Roland Garros

Eugène Adrien Roland Georges Garros ( French: [ʁɔlɑ̃ ɡaʁos]; 6 October 1888 – 5 October 1918) was a French aviation pioneer and fighter pilot. A self-taught pilot, he performed many early aviation feats such as the first-ever airplane crossing of the Mediterranean Sea in 1913. He later joined the French Army and became one of the earliest fighter pilots during First World War.

Born in Saint-Denis, Réunion, Garros developed an interest in aviation from a young age. He began his career in 1909, flying a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle, and gained his licence a year later. Following successful performances in several air races and multiple altitude records, Garros achieved international fame in 1913 for making the first non-stop flight across the Mediterranean Sea, from southern France to Tunisia in a Morane-Saulnier G.