Casualty of the Great War,William served with the 52nd Bn.Devonshire Regiment~Service No:38386.
He was 18 and the son of William and Lottie Halsey of Ivinghoe, Bucks.
Deaths Mar 1919 Halsey William T 18 Aylesbury 3a 1433.
He was accepted for commemoration as war dead on September 15th 2015, and his name was immediately added to the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance.
Bucks Herald 04 January 1919
William Thomas Halsey 1900 - 28 December 1918
Tragic affair at Ivinghoe
Fatal Explosion of a Maroon
The quiet village of Ivinghoe was startled shortly after noon on Saturday by a terrific explosion at the rear of one of the houses in Church Road as the result of a signal maroon being ignited. Some lads picked up the maroon in a wood at the foot of Ivinghoe beacon on Friday night, and their curiosity was roused as to its contents. On Saturday Arthur Halsey, a lad aged 10 years, endeavoured to open it with hammer and chisel. His brother William, who was home on Christmas leave, also interested himself, and unfortunately applied a lighted match to the tin, the result being an immediate explosion. William, Arthur and Ethel, aged five years, were injured to such an extent as to necessitate their removal to hospitals at Aylesbury. The first named died from the shock of his terrible injuries on Saturday night, and Arthur lies in a critical condition at the Royal Bucks hospital, where his sister Ethel is also being cared for. Another child, Violet, aged 7 years, was also injured. An inquest was held at the grammar school military hospital, Aylesbury, on Tuesday afternoon by Mr S. E. Wilkins, coroner, as to the death of Pte. William Thomas Halsey, 52nd Battalion, Devon regiment, aged 18 years 8 months. Supt. Wooton was present during the inquiry, and P.S. Saunders was Coroner's officer.
Mrs Halsey, of Ivinghoe, said Pte William Halsey, her husband, was at present serving in France in the A.S.C. Deceased was her son. On Dec. 19 he came home on leave for twelve days. She left home about half-past twelve on Saturday, her son being at home and the other children near by. A few minutes later she heard a terrific explosion and ran back home. She saw deceased lying on the ground near the back door. Her son Arthur was lying on the ground about three yards off, and the baby, Ethel, standing near the shed door. She picked up the child and took her into the front garden. Mrs Halsey, her sister-in-law, attended to Arthur, and witness went off in a faint. She had never heard her son William mention anything about bombs. She understood the children had been told that if they found any bombs they were to take them to the police.
Violet Halsey, aged seven, said she was in the yard at the rear of her mother's house on Saturday when her brother Arthur came in. He had what looked like a round tin in his hand, and she saw him chiselling it. The tin he had was similar to the one produced. He placed it on a low wall and struck the chisel with the hammer. After Arthur had hammered the tin for a little while her brother William came out and asked Arthur what he had got, and he replied that there was some powder in it. William asked if he should light it, and he fetched a box of matches out of the house and struck one, which he placed near the tin, and there was at once an explosion. She (witness) was struck in the eye and on the ankle, and she saw William and Arthur fall down. Before William put the match to the tin he struck it with hammer and chisel, and she saw some powder on the wall. Ethel was also hit by something. Mrs Cox, wife of Mr Herbert Cox, Church Road, Ivinghoe, stated that her back room overlooked Mrs Halsey's yard. On Saturday she saw Arthur, Ethel and Violet Halsey in the yard. Arthur was knocking something with a hammer and chisel, there was a little flare and smoke and then an explosion. William and Arthur were lying on the ground where she had seen them fall, and she could see they were both injured. William was taken to the military hospital at Aylesbury and Ethel to the Royal Bucks hospital.
