Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-15
wilson, Puts All Foreign Trade Under License
3 BRITISH VESSEL SUNK
Vernon Castle
Falls to Death
in Aero Flight

Fort Worth, Tex, Feb. 15.-Captain
Vernon Castle of the English royal
flying corps, was killed this morning
while flying fifteen miles west Of Fort
Worth.
Castle had made over $50 fights
over the German lines and was the
hero of many exploits in the war zone.
His work had been especially on the
Flanders front and covered period
Of nine months. He came to Fort
Worth last October along with Lord
Wellesley.
Castle, in trying to avoid 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 to the
Benbrook field. The cadet was unin-
jured.
The Immelman turn in which Cap
tain Castle met death was named after
Lieutenant Immelman, the German
flier, who downed many allied air
| planes before being shot down him
SELF according to flying officers.
| 1t is a combination turn and q
twist while diving" said an aviation
officer. Captain Castle evidently tried
to dive under and around the other
machine but was too close to clear his
own
Castle was wounded but once in the
allied service and then but slightly
| ~F ovN
as the means of winning the war but
always doubted the possibility OF re-
turning from Berlin in safety in the
event of raiding that city. His flying
in and about Fort Worth was as fam
JUS as his dancing, for his stunts in
the air had held thousands Of soldiers
and civilians spell bound day after
day.
j New York, Feb. 15.-Vernon Castle
had national reputation as q dancer
His home was here. With his wife
also graceful dancer, he attained
, great popularity several years ago al
, teacher of modern dances. When thu
war broke out both of the Castles be
! came interested in war work and MI
: Castle took up aviation.
, He was granted an aviation pilo
license by the Aero club of America
I Feb. 8, 1916, after having made sat
> isfactory record in test flights at New
, port News, Va. He was born in Nor
wich, England, May 2, 1887.
Castles plane was near the groun'
and he was in the front seat instruct
. ing the cadet instead of in the rea
l where the instructor usually rides
Had he occupied the rear seat, h
would not have been injured. Whe
T; he saw the danger of a collision wit
the approaching plane, Castle under
: took what aviators know as an 1mmel
u man turn The plane failed to respon
and he was instantly killed.
y The accident occurred at the air
drome at BenbrOOk.
> His right name was Vernon Blythe
Soon after receiving his aviator licens
y he sailed from New York for Englan
to Join the British aerial service.
March of 1916 he was appointed
o temporary lieutenant in the BIRTHS
: royal flying corps. Shortly after
i ward there came report of his deaf
e while flying in France.
h Mrs. Castle, professionally know
e as Irene Castle, followed her husban
!. abroad to visit him. Returning frol
e a second visit year later she ar
:, nounced that her husband had r.
d cefved the cross of war for valorou
: action on the western front. She sal
: he had brought down two Germa
S aviators.
: Castle returned from the Frenc
y front in April, 1917, and joined til
royal flying corps in Canada as an il
structor with the rank of captain. Tt
following month he had narrow e.
cape from death in an accident viii
flying at Camp Mohawk. The cad'
flying with him was killed.
When a Canadian contingent OF tt
flying corps was transferred to Texs
, last fall for winter training. Capital
Castle went with it as an instructor.