Bosanquet, Arthur

Bosanquet, Arthur        1918 July 26^th              Shrewton

Unconscious for Nine Days – Sequel to a Bicycle Accident

The Coroner for South Wilts (Mr F H Trethowan) held an inquest on Wednesday at Fargo Military Hospital touching the death of Arthur George Bosanquet, a private in the Australian Imperial Forces, stationed at Sutton Veny, and who had met with a bicycle accident a month before and died as a result of injuries.

Evidence of identity was given by Pte Harold Hughes, AIF, who stated that Bosanquet was 37 and his home was in Queensland.

Capt F Sturdy, AIF, said that on June 10^th at 5am he was going from Stonehenge direction to Shrewton and when about a mile from the village he met Bosanquet who had blood on his face, and was staggering about the road with his eyes closed. When spoken to he made no reply. An American soldier came up and witness left Bosanquet with him and reported the matter to the police at Shrewton. On the way there he found at the bottom of Rollestone Hill a bicycle and an Australian soldier’s cap, also a pool of blood near the bicycle. He returned to the injured man and waited until the ambulance arrived.

PS Gray said that after receiving the report he telephoned for an ambulance and at once went to the spot where the injured man was, and he was subsequently taken to Fargo Hospital. He saw the bicycle referred to. Its front wheel was punctured, and there was a recent grazing on the left corner of the saddle. The breaks were in good order. Rollestone Hill was dangerous. He examined the road and could see that the rider of the bicycle had evidently run down the centre and when near the bottom run up the bank for a distance of about nine feet, and had then fallen off. It was a very dark night and the place was very dark.

Major Richmond, RAMC, said Bosanquet was unconscious when admitted to the hospital on June 10^th. There had been profuse bleeding from the left ear and his skin was cold and wet. He remained unconscious for nine days, and then became partially conscious, and was found to be partly paralysed on the left side of the face and there was swelling behind the left ear. An operation was performed and an extensive fracture of the skull was discovered. His condition improved until July 13^th, when he passed into a comatose state, and then improved again. It was discovered that he was suffering from melingitis from which he died on Monday.

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that death was due to injuries received by an accidental fall from a bicycle.