Arthur Bierton, aged 10, Back Lane Ivinghoe, said he and other lads were out for a walk with Arthur Halsey on Friday afternoon, Dec 27. They went into a wood at the bottom of Ivinghoe beacon, where he picked up a rusty tin with a wooden top similar in shape to the one produced. It appeared to be heavy and lay next to the footpath. He took it home, and next morning Arthur Halsey came to the house and asked him where it was. He produced it, and they tried to unscrew the top. Eventually he got the top off with a chisel when a quantity of powder came out. Witness went in to dinner, leaving the tin with Halsey. Shortly after he heard an explosion. When he picked the tin up he thought it was one of the smoke bombs and that it had been used. P.S Neals pointed out that printed on the tins were the words "dangerous explosive." Bierton said it was so rusty that they could not see anything on it. He had not been told by the schoolmaster that if he or other boys found bombs they were to take them to the police. Lieut. E. H. Shepard, assistant superindendent, pyrotechnic laboratory, R.E. Experimental Ground, Wembley, stated that in September he was uncharged of an experimental party at Ivinghoe beacon in company with Lieut. Gray. They were carrying out investigations on the visibility of service signals under the instructions of the chemical warfare department, ministry of munitions. An N.C.O, Corporal Heys, and a Private, fired the signals from the top of the beacon, and observers were placed over a radius of seven miles on the beacon line to Aylesbury. Some of the signals fires would be maroons similar to the one produced. The tests were carried out on the occasions. At the end of the day trial he received a report that three maroons fired had failed to explode. A thorough search of the district was made and it was concluded that they had fallen into a newly-ploughed field and buried themselves. He informed P.S. Neale of what had happened, suggesting that he should tell others concerned, and in the event of the signals being found to retain them. He was of opinion that the signal in question was exploded by ignition and not by the blow with the chisel and hammer.
Corporal W. T. Heys, R.E., gave corroborative evidence as to the experiments. P.S. J. Neale, Ivinghoe, stated that after hearing from Lieut. Shepherd of the loss of three maroon signals in September he personally searched the ground indicated. He circulated information to the school children through the school master and to other persons likely to be using the field or wood. He arrived from Buckingham late on Saturday night and was informed of the explosion. Early on Sunday morning he made a thorough search, and found the fragments of tin produced.
Captain W. P. Bonner, R.A.M.C, central military hospital, Aylesbury, said deceased was admitted at 2:30pm on Saturday, suffering from severe collapse but quite conscious. On examining him, he found he was covered with multiple small wounds in the forehead, chest, abdomen and limbs. He was put to bed and treated immediately for shock. He developed signs of internal haemorrhage, and an operation was performed in the evening, several pieces of tin found internally. The operation was quite successful and deceased improved, but died the same evening at nine o'clock, the cause being shock following the injuries.
The coroner returned a verdict of "death by misadventure" expressing sympathy with Mrs Halsey in the terrible bereavement she had suffered, and expressing the hope that her other two children would soon recover from their injuries. On enquiry at the Royal Bucks hospital we were informed that Arthur Halsey has improved slightly, but still lies in a critical condition. The child Ethel is making favourable progress.
He was 18 and the son of William and Lottie Halsey of Ivinghoe, Bucks.
Deaths Mar 1919 Halsey William T 18 Aylesbury 3a 1433.
He was accepted for commemoration as war dead on September 15th 2015, and his name was immediately added to the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance.
Bucks Herald 04 January 1919
William Thomas Halsey 1900 - 28 December 1918
Tragic affair at Ivinghoe
Fatal Explosion of a Maroon
The quiet village of Ivinghoe was startled shortly after noon on Saturday by a terrific explosion at the rear of one of the houses in Church Road as the result of a signal maroon being ignited. Some lads picked up the maroon in a wood at the foot of Ivinghoe beacon on Friday night, and their curiosity was roused as to its contents. On Saturday Arthur Halsey, a lad aged 10 years, endeavoured to open it with hammer and chisel. His brother William, who was home on Christmas leave, also interested himself, and unfortunately applied a lighted match to the tin, the result being an immediate explosion. William, Arthur and Ethel, aged five years, were injured to such an extent as to necessitate their removal to hospitals at Aylesbury. The first named died from the shock of his terrible injuries on Saturday night, and Arthur lies in a critical condition at the Royal Bucks hospital, where his sister Ethel is also being cared for. Another