The Irishman who with two Germans was the first to fly the Atlantic non-stop east to west 70 years ago is remembered in a book launched by the Minister for De- fence, Mr Smith, yesterday.
Col James Fitzmaurice, known as "Fitz", achieved his remarkable feat with Capt Hermann Koehl and Baron von Huenefeld, when he co-piloted the metal one-engine Bremen from Baldonnel to Greenly Island in the Strait of Belle Isle, between Labrador and Newfoundland, in April 1928. The flight took 361/2 hours. Among the items on board was a copy of The Irish Times, the first newspaper to be taken by air across the Atlantic.
His extraordinary life has been outlined by the editor of the Leinster Express, Mr Teddy Fennelly, in Fitz and the Famous Flight, which was praised for the extent of its research by Mr Smith at the launch in Dublin Airport. He de- scribed Col Fitzmaurice's achievement as the "Everest of aviation".
Born in Dublin, Col Fitzmaurice moved with his family as a child to Portlaoise, Co Laois. He joined the British army and fought at the Battle of the Somme, later transferring to the RAF, then known as the Royal Flying Corps.
He returned to live in the new Irish Free State and was one of the first pilots to join the Air Corps.
Following his transatlantic flight, Col Fitzmaurice was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross by the US President, Calvin Coolidge, the first non-American to receive the honour. He was also made a Freeman of Dublin.
His fortunes foundered in later years, as his plans to make Ireland a major player in civil aviation came to nothing. After he emigrated to the United States, a business deal collapsed on the day of the Wall Street crash. "He died in Dublin in 1965, a lonely, disillusioned man," said Mr Fennelly, "and he was given a State funeral to Glasnevin Cemetery."
Col Fitzmaurice had his own observation to make on how he felt the Irish honoured their heroes when he failed to get the backing of the authorities for an all-Irish transatlantic attempt in the 1920s.
"If you have the misfortune to do anything useful for Ireland, they do everything possible to destroy you. Then when you are dead, they dig you up and laud your praises as a bolster to their own mediocrity."
