The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1918-07-25
wahpeton
Boy isDead

OF Mr. and Mrs. Jared Watkins, Of 212
Twelfth street, formerly Of Wahpeton.
but now Of Great Falls, Mont, sleeps
In . grave In France as one Of the
American boys who gave his life in
his efforts to help turn the hun. hordes
back toward Germany. Lieut.. Watkins
was killed at the flying field in Isson-
dun, France, at 8 Sunday morning,
June q, when the airplane which he
was driving took sudden nose dive
when at an altitude Of 125 meters. or
about 400 feet. He was instantly killed
and the machine he was driving was a
complete wreck.
This tragic news was brought to the
Watkins home in letter received on
Sunday morning, last, by the father Of
the unfortunate boy. The letter was
written by Sprague b. Wyman, one Of
the pals and comrades in the aviation
service, of Lieut.. Watkins. Wyman
had been in the service with Lieut.
Watkins since they took their ground
school work at Berkeley, Cal, includ-
Ing the months they had trained in
France. Immediately ON receipt of the
letter, MIR. Watkins left for Seattle to
break the news to Mrs. Watkins, who
has been Oh the coast for some weeks
because of the condition of her health.
In the same mail as the Wyman let
ter, Mr.. Watkins also received letter
of most comforting character from Ro-
bert w. Fesch, director Of religious
work for the Y.M.C.A., camp ut Isson-
dun, speaking in highest praise Of the
excellent character of Lieut.. Watkins
as manifested thru all his training
work.
The accident which caused the death
Of Lieut.. Watkins came on the second
day after he had his first solo fight
in scout plane, which means making
trip in machine without a compan-
ion. He had left the ground in the
highest spirits, the plane had been
thoroughly tested and had proved all
right, 10 that after the accident oc-
CURED there was no theory upon which
those on the training field cough as.
count for the fatality. The day was
bright, and while there was slight
breeze there was not sufficient to have
caused the trouble.
The unfortunate boy was given mill
tary burial in the United States mill
tary cemetery ut Issondun, and the
friends who had trained with him in
France were present at the obsequies.
Charles Lloyd Watkins was educated
in the Great Falls schools, doing some
high school work, then entering the
University Of Minnesota where he did
q years work. He then entered the
state college at Bozeman and after six
months there he went to the training
school at Berkeley, CAL, to take up the
aviation service. He succeeded splen-
didly and after having been there for
. time was selected, because of mis-
proficiency, as one Of limited few to
be sent directly to France to be trained,
By the French airfhen. He had conttn.
ued his good record and had been given
his connssion % first lieutenant,
which bore the date II Nay Is, 1918.
Lieut.. Wattin, + survived by his
father and mother and one brother.
Lowell Watkins, . paying teller in the
United States navy, now with cruis-
er in the waters Of Bering sea. -
Great Falls Tribune.
The Watkins family formerly were
residents some twelve years ago and
have many friends in this city.