From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Car crash in France, including telegrams exchanged and an accident investigation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 181\M10\ img104 | |
| Date | 30th August 1924 | |
| [handwritten] X4199 Hotel de France, CHATEAUROUX, Indre. France. AJL.I/Orn.30.8.24. To "HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}" From A.J.Lidsey. I received your telegram as follows :- CAR WITH FOUR WHEEL BRAKES BEING TESTED BY SAINS BADLY SMASHED AT TOTES SIXTEEN MILES SOUTH OF DIEPPE DRIVER AT ROYAL HOTEL DIEPPE STOP PROCEED THERE AT ONCE AND MAKE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR CAR TO BE SENT BACK TO DERBY SHOULD BE SENT IN PACKING CASE IF BADLY SMASHED STOP WIRE WHEN YOU ARRIVE DIEPPE EXAMINE CAR CAREFULLY AND REPORT REASON FOR SMASH - HIVES to which I replied :- NINE FK HELD UP WITH BROKEN PETROL PIPE AND WINGS PROCEEDING DIEPPE THIS AFTERNOON - LIDSEY. I sent you two telegrames as follows :- ARRIVED DIEPPE EARLY THIS MORNING HAVE NOT YET SEEN CAR WIRING LATER - LIDSEY. ACCIDENT CAUSED BY STEERING TAKING CHARGE OWING TO OFF SIDE FRONT SPRING CENTRE BOLT HAVING PREVIOUSLY SHEARED STOP VERY SLIGHT DAMAGE DONE STOP DRIVER DRIVING CAR TO DERBY AS SOON AS BOAT PASSAGE IS AVAILABLE - LIDSEY. I received your wire at 1.30 p.m. on Wednesday morning, having been out on 9 FK, and been held up by broken petrol pipe. I could not get away from here until 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, having had to get the petrol pipe repaired and also the front wings which were off the car for repairs. [handwritten] WRONG We arrived at Dieppe late on [crossed out] Thursday [/crossed out] night, and proceeded to the Royal Hotel first thing on [crossed out] Friday [/crossed out] [handwritten] Thursday [/handwritten] morning. We went to the scene of the accident with the driver, and afterwards to the car. The accident occurred as follows :- The car was being driven down a slight hill at about 30 to 35 m.p.h. The driver states that the steering took charge before he applied the brakes. HE [handwritten] then [/handwritten] naturally applied the brakes and [handwritten] A [/handwritten] the steering probably went over more. The car dived to the right hand side of the road, and hit a small tree head on. The car could not have been going very fast when it hit the tree, as the tree gave and the car stopped with the front axle about half way up the tree [handwritten] trunk. [/handwritten] Having stopped, the car rolled over slowly off the tree on to its near side. The steering taking charge was the result | ||