World champion whose life was cut short by the Nazis

Robert Marcel Charles Benoist was born in March 1895 at St-Benoît near Paris, where his father bred hunting dogs

Robert Marcel Charles Benoist was born in March 1895 at St-Benoît near Paris, where his father bred hunting dogs. Reputedly, by the age of six the young Benoist was an excellent shot while at the same time being already fascinated by speed.

The Baron de Rothschild, for whom Robert's father organised hunts, took a keen interest in the young Benoist and found him a job after his studies with a garage in Versailles. In 1913, Robert witnessed his first Grand Prix, near Amiens, the French national hero Georges Boillot winning the race driving a Peugeot.

Returning to Paris, Robert declared his intention to become a racing driver and join the Delage team. A worthy ambition, perhaps, but meanwhile he had to earn a living. He did this by spells with the Gregoire motor company and later as a chauffeur for the Baron de Rothschild before WWI intervened. Called up by the infantry, Robert successfully transferred to the Armée de l'Air where he joined a reconnaissance squadron. Transferred to a fighter squadron he ended the war having been decorated several times and once more turned to his ambition of racing.

Working first as a test driver for several companies, in 1921 he joined the Salmson company for whom he started his first major event, the Tour de France in 1922. Benoist finished the contest which was regarded as one of the toughest reliability events at the time. But it was his second event which showed his true potential. This was the Bol d'Or, a 24-hour race in which the driver was required to cover the entire distance. On this occasion, Robert finished second, well ahead of his more senior team-mates. The succeeding year saw success follow success at the wheel of Salmson racing cars before the team withdrew from racing at the end of the 1923 season. His declared ambition was achieved when the Delage team took the opportunity thus provided to sign him up. In his first Grand Prix for Delage, Robert finished third. In the 1925 season he took his first GP victory at the French GP, the first time a French driver had won the race since 1913.

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By now a national hero, Robert continued to grow in reputation and ability over the succeeding years. In 1927 he won all of the Grand Prix - an unprecedented feat, and was declared World Champion by the French media - although there was no such official title at the time. In 1933 Robert joined Bugatti as a member of the "works" team alongside Achille Varzi, Rene Dreyfus and Williams. By now the German Grand Prix steamroller of Auto-Union and Mercedes Silver Arrows was in full swing and victories were few and far between. Robert won his last Grand Prix - the Picardie GP - in 1935, and followed it with victory at Le Mans in 1937.

Two years later, France was once again at war and Robert joined the French army. After the fall of France, Robert joined the resistance movement.

After a truly remarkable series of exploits, Robert was arrested by the Germans. He sensationally escaped and managed to make his way to England. Two months later he was back in France organising a new SOE network. After four more such trips, Robert's luck finally ran out in June 1944 when he was again captured. He was transported to the death camp at Buchenwald where in September 1944 he was executed.