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).
Newspaper article detailing the tragic crash of the Miss England speedboat.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 174\5\ img180 | |
| Date | 14th June 1930 guessed | |
| TRAGIC SCENE WHEN MISS ENGLAND CRASHED. Describing the scene a correspondent of the 'Manchester Guardian' says:—Sir Henry climbed to his rest between the two white-helmeted mechanics, and the engine roared its warning. Clouds of black smoke poured out of the vertical exhaust-pipes, died away, and were still floating over a white turmoil of broken water, for Miss England had suddenly moved forward. As the boat gathered speed the bows lifted perceptibly, the stern sank down to water-level, two white feathers of spray curved upwards, and the thunder of the engines gave way to a drone louder than that of an aeroplane. Gaining speed every second, Miss England swept past the first buoy of Bed Nab, and in less than a minute had flashed past the second buoy and was slowing up to turn. One mile had been covered and all was well. Without pausing, Sir Henry, having successfully turned, drove his boat back down the mile stretch. To those of us who were watching from the hill it seemed as if the run was some seconds better, but before any calculations could be made Miss England was once more tearing up the lake to cover the mile for the third time. Half-way between the two buoys a cloud of spray higher than the rost leapt up from the flying boat. Without dropping from her speed of 100 miles an hour, Miss England gave a violent swerve to the left, turned over in a smother of spray, and disappeared. The bottom broke through the surface and two—perhaps three—white helmets could be seen in the water. Then the scene was obliterated by launches converging in from all sides of... ...ing that he has helped to achieve that for which he set out." Willcocks supervised the installation of the engines in Miss England, and accompanied Sir Henry on every trial run he made. "'I have no idea what happened to cause the accident,' he said. 'We may have struck an object or we may not. We made one run at over 90 miles an hour and on the other we exceeded I know, the three-figure mark. Then we decided to turn round and make a third attempt, and as we swung round the second buoy Sir Henry stood on the throttle pedal.'" THE SPEED THRILL. "'We were all keyed up and tense. We knew anything might happen, but we were taking the risk. The engines were behaving splendidly and the feeling was marvellous. The boat was right on top of her form, and we knew that we were travelling faster than man has ever travelled on water before. Then it happened. It is like a nightmare now. All I know was that there was a sudden shudder. I seemed to be falling, falling, falling. That is all I remember. I must have then lost consciousness. I next remember being in a boat.'" "'I have a hazy recollection of being attended to by several people, and then I came to to find myself lying in this bed. I am so pleased we have broken the record, but the loss of life is terrible.'" Willcocks has one eye hurt and his face is bruised, while he had a big gash in his side, yet he contrived calmly to smoke one cigarette after another. LADY SEGRAVE'S PREMONITION "I FEEL THAT SOMETHING MAY HAPPEN." | ||