Buste de Gilbert Brazy
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Buste de Gilbert Brazy
21 Rue de la Mer - 62100 CALAIS
Gilbert Brazy: FROM CALAIS TO THE RESCUE OF AMUNDSEN
Near the bustling Calais beach and the imposing silhouettes of Fort Risban, the Dragon, and the Varan, lies a tribute to an aeronautical hero. Walking towards Calais-la-Plage, your gaze will likely fall upon a bust in the Fort Risban square. It is that of Gilbert Brazy, who lived in Calais when his name became forever linked to one of the greatest mysteries of polar exploration: the disappearance of Roald Amundsen.
A Calais native in the epic story of the aviation pioneers
Born in 1902 in Audruicq (between Calais and Dunkirk), Gilbert Brazy was a mechanic at a time when aviation was a pure adventure. Recognized for his technical expertise, he became a prominent figure among the pioneers of French aeronautics. In June 1928, his destiny took a dramatic turn in world history.
The Latham 47: A heroic rescue mission
The story begins with a distress call. The Italian explorer Umberto Nobile has crashed in the Arctic with his airship Italia. The entire world mobilizes. The famous Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, decides to go in search of him.
France made its new seaplane, the Latham 47, available. On board was an elite team, including Gilbert Brazy. On June 18, 1928, the aircraft took off from Tromsø, Norway. A few hours after takeoff, there was radio silence. The plane, its illustrious passenger Amundsen, Gilbert Brazy, and the three other crew members were never seen again. Despite intensive searches, only a float and a fuel tank were recovered. Gilbert Brazy thus entered into legend, lost on a rescue mission.
©Timothé Lovergne A memorial stop at Fort Risban Square
To honor his memory, thePas-de-Calais Aeronautical Association had erected in 1929 This monument, now almost a century old, stands along Fort Risban. The work of Jules-Henri Wagener, it represents Gilbert Brazy scanning the horizon, like an aviation pioneer.
The monument is located within a particularly pleasant and emblematic walking area of Calais:
- Fort Risban Right next door, this bastion steeped in history offers a majestic setting.
- Access to the beach The square is located on the route to reach Calais beach and enjoy the sea air.
- The spectacle of the port : Just a few meters away, you can observe the ferries entering and leaving the port of Calais, creating a symbolic link with travel and adventure.
©Timothé Lovergne A LOCAL HERO TO REDISCOVER
When visiting the Fort Risban district, you will see not just a bronze statue, but the face of a man who carried the colors of Calais to the far reaches of the Arctic. Gilbert Brazy embodies the spirit of adventure that also inspired other heroes of our coastline, such as Tom Souville and Louis Blériot.
©Timothé Lovergne 
