3 replies to this topic

[Lifew12]

Hoping some on here can help - i'm currently researching the 1907 Peking-Paris 'raid'; I am aware that there are many conflicting tales regarding this event, and am writing an article based on information mainly given in Allen Andrews 'The Mad Motorists' of 1964.

What I need is any information on what became of Charles Godard, driver of the Spyker, and to alesser degree what happened to Georges Cormier and Victor Collignon, who drove the de Dion's, and Auguste Pons the Contal pilot.

Any information on their lives following this event, particulary when they died, would be of great interest.

Thanks
Steve

[Allan Lupton]

Originally posted by Lifew12
Hoping some on here can help - i'm currently researching the 1907 Peking-Paris 'raid'; I am aware that there are many conflicting tales regarding this event, and am writing an article based on information mainly given in Allen Andrews 'The Mad Motorists' of 1964.
Thanks
Steve

I think you would do better (if you read French) to use du Taillis' Pékin-Paris for Spijker details and Cormier "Le Raid Pékin-Paris" for de Dion. The best book of the event is Luigi Barzini's "Pekin to Paris in a Motor Car" (English title of the translation)
Better go to nearer the time sources rather than rehashing what is a rehash to start with. I also think Tim Nicholson's "Adventurers' Road" better than "The Mad Motorists" but that may be personal prejudice.
None of this helps you in your quest for post-event happenings, of course.

[Arjan de Roos]

All I know is that Godard had to go to jail for 18 months for fraud after his arrest at the German border, but was released from these charges. He was held up too long to drive the Spyker to Paris. But if he even reached Paris is unknown to me.

[aldo]

We at AISA (Italian Association of Automobile Historians) have just published a booklet in Italian with an in-depth research on the Bejing-Paris 1907 race based on primary sources, i.e. the books and Italian and French magazines and dailies of that year. The author is Mr. Antonio Amadelli. You may contact him through me: aldo.zana@agenpress.com