Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-13
Associated Pressl

BOURNEMOUTH, England, July IL.
The first flying tournament of the
year in England was brought to
tragic close by the dramatic death of
the most daring British aviator. the
Hon. Charles S. Rolls, third son of Lord
Llangattock.
In the presence of great company OF
spectators, a majority of whom were
women and children and many personal
friends of the young aviator, the Wright
biplane on which he was flying fell sud
denly with terrific speed from height
of 100 feet. 1t struck the ground close
to the crowded grandstand, smashed
into tangled mass, and before the
doctors and their assistants could reach
the spot Rolls was dead.
The event in which Rolls was COM
peting was for prize for the aviator
alighting nearest a given mark. The
goal was directly in of the grand
stand. where the spectators were
massed He had risen to good height,
then shut off his motor and was gliding
in broad circle toward the mark
without warning the tailpiece of the
biplane snapped off. The machine gave
a sudden lurch and the framework
crumpled up in the air. When 1t struck
the ground it was smashed to splinters.
The doctors found that Rolls had suf-
fered a fractured skull. The wreck OF
the machine and twisted stays sur
rounded the body so that there was diff
ficulty in extricating 1t.
Immediately after the result Of Rolls
accident the committee announced that
flying would be suspended for the day.
PARENTS WERE ABSENT
Lord and Lady Llangattock, the
parents Of Rolls, did not witness the
accident They were yachting along
The coast and put in at Poole, near
Bournemouth this morning, intending
TO attend the aviation meeting, but
postponed going until afternoon.
Audemars, the Swiss aviator, had
close shave while making trial flight
above the Bournemouth field. His
monoplane overturned and descended
swiftly to the ground, but he escaped
without injury.
Captain the Hon. Charles Stewart
Rolls was 33 years old and was one OF
the most popular young all-around
sportsmen in England. AT ballooning.
at motoring and later in the field of
aviation he had distinguished himself
by his utter fearlessness.
Undoubtedly his crowning feat was
his round trip across the channel be-
tween. Dover and Calais in a Wright
biplane on June 2 last. Two French
men, Louis Bleriot and Count De Les
seps already had crossed the channel,
and Hubert Latham had almost sue
ceeded.
Rolls was as modest as he was dar-
ing and received the congratulations
which were shoWered upon him almost
with embarrassment.
In his youth Rolls was one of the pi-
oneers of motoring In England. he
drove a motor car while the ordinance
was still in force that every self-pro-
pelled vehicle on the public roads
must be preceded by a man carrying
a red flag to warn pedestrians. Since
1896 he has been one of the best known
motor experts in Europe. In 1900 he
won the gold medal in the 1000-mile
automobile race. He was the repre-
sentative of Great Britain In the Cor
don Bennett race in 1905, and several
times made worlds records for speed.
AS a balloonist Rolls had made more
than 150 ascensions, crossed the chan
mel several times in balloons and In
1906 by journey from Paris to Sher-
bourne and Norfolk gained the French
Aero clubs medal for the longest bal
loon journey.
WAS COMING TO U. S.
Rolls was intended for the diplomatic
service, but he showed such enthusi-
asm for science and mechanics that
his parents decided it was better to
let him become good scientist than
poor diplomat. He was educated at
Eton and Cambridge, where he special
lied in engineering and electricity.
He was captain of the Cambridge
university bicycle team and gained his
military title with the Elton volunteer
battery. Rolls had written and lee
tured much on his hobby, particularly
on the future of motoring. He also
was an expert musician He was the
technical managing director of the
Rolls Royce Motor company and also
captain of the London section of the
army motor reserve corps.
Captain Rolls had expected to come
to the United States this fall to give
exhibitions of flying and to compete
in any meetings that might be held.
After his flight of the channel he re-
ceived kilograms of congratulation
from King George and Queen Mary,
was given the gold medal of the Royal
Aero club, and altogether was one of
the most conspicuous figures in Eng
land.
Captain Rolls is the twelfth victim
u the science of aviation.