Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-07-13
British Aviator Rolls Killed
I Al Bournsmouth, Eng,
BIplane Cola pses and Ne Falls
i 100 Feet 10 Death.
Accident In Presence Of Great
Crowd Competing for Prize.

RoufnemCuth, England. July R.-The
first flying tournament of the year in
England was brought to q tragic close
this morning by the dramatic death Of
the most daring and popular British
aviator, the Hon. Charles s. Rolls
third son Of Lord Llangattock., In the
presence of a great company Of spec
tators. majority Of whom were wo-
men and children and many personal
friends Of the young aviator, the
Wrignt biplane on which he was aying
fell suddenly with terrific speed from
height of 100 feet 1t struck the
ground close to the crowded grand
stand, smashed into a tangled mass
ard before the doctors and, their as
sistants could reach the spot Rolls was
dead.
Roll was competing for prize for
the aviator alighting nearest given
mark. The goal was directly in front
of the grandstand. where the specta-
the tail piece of his biplane dropped off
anu the framework crumpled up in the
air. When it struck the ground it was
smashed to splinters. The doctors
found that Rolls had sustained frac-
tured skull The wreck of the ma
chine and twisted stays surrounded the
body so that there was difficulty in ex-
Treating him. The committee closed
the program for the day.
Lord and Lady Llangattock, the
parents of Rolls, 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 a
close shave while making a trial flight
above the Bournemouth field. His
mOnOplane overturned but he descend
ed without injury.
Captain, the Honorable Charles Stew.
art Rolls, was 33 years old. His crown
ing feat was his round trip across the
channel between Dover and Calais ir
Wright biplane on June last. Rolls
electrified the entire kingdom by
doubling the accomplishments of hi:
predecessors. making the round trip ol
AZ rifles in 80 minutes without stop
ping
In mis- youth Rolls was one of thf
pioneers OF motoring in England. lr
1906 he won the gold medal in the 1000
mile automobile race. He was the rep
resentative of Great Britain in the Cor
don Bennett race of 1905 and severa
tirnas mads. worlds records for speed
As balloonist Rolls had made more
than $50 ascens.Ons. crossed the chan
mel several times in balloons and II
1906, by q journey from Paris TO Snern
bourne in Norfolk gained the Frenci
Aero Clubs medal for the longest bal!
loon journey.
Rolls vas the third son of Lore
Llangattock. He was educated at Etor
and Cambridge. where he specialized
ir engineering and electricity. III
gained his military title with the Etor
volunteer battery.
c. s. Rolls is the 10th victim of the
science of aviation. The death roll
follows:
1sOs-Sept. 17-Selfridge. Lieut.
Thos. F., u. S. A., killed in fall with
Orville Wright near Washington.
1eO9-Sept. 7.--Ena Rossi, Italian
killed in Rome in machine of his own
invention; Dec. 6, Antonio Fernandez
killed at Nice. falling 1000 feet after
motor exploded.
19O9-April 2-Herbet Leblon
Frenchman, instantly killed falling on
rocks at San Sebastian, Spain.
September-E. Lefevre, killed In
Wright machine at Jusivy-Sur Orge
France.
Sept. 22-Furber. Captain Louis r..
killed at Boulogne, France.
191O-Jan. 4-Delagrange, Leon. KILL
ed at Bordeaux. France. .,.
Nav l3-Michaelin, killed at Lyons
France.
June 17-Speyer. Eugene, killed at
San Francisco.
June ls-Robert. killed at Stettin
Germany.
July 3-Wachter, Charles. killed al
Rheims. in Antoinette monoplane
Bariness De la Roche was almost
killed by fall with her Noisln pi-
plane at the Rheims meeting on July g.
The Hon. c. II. S. Rolls had expected
to come to the United States this fall
to give exhibitions of flying and 70
compete in any meetings that might
be held After his flight of the Chan
mel he was given the gold medal OF the
Royal Aero Club.