PIERRE BÉARD 1893-1966 AKA Pierre Beard, Pierrot Beard,

Pierre Béard from the original Post Card Collection of Jean-Pierre Lauwers

 

Pierre Béard Collection of Geneviève Nicollet, 4-17-08

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES - 2 via email from Steve Giraud, 4-17-08 Hi,      Pierre Béard, at 17 years of age, was the youngest pilot of France.      He was born in Cressin-Rochefort (France) April 6, 1893, Pierre Béard finished his studies in Belley, (France).      In September 1910, he entered the Blériot school for training pilots. On 8 November the same year, he was licensed under number 276.      He had participated in several meetings in 1911 and 1912. He was appreciated by the leaders of his time: Adolphe Pégoud, Roland Garros, (who called him Pierrot), Kimmerling and the Voisin brothers are his friends. Blériot wanted to hire him as a monitor.      In 1914, Pierre Béard is one of the first to get a military patent on August 2 under number 488. He was assigned to a Saharan Africa squadron. After 2500 hours he was demobilized and he retired to Cressin-Rochefort (France) where he lived by a branch of the Rhone. There he entertained illustrious characters, senior judges, writers and celebrities such as Daniel-Rops, the French academician.      During the last war, he protected those who needed to hide, like Emile Bremond, director of Progress, (the French newspaper), who had been hunted by the Gestapo.      The modest hero died on June 9, 1966 at the age of 73. He was buried in the cemetery in his beloved village of Cressin-Rochefort. A portion of his estate was returned to the welfare of Cressin-Rochefort. Regards, Steve Giraud

 

Pierre Béard BÉARD sur son Blériot - Moteur Gnome, 50 HP - Helice W (Le plus juene Pilote de France) BEARD in his Blériot - Gnome Motor, 50 HP - Propeller W (Youngest pilot of France) Collection of Jean-Pierre Lauwers

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES - 1 via email from Jean-Pierre Lauwers, (10-13-03)      Pierre Béard was born on 2nd April 1893 at Rochefort France. He was granted French license n°276 on 8 November 1910. Marcel Hanriot was born the 8th of June, 1894. On the postcard above, he is named as the "youngest pilot of France."      He made flights from the military excercises fields of the "Garnison de Chambéry" in 1911 and 1912! He also is listed on a participants list of the "Circuit d'Anjou" \(Aviation event!) 1912 as participant n°33 in a Blériot plane.

 

Pierre Beard died died on June 9, 1966 at the age of 73.

 

Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this pioneer aviator please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper

 

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