The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-09-18 00:00:00

FATAL ACCIDENT TO MAJOR
ARBUCKLE. •

A sham fight was held on Friday in last week at
the Royal Engineer Camp of Instruction at Would.
ham, near Rochester. Mqiile the troops stationed at
Chatham Garrison were marching to the scene of the
operations a fatal accident happened to Major James
William Vaughan Arbuckle, of the•Chatham Division
of Royal Marines, son of the late Major-General
Vaughan Arbuckle, of Little Heath, Charlton. A
battalion of the division was proceeding by way. of
Rochester to Cuxton to form part of the attacking
force, and or going down Star-hill, Rochester, Major
Arbuckle's horse bolted at a terrific pace. Several
persons were knocked down by the animal and
seriously injured during its mad flight. The animal
became altogether unmanageable, and when at the
bottom of the hill it nearly ran into a shop window.
The rider, however, managed to pull it round to pre-
vent its going through the window; but as he did so,
the animal slipped upon the pavement and fell upon
Major Arbuckle with tremendous force. The unfor-
tunate officer was picked up insensible, his head being
frightfully injured. He was immediately removed to
Melville Hospital, Chatham, but died before reaching
there. As may be supposed, when the sad news
became known among the troops, it cast a gloom over
the whole proceedings, although the programme was
carried out.

On Saturday an .inquest was held at Melville
hospital. Lieutenant - Colonel Charles Vaughan
Arbuckle, R.A., identified the deceased as his brother,
who was forty-five years of age.

Sergeant-Major George Foster Hardinge,
said that on the previous day the Royal Marine
battalion was ordered, with the other troops in gar-
rison, to take part in the military display at Wouldham
Camp. Witness was marching at the head of the
column, behind Colonel Burton, and deceased was
immediately in front of him. When at the top of
the Star Hill, Rochester, the deceased's charger sud-
denly threw his head back and struck deceased in the
face, knocking his helmet off. His helmet was handed
to him again, and the deceased corrected the horse
by spurring it slightly, when the horse darted for-
ward through the drummers. Witness did not kriow
what caused the horse to throw his head back, but he
knew that it had thrown the deceased before. Witness
did not see the deceased fall at the time he was killed.
Police-constable Hinas stated that he saw the de-
ceased's horse tearing at a fearful rate down Star Hill,
Rochester, and on the deceased attempting to check it
in the High-street, Rochester, it got upon the pave-
ment and rolled over, the deceased being underneath,
his head coming into violent collision Nk ith the
ina.cdamised road. Two children were also under-
neath the horse at the time it fell, but they were after-
wards rescued without receiving very serious injuries.
When the deceased VMS picked up he was unconscious,
and witness put him into a carriage to converhim to
the hospital, but he died after they had gone about a
hundred yards.

Colonel Burton, R.M., said he was in command of
the battalion at the time of the occurrence, the de-
ceased being second in command. Witness noticed
that the deceased's horse was fresh, and that the de-
ceased was somewhat nervous. At the top of Star Hill,
whilst marching at the head of the battalion, the horse
knocked deceased's helmet off. Witness advised him
to go home, as witness thought the horse was
too much for him, and he was apprehensive of
danger. Deceased did not wish to go, and in about
a minute afterwards the horse bolted, going right in
the midst of the drummers, knocking several
of them down. Witness thought two of them were
killed, and sent for cabs to take them to the hospital.
Immediately afterwards he saw the deceased and the
horse fall. The horse was difficult to ride, and was not
a thoroughly broken charger.
The coroner having briefly, summed up, the jury
returned a verdict of "Accidental death." The de-
ceased leaves a widow and two children. They had
come to Wouldham to witness the military display,
and had reached there before knowing of the sad acci-
dent to the deceased.

The funeral of the late Major James William
Vaughan Arbuckle, Chatham Division Royal Marines,
took place on Tuesday at Weimer. The proces-
sion was headed by a firing party of about 200 men
belonging to the 81st Regiment and the Royal
Marines. Then came the full bands of the whole of
the corps in garrison, with muffled drums, and bands
in turn playing funeral music. The coffin was borne
on a gun carriage, and was covered with a Union Jack
and numerous wreaths. Six officers of the same rank
as Major Arbuckle acted as pall-bearers. A carriage
followed containing some of his relatives. There were
a large number of naval and military officers present,
including Admiral-Superiutendent T. Brandreth,
Brigadier-General Sir E. Wood, V.C., K.C.8., Colonel
Sir J. Stokes, K.C.8., R.E. Captain Hunt-Grubbe,
C. 8., A.D.C., Colonel-Commandant Connolly,
R.M.L.I.' '
Colonel Herrick, R M.L.I. Second Com-
mandant, District Commissary-Generalßlunt, Colonel
Duff, R.E., Colonel Durnford, R.E., Colonel Thomas,
R. M. L. I. , Colonel Burton, R. M. L. I. , and many
others.