The Harrison times., 1916-06-24

France.
Several times both of them have
been mentioned in national orders
one in particular on account OF his
wonderful success in destroying Ger
man battle aeroplanes.
Jean Navarro, who has hitherto
been the best known as "Adjudant
Navarro (where "adjudant" is not the
equivalent of "adjutant" in the Ameri
can acceptation of the word, but cor
responds to sergeant major) is now a
sublieutenant. 1t was not he, however
as enormously understood by the Ger
man newspapers, but the other twin
Pierre, who recently challenged the
successful German aviator, Lieutenant
Immelmann, to a duel in the clouds
which the latter refused.
While Georges Guinemer continues
to be the hero Of the French school
boy on account of his extremely youth
tul appearance and his delicate, boy
lsh face, the Navarro brothers have at
tracted wide attention in a most sur
prising degree, as they are equally
youthful, being only twenty years old
and as they had already been noted
for their general ability as amateurs in
Geld sports. They are small, vigorous
bright and vivacious.
They had been in the military serv
Ice only few weeks when both be
gan to receive decorations. Jean was
the first to become an airman and thus
far has the advantage over his brother
Of having already destroyed sufti
cient number of enemy machines tC
warrant his name being used with
each fresh exploit, an honor which has
not yet been accorded to his brother
Pierre for aviation work, as his deeds
In the air are alluded to without the
name being given.
Pierre already has been mentioned
by name, however, for other military
service.
Mere Boys Become Avlators.
But it is not merely the popular in
terest which the two young men have
aroused that makes their case inter
esting, but the fact that the military
authorities regard the advent of the
young men into the French aviation
service as an event Of the greatest i'm
portanCe, and as proving that mere
boys can make great aviators.
One man like Sublieutenant Navarro
or Sublieutenant Guinemer can upset
the entire arrangements Of the Ger
man general staff when the latter pre-
pares a surprise movement and guards
it's lines of operations by scores Of
fighting aircraft in the hope Of insur
ing secrecy for all movements. Both
Navarro and Guinemer have spoiled
well-laid schemes to the east and wes
Of the Meuse river since the battle o.
Verdun began on February 81.
AS the war goes on the services o.
highly skilled aviators are regarded as
more and more important and, wher
the occasional man with the specia
genius for the most important part o.
the work which the aviator can ren
der comes forth, the French authori
ties are very prompt in giving him rec
ognition and in setting him up as {
model for the other air fighters.
So much has been published of late
In the press of Europe regarding thu
Navarro twins, and so much confusion
mas arisen with regard to the identit!
Of one or the other as performer o
certain exploits, that Mr.. Jean Rogie
decided to call upon the proud mothe
Of the two young men at her residence
at Oullins, a suburb of Lyons, to OBJ
tain from her details regarding them
She is the mother of ten children, tiv
boys and five girls, and is the daugh
ter of a major of artillery. Her hus
band belongs to an old French famil,
and Is a paper manufacturer.
The Mothers View.
What shall | say about Jean?" sh
is quoted in the Petit Parisien as say
ing. There Is no story to tell; he /
simply my Jean. He never speak
about his exploits and it is only iron
the newspapers that | learn OF them
Jean and Pierre were born at Joui-sul
NORM.
"They are good little boys. The
hav. always loved and worshiped eac
other. They were always togethe
and had the same tastes and inclins
tons and we spared no trouble or eA
pense in their education. They dc
voted themselves to all kinds Of sport
and are magnifcently healthy an
handsome
1T is true that Jean Is more or les
undisciplined and does not understan
much about obedience, not throug
wickedness, but because he is mad
that way for his is q lovely character
His father desired to prepare him TO
commercial career but the idea o
having to obey so many superiors wa
irksome to Jean, and after he took hi
Bachelors degree at college he attend
ed an athletic school at Rheims and Ell
tered the aviation school at Paris.
Jean has always shown a taste TO
aviation. AS children, a few year
ago, he and Pierre had bought littl