Bleriot: So what? I Have Crossed The Channel!

Louis Blériot was born in Cambrai in 1872 and went on to achieve fame as an aircraft designer, engineer and pilot.

He is perhaps best known in England as the first man to cross the English Channel in a heavier than air machine - a feat which earned him £1,000 in prizemoney from the Daily Mail and instant fame.

On dawn of July 25, 1909, he took off from Les Barraques near Calais, despite blustery winds and an injured foot - sustained in an accident during a trial run - and landed near Dover after covering the 35 miles of open water.

Although greater distances had been covered previously, this was the first time that a large body of open water had been covered. For the first time, the British Isles could be reached by means other than by sea.

A rather low-key momunent next to Dover Castle has been created to commemorate the achievement.

Talking of landing, Blériot said: “At the risk of smashing everything, I cut the ignition at 20 metres. Now it was up to chance. The landing gear took it rather badly, the propeller was damaged, but my word, so what? I had crossed the Channel!”