Investigating a 1907 crash

After this posting, we received a copy of the French newspaper ‘Le Petit Journal’ dated 18 August 1907. The Parisian daily is said to have had a circulation of around 2 million copies a day at the time and the editor must have been keen to keep his readership loyal. How did he do it? Well, sensation must have been a strong pillar under his editorship, or so it seems. The drawing on the front page is one that screams it all – speed, pain, drama, people flying around, cars being crushed, blood…

That does make curious, even today. Inside we read it is about ‘The accident at Pompignac’, reported as being a terrible car collision that had taken place at or near the village of Pompignac. A translation reads: “This accident took place some twelve kilometres from Bordeaux, between a touristic motor car and one that took part in the ‘Critérium de France’ race. Responsibility would fall to the driver of the first car, who was keeping to the left. The unfortunate man has, moreover, paid for his carelessness with his life. In a cloud of dust coming from other cars that had just passed, the two cars collided, face to face, in a terrible shock. They were literally pressed into each other, and in that instantaneous and formidable stop, they crushed all those they were carrying. Six victims are thus added to the agony of motoring; and, once again, the necessity is imposed to prohibit, in the future, these races so short in tragic accidents on roads open to all.”

We became curious about the accident at Pompignac and wondered if we could find out a bit more. The internet proved to be our friend once more as it turned out that the crash took place some two weeks earlier on the 3rd of August. Behind the wheel of the racing car was a man named Villemain, a motor manufacturer himself. His company was set up by the two brothers Alfred Pierre and Benoît-Eugène Villemain, who were both keen racers themselves. It was Alfred Pierre who was behind the wheel of the Pompignac car on that fateful August-day in 1907. He was a fairly well-known racing driver who started his career with Darracq and later drove for Clément-Bayard and Martin & Lethimonnier. He supposedly drove one of the later cars, killing him instantly at the age of 35. We have no idea what the other car was, or who the other five people involved were. We did find a few pictures, though, which are supposed to be of the Martin & Lethimonnier taken just before the crash and at the site of the accident shortly after the crash plus another shot of what has to be the other car involved. Remarkably, that car is said to be a contender to the same race also. A mistake? Is more investigation needed here..?

Word Jeroen Booij. Pictures cparama.com / lestricars.es.il.

Gepubliceerd:

zaterdag mei 9th, 2020

Ariejan Bos

09 Mei 2020, 09:45

This famous accident or in fact two accidents, the second being a consequence of the first, were reported in the international press in extenso. The following report comes from the newspaper The Sun of August 3, 1907:

France Stops Auto Race

Seven Deaths in Accidents Cause Ministry to End Criterium de France Contest.
Special Cable Dispatch to The Sun

Paris, Aug. 3. - Two accidents resulting in seven deaths caused the Ministry of the Interior to telegraph the Prefect of Gironde to put a stop to the Criterium de France automobile race at the end of the second day, when it was only half completed.
The competition was for touring cars and the speed was strictly limited to a moderate race, but the limit was utterly ignored the first day, all the cars arriving at the controls before the schedule time, so much that the Ministry telegraphed a strong warning this morning that it would suspend competitors who exceeded the limit to-day.
To-day's accidents, however, do not seem to have been due to exceeding the speed limit. In the worse of the two accidents dust was probably the greatest factor. The competitors, who had left Clermont [Clermont-Ferrand] in the morning and had passed the most difficult part of the route to Libourne, were nearing Bordeaux, where the road is excellent and wide, when the second accident occurred.
The earlier accident, which was the indirect cause of the later one, occurred near St. Medard, twelve miles from Bordeaux. The competing car, Martini, driven by Sergessman and Mechanician Perret and with two photographers, Meurice et Lequin, broke down. Meurice, who was slightly injured, says the rear seemed to cease and the pneumatic tires burst. The car after a succession of bounds smashed into a tree. Lequin was taken to a hospital, where he died. The chauffeur was only slightly injured.
At the Yurac sign post, seven miles from Bordeaux, the competing car MartinlethiMonnier [Martin-Lethimonnier], with driver Metayer and Mechanician Mathieu, was well on the right side of the road when through the clouds of dust appeared a motor coming from Bordeaux in which were Driver Rouiller, director of the auto agency at Bordeaux; Mechanician Faveau and two local newspapermen named Amigues and Herbert, who were coming to inquire about the previous accident which had been reported from St. Medard.
It is believed that Rouiller was trying to pass a vehicle drawn by a horse which was causing much dust. Suddenly the two cars came together with a terrific crash. Both were reduced to wreckage. Peasants who rushed to the scene found Rouiller, Mathieu et Metayer dead. Faveau died on the way to the hospital. Amigues and Herbert were taken to the hospital in the gravest condition, the former [Amigues] dying shortly after his arrival.
The interdiction of the Ministry of Marine only refers to the Criterium de France competition and does not say that the Coupe de la Presse will also be forbidden. The latter is a speed contest which is held after the four days touring contest in connection with the Criterium de France.
As the Coupe de la Presse Contest takes place on the Lisieux circuit with the route guarded by troops it may be possibly be held. The regulations for to-day's running prescribed a maximum speed of 21 miles an hour.
A later account says the competing car was named Sultan and was driven by Martin Lethimonnier, Eitblum Villem[a]in et Metayer. All three were killed, making the total number of deaths seven.
The Auto confirms the report of seven killed. It says Rouillier's car, which was a 40 horse-power Peugeot, was travelling at the rate of thirty-six miles an hour. The Sultan car was running at the rate of forty-five miles an hour. -

Comment AB: The Coupe de la Presse was indeed held, as it was run on a guarded circuit. Luckily this event ended without further incidents.

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herman van oldeneel

09 Mei 2020, 07:40

Four persons in a Peugeot: Mr. Roulier (driver), Mr. Faveau (mecanicien), Mr. Amigues (journalist) Mr. Herbert (Journalist).
The driver & mecanicien were killed at the spot, the other two were badly injured.

The other vehicle was the MARTIN LETHIMONNIER, driven by Mr. Martin.
The two passengers were Mr. Villemain and Mr. Métayer.
All three were killed in the accident.

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Investigating a 1907 crash

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