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Somerset County Herald, and Taunton Courier Saturday 19 Dec 1942
Page 6 Column 3&4
CRASH KILLED TWO BROTHERS
BRIDGWATER POLICE CAR OVERTURNED
DRIVER'S STORY AT INQUEST
After an inquest lasting over four hours the jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death” on the brothers Raymond John STANDERWICK, 26, married, 3, Ashleigh-terrace, Bridgwater, and Rowland STANDERWICK, 38, single, High-street, North Petherton, who were fatally injured in a collision between their motor-cycle and the Bridgwater Police patrol car in Taunton-road, near Dawe's Farm, North Petherton, on Monday evening, November 16th.
The adjourned inquest was held at the Court House, Bridgwater, on Thursday afternoon, the Borough Coroner, Mr. Christopher ROWE, being assisted by a jury of which Mr. A. G. WALL was foreman. Mr. C. B. PARDOE represented the County Council and the police driver. Mr. F. W. WILLMOTT, Taunton, was for the relatives of the two men, and Mr. F. W. PEARSON watched the hearing for the insurers of the motor-cycle. The police were represented by Supt. S. WHITTLE (Bridgwater) and Supt. WHITE (Traffic Department, Taunton).
Several witnesses were called, including three doctors, two brothers of the victims, the occupants of the patrol car and two other police officers.
NO NEGLIGENCE
After a short retirement the Foreman announced that they considered there had not been enough evidence to warrant their bringing in a verdict that showed any negligence or carelessness on the part of the driver, and they held that the deaths were caused by misadventure or accident.
Both the Coroner and Mr. PARDOE, the latter on behalf of his clients, expressed sympathy with the relatives.
The first witness was Peter STANDERWICK, Swan Lake House, Taunton-road, Bridgwater, director and secretary of Messrs. J. STANDERWICK & Sons, Ltd., builders, who said his brother Raymond had been driving a motor-cycle between eight and ten years.
Dr. F. J. GODDARD, of Bridgwater Hospital, described the multiple injuries from which Rowland was suffering on admission. He was given a transfusion and next day was transferred to Winford Orthopaedic Hospital. His condition had improved sufficiently to move him, and they considered it would give a chance of saving his right leg is an operation was performed by an expert. The right foot was almost detached.
EXTREME COURSE
The Coroner remarked that he wished the expert could have been brought to Bridgwater as it seemed a rather extreme course to move a man with such severe injuries.
Dr. GODDARD added that Raymond was dead when brought to the Hospital.
Dr. Edith M. WAGSTAFFE, of Winford Orthopaedic Hospital, said Rowland had a compound fracture of the right leg and an amputation of the lower part of it. He died the same night. Death was due to hemorrhage following a fracture of the skull with laceration of the brain.
Dr. Crichton MacGAFFEY, pathologist, of Taunton, gave the cause of Raymond's death as laceration of the brain and multiple fractures of the skull
HEARD A NOISE
Sidney George BILLING, electrical engineer, 73, Whitmore-road, taunton, who was driving a car towards Taunton, said it was misty on the outskirts of Bridgwater. After passing Huntworth Corner a motor-cycle passed him. Soon after there was a noise and witness stopped. Evan HUGHES a passenger in the front seat, got out but could not see anything.
Witness did not at the time know that the police car was following him.
Asked if he saw a light on the motor-cycle, witness said “It struck me that it was not a very staring light.” The motor-cycle passed him at a moderate speed.
Evan Griffith HUGHES, 20, Outer Circle, Taunton, gave similar evidence.
BROTHER HEARD CRASH
Joseph James STANDERWICK, bricklayer, High-street, North Petherton, a brother of the dead men, said he was walking home from work at the time. It was a lovely moonlight night but a little misty. Before he got to Huntworth Garage a car without lights passed him going in the direction of Taunton. When he got to Dawes Farm a lorry passed going in the direction of Bridgwater. About 200 feet or more behind the lorry he saw his brother Raymond on his motor-cycle, riding about two feet from the kerb. Witness did not take any notice of his light. He walked on and the next he heard was a crash. A light suddenly flashed and went out on the same side as his brother.
Gerald Mercer PADGHAM, painter, 84, Fore-street, North Petherton, who was walking with two other men, said the motor-cycle was on its proper side and going at a moderate speed. A remark was passed by one of his companions that its light was dim. He heard a crash and on turning round saw two headlights. They went on, not realising there had been an accident.
LABOURER'S DISCOVERY
Albert John GIBBS, farm labourer, Dawes Cottage, North Petherton, said on hearing the crash he went out and saw the police car overturned 40 years from his gate. The motor-cycle was in the ditch with one man up in the hedge and another man in the ditch with the motor-cycle resting on him. One policeman was out of the car and trying to get the other out. With the help of two other men witness took the injured man from the hedge.
In answer to Mr. WILLMOTT witness said there was a fairly bright light still showing from the motor-cycle.
P.C. CULLEY, of North Petherton, said the police car was lying over-turned across the road with the front bumper about two inches over the white line in the centre and the rear part of the car against the kerb on the near side of the road going from North Petherton to Bridgwater. The rear wheel of the motor-cycle was in the bottom of the ditch and the front part towards the top of the ditch.
SLID UPSIDE DOWN
In reply to Mr. WILLMOTT, witness said the marks on the road were consistent with the car having over-turned and slid along the road for 52 feet. Witness agreed that the marks suggested the motor-cycle was pushed 21 feet into the ditch.
Inspector F. W. SNELL, Taunton, also gave evidence, and showed that the mask on the motor-cycle head-lamp was not of the regulation dual-purpose type, having no pilot light. In reply to Mr. WILLMOTT he said the damage indicated a terrific impact. The fact that the car skidded on its roof for 52 feet was an indication of high speed.
In answer to Supt. S. WHITTLE, witness said the speedometer of the motor-cycle had stuck at 42½ m.p.h.
P.C. CREED, passenger in the Police car, said they were stationary outside Pine's Garage, Bridgwater, when he saw a car proceeding towards Taunton at a speed which he estimated at 40 to 45 m.p.h. P.W.R. STUCKEY, his driver, started their car and they followed the other car. They checked its speed which varied between 40 and 45 m.p.h. and at the end of the check were about 50 yards behind it.
They followed the car round Huntworth Gate corner and got within 10 to 15 yards of it. At that time a motor lorry passed proceeding towards Bridgwater. The saloon car drew away from them slightly, and witness turned down his window so that he could signal to the driver of the car when they had an opportunity of overtaking it.
FELT A BUMP.
“I then felt a bump.” witness went on “on the offside front of the car which turned over and slid along the road on its roof. I got out of the car though the window I had just lowered. Our car was then broadside across the road on its roof on our offside of the road. I went back towards Bridgwater and saw a motor cycle in the ditch. The mask of the front lamp had become partly detached and there was a light showing from the headlight.”
The Coroner: Did you see the motor-cycle coming towards you?” I didn't see anything before the accident.
POLICE DRIVER'S EVIDENCE
P.W.R. STUCKEY gave evidence that the car he was following slowed up when the motor lorry approached and he was able to get within 15 yards of the car. He eased his speed when passing the lorry as it was a wide vehicle taking up a large portion of its correct side, and afterwards was 25 to 30 yards behind the other car.
“I then pulled out to the centre of the road,” he continued, “with the white line in the centre of the road directly down to my offside. I had gone some distance when, without any warning at all I saw a dark object appear in front of me. I had no time to brake or swerve.
“A crash occurred, the car turned over and I felt my head being dragged along under the roof of the car. When the car stopped I realised I was trapped.
“I kicked out a window of the car, got out and when round to see if P.C. CREED was all right. A Mr. ROGERS appeared on the scene and he took me to a house nearby.”
The Coroner: Why did you pull out that way? - To get a clear view of the road.
Are you sure you saw nothing coming towards you? - I saw nothing coming from the opposite direction.
Mr. WILLMOTT: Are you saying that at no time you went over the white line before striking the motor-cycle? - I did not go over the white line.
The Coroner then summed up and the verdict was as stated.