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).
Extract from a driver's letter describing a car accident and subsequent recovery in France.
| Identifier | Morton\M10\ img099 | |
| Date | 28th August 1924 | |
| x4199 HL/TB/28.8.24. S/W. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Re:- 48-PK. F.W.B. Car doing mileage in France. The following extracts from a letter received last night from my driver Henning give all the particulars we have of the accident sustained by the car:- " So we started off this morning for Deauville, " got the ferry just right and got to Deauville in 2 1/2 " hours. ... ... ... " We got to within 4 kilometres of Tôtes on the " way home and within 34 kilometres of Dieppe when the " accident happened. " I was on a slightly down grade and doing 30 " m.p.h. running quietly home for dinner with 23 miles " to do, at 6-30, when without any warning the car took " charge to the right. I tried to pull to the left but " could not do so. I applied the brake (foot) and the " centre of the front axle hit a young tree. The tree " bent, and the car heeled over to the left, so quietly " that not a window was broken. The left windows were " both shut up, yet not one was broken or even cracked. The Cabriolet was shut. My driving window " was open. I hopped out and loosened the top and pulled " it open, and got the three ladies out. Of course they " were frightened but behaved splendidly. ... ... ... ... ... " I jumped on the first car that passed and went " to Tôtes and got a car to take them home. Then with the aid of four men from the garage " and a team of horses, I contrived a scheme to refloat " her without damage, as follows:- " I got a long piece of wood and tied it over the " spring and under the frame. The piece of wood now stuck " up like the mast of a ship. I tied a rope to the top " of this lever and the horses pulled steadily, and she | ||