VBR
Rammjaeger

PS. Every person - who is not completely nuts - has some fears before, in or even after combats in war but if you become overwhelmed by fear in a running combat then you are lost.