13 replies to this topic

[ReWind]

As many of you will know Swiss driver Armand Hug crashed in practice at Albi in July 1939. According to David Venables and Paul Sheldon he suffered very severe injuries including a fractured skull which caused partial paralysis. These injuries also caused permanent brain damage and for the rest of his life, Hug was incapacitated, living as an invalid in Switzerland. He died in the late 1960s.

Astonishingly Erwin Tragatsch in his 1973 book „Die großen Rennjahre 1919 - 1939" tells the story with a considerable difference. According to him Hug’s heavy crash brought his driving career to an end „obwohl er sich von seinen schweren Sturzverletzungen überraschend schnell erholte" (p. 288: „although he recovered surprisingly fast"). „In Montenero erfuhr man auch, daß Armand Hug … bereits das Krankenhaus verlassen konnte" (p. 290: „At Montenero it became known that he already had left hospital").

The Coppa Ciano race took place on 30 July, just two weeks after the Albi race. Could the contemporary good news about Hug have been rumours that later proved to be unfounded without Tragatsch noticing it?

[Hans Etzrodt]

I don't know what happened to him.

About his accident, the following was reported on Tuesday, July 18, 1939, in AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1939 #58 p3.

On Saturday, July 15, 1939 Hug crashed during early afternoon practice at Albi. His Maserati skidded at high speed in the Renaudie corner where it ran into a telephone pole. At the time of the impact, Hug was thown out of his seat, flung high through the air and struck the course 20 meter further on. He was fortunate that the following drivers Wakefield and Delorme, both quick-wittedly drove around the hapless Hug on the road. He was lifted with serious injuries from the ground and brought to the Klinik of Dr. Escudie who assessed a fractured scull and regarded the condition of the injured as very serious if not hopeless. After a rough night, certain calm set in. Reports about a skull operation on that Sunday afternoon had been denied with simultaneous explanations that one has to be prepared for the worst. As of Monday, Hug had not gained consciousness.

The Swiss driver Armand F. Hug, born 1913, came from Lausanne. In 1934, he appeared for the first time in automobile racing. During practice at the 1934 Develier-Les Rangiers hill climb, he crashed and ended up with a serious concussion. For six days he remained unconscious but he slowly became normal again. After he left hospital, a long recovery time was required. By 1939 he had developed into one of the leading drivers in the 1.5-liter class.

[Jimmy Piget]

Originally posted by ReWind
As many of you will know Swiss driver Armand Hug crashed in practice at Albi in July 1939. According to David Venables and Paul Sheldon he suffered very severe injuries including a fractured skull which caused partial paralysis. These injuries also caused permanent brain damage and for the rest of his life, Hug was incapacitated, living as an invalid in Switzerland. He died in the late 1960s.

This is too what François Jolly wrote in his book on the Racing Delage

[ReWind]

@ Hans & Jimmy: Thank you for your participation.

Seems nothing more is known about poor Armand Hug.

That's the destiny of a non-fluffy thread.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by ReWind
@ Hans & Jimmy: Thank you for your participation.

Seems nothing more is known about poor Armand Hug.

That's the destiny of a non-fluffy thread.

Oh ye of little faith ....

In "Blue and Yellow", Chula's story of the 1939 and 1946 seasons, he states that Hug was in hospital in Albi for several weeks, without regaining consciousness (presumably in a coma), before being flown home to Lausanne and that "although he has since recovered, I understand he has remained a semi-invalid, and we can only hope he will soon be fully re-established in health."

And before you ask, Reinhard, those words were written in 1940!;)

[ReWind]

At least thanks to Haine Kane & the hitherto unnamed author of a book about Swiss drivers at the Le Mans 24 h race we learnt that he did not die as early as the late 1960s but only at the age of 63 on 12 September 1975 at St. Sulpice.

[Vitesse2]

A bit of clarification, thanks to the Gazette de Lausanne. On July 22nd 1939 they reported that his condition had not changed and that he was still in a coma in Albi. Five days later he was said to be in an improved - although still comatose - condition and taking liquids, his doctor being "optimistic".

He was reported to have regained consciousness on the evening of July 27th and been able to talk with his mother on that day and on the morning of the 28th. He was then flown to Lausanne on July 29th, arriving at 14.45 at Lausanne-Blécheret airport on a plane owned by a company called Alpar and piloted by a Monsieur Robert. He was immediately transported by ambulance to the cantonal hospital for continued treatment, his condition still being considered "grave".

However, it appears that either the earlier reports were over-optimistic or he suffered a relapse: on August 15th the Gazette now said his condition was "toute stationnaire" and that after 30 days he had not yet regained consciousness.

I can find no further references to his condition, although he makes occasional appearances as one of those conveying regrets on the death of various family members, notably that of his mother in July 1969. The family home was the Villa Auberive in St Sulpice. Sadly, his own demise was not reported by his home-town newspaper.

So Tragatsch was partly right - he just doesn't seem to have known the whole story.

[Vitesse2]

For anyone interested, here's an article (in French) from a 1964 Swiss newspaper about what happened to Armand Hug. Remarkably, in an era before antibiotics, he recovered from meningitis, a consequence of inner ear trauma received during his crash, but was left with severe memory loss.

 

https://www.dropbox....717_55.pdf?dl=0

[Vitesse2]

On December 8th 1939, the French newspaper l'Auto reported that Hug had recently left hospital and that although his health no longer caused concern he still had amnesia - it was hoped that this would improve 'peu à peu'. Accordingly he was considered to have recovered.

 

That seems remarkably close to what Chula wrote the following year.

[Steve L]

It does not seem certain what exactly happened to poor Armand Hug?

I wondered what happened to his Maserati 4CM (said to be chassis 1555) following his crash? Was it badly damaged? And I have read its special 16 valve motor still exists but fitted into a Maserati 8CM?

[Vitesse2]

It does not seem certain what exactly happened to poor Armand Hug?

I wondered what happened to his Maserati 4CM (said to be chassis 1555) following his crash? Was it badly damaged? And I have read its special 16 valve motor still exists but fitted into a Maserati 8CM?

The PDF I posted above is the most complete account of Hug's post-accident life.

 

I understand c/n 1555 - having featured occasionally in wartime reports in the Swiss magazine Automobil Revue and passed through Raymond Sommer's hands after the war - has been in Brazil since 1952. No idea on the engine though.

[Steve L]

Thanks. I'll have to dig and see if I can find out more about Hug's Maserati 4CM. It ran with a very striking colour scheme.

[Paul Parker]

Thanks. I'll have to dig and see if I can find out more about Hug's Maserati 4CM. It ran with a very striking colour scheme.

 

There is a Klementaski colour picture in the Klemantaski Master Motorsports book on page 64 (white bonnet/nose and red otherwise) of Hug at Reims lining up for his 2nd place grid position in the 1939 Coupe de la Commission Sportif where he finished 1st after Johnny Wakefield's 4CL Maserati developed braking problems.

[Steve L]

Thanks, that is a great picture.