Evening star., 1918-02-15
VERNON CASTLE DIES
SAVING CADET Fu|ER
Noted Dancer and British War
Hero Falls to Death at Texas
Aviation Camp.
PUPIL ESCAPES INJURY


Capt. Vernon Castle of the English
Royal Flying Corps was killed this
morning in his airplane fifteen miles
west of Fort Worth
Castle. in trying to avoid a cadet.
swerved his machine beyond his con-
troll, fell and was unable to right him
self. The cadet was an American. but
was being instructed by the British.
The accident happened close by the
Benbrook field The cadet was unin-
jured.
Castles pupil was R. Peters. His only
injury was black eye.
The plane was only fifty feet above
the ground and was going rapidly The
machine with which the collision was
threatened was just rising.
Castle had made over $50 flights over
the German lines and was the hero of
many exploits in the war zone His
work had been especially on the Flan-
ders front and covered a period of nine
months He came to Fort Worth last
October along with Lord Wellesley.
Castles plane. in which he was in
structing a student, was fly ng near
the ground when another machine,
manned by cadet approached See
ing that a collision was imminent
Castle undertook what aviators know
as an Immelman turn. but the ma
a
earth. Castle died in the field hospital
twenty minutes after the fall.
At the time of the accident Castle
was in the front seat of the plane in
structng his pupil instead of in the
rear. where the instructor usually
rides. Had he been in the rear seat he
probably would not have been injured
Benbrook Field. where the accident
occurred, is fifteen miles west of this
city.
Had National Reputation.
NEW YORK, February 15.-vernon
Castle had national reputation as
dancer. His home was here. With his
wife, also a graceful dancer, he attain
ed great popularity several years ago
the war broke out both of the Castles
became interested in war work and Mr..
Castle took up aviation.
He was granted an aviator's pilot
February 9. 1916. after having made a
satisfactory record in test flights at
Newport News, Va He was born in
Norwich. England, May 2. 1887.
His right name was Vernon Blythe.
Soon after receiving his aviator license
he sailed from New York for England
to join the British aerial service. In
March of 1916 he was appointed a tenn
porary lieutenant in the British Royal
Flying Corps. Shortly afterward there
came a report of his death while flying
in France.
Followed Husband Abroad.
Mrs. Castle. professionally known as
Irene Castle. followed her husband
abroad to visit him. Returning from a
second visit a year later she announced
that her husband had received the cross
of war for valorous action on the west
ern front. She said he had brought
down two German aviators.
Castle returned from the French
front in April. 1917, and joined the
Royal Flying Corps in Canada as an in
structor with the rank of captain. The
following month he was reported to
have had a narrow escape from death in
an accident while flying at Camp Mo-
hawk. The cadet who was flying with
Capt. Castle in the machine at the time
was killed.
When a Canadian contingent of the
flying corps was transferred to Texas
last fall for winter training Capt.
Castle went with IL as an instructor.
Mrs. Castle. who is now one, of the
star actresses Of a motion picture con-
Germ, was prostrated upon receiving the
news of her husbands death.
While both the Castles gained their
regulations chiefly as dancers. both
have had stage careers in which they
have played star roles. 1t was while
appearing together in the musical COM
edy THE Midnight Sons several years
ago that Capt. Castle and his wife,
then Miss Irene Foote, met and married.
They subsequently went to Paris and
on returning here won sensational pop
ularity for their graceful and original
dancing.
They were featured in a musical com
edy, the chief attraction of which was
their dancing. Later they established
a dancing school here called Castle
House." which became famous Here
they taught the modern dances such as
q a
attracted a clientele among the lead
ers of New York society. While abroad
both of them danced before the Queen
of England, it was reported.