26 January 1917 – 2nd Lieut. C. B. Fenton and 2nd Lieut. P. F. Parsons

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From the Wiltshire Telegraph on Saturday the 27th of January 1917

Never were the words “In the midst of life we are in death” more appropriate than on Tuesday morning. In the village church of Charlton — adjoining Charlton Park — at noon was being celebrated the wedding of Major Poynter and the Lady Agnes Howard, the service being attended by a crowd of interested spectators; just before the blessing was pronounced on the bridal pair, in the same park, two Second-Lieutenants of the R.F.C. met with a terrible accident. Indeed, some people who were on their way to the church, were the first to be on the scene of the accident, and saw it happen.

About 10.30 an aeroplane had been seen flying over the town at a low altitude, and attracted considerable attention as it made several circles, which seemed to indicate that the occupants had lost their way. The surmise proved to be correct, for in Charlton Park – a mile from the town — the machine made a perfect descent. Aviation is common now, yet aeroplanes rarely descend near Malmesbury, and when this machine came down in the park, a little company were soon present. To these the two occupants chatted quite cheerfully, stating that they had lost their bearings; and having studied their charts, made ready to ascend; in fact some of the spectators say the engine never stopped, and they were not on terra firma more than ten minutes. Turning the machine against the wind, an ascent was made, and one of the occupants waved adieu to the onlookers; but, according to a consensus of opinion (though it is difficult for any but experts to approximate height) the machine had not reached a greater altitude than about 100 feet when a sound similar to an explosion was heard; the machine dived rapidly nosewards to the earth, and was smashed literally to atoms, the occupants being terribly crushed.

The force of the impact may be gauged in small degree when we state that part of the propeller cut into the frozen earth quite 18 inches.

The unfortunate men, whom it was difficult to extricate from the wreckage, were removed to the Malmesbury Cottage Hospital, and attended by Dr. Pitt and Dr. Moore, and it was officially stated that their condition was extremely precarious. They were taken to the hospital in a car, summoned by Mr. W. Redman, who appeared to be on the scene at the time of the disaster. Supt. Witt and his staff were promptly on the spot to guard the wrecked machine.

Interviewed by our representative, Mr. Redman, who was in the park when the machine descended, said the aeroplane came down quite safely, and the aviators were not on the round more than ten minutes. They were quite cheerful and said they wanted to get to Rendcombe. He thought, when they made their ascent, that the men were going to give the people an exhibition of looping the loop.

The machine, not up more, he should say, than 100 feet, went sideways, and suddenly there was a sound as of an explosion, and the machine crashed to the earth. “We all rushed to the machine, and with Mr. P. McGregor, Mr. Mark Woodward, Mr. E. R. Knapp, Mr. James, Mr. Davis, Mr. Bob Baker, Mr. Moore, and others, tried to get the men out of the machine.” The petrol tank was broken, for petrol was running about and he was nervous that this would ignite and cause greater anxiety. After the men had been got out, they were covered with overcoats, until rugs could be got from Charlton House. Mr. McGregor went out on his motor cycle to get a car; meantime an improvised ambulance party was formed by eight of the spectators, who carried their patients, four men to each, in their arms in the direction of Malmesbury. In this way one was carried over a mile; when he was put into a car, the other was put into a car belonging to the Cirencester Laundry Co., which was commandeered for the purpose.

The names of the men were: Second Lieut. C. Fenton (who was an Australian), and Second Lieutenant P. F. Parsons. The latter died in the hospital at 2.30 p.m. from the affects of his injuries.

At the inquest, a verdict of “Accidental death” was returned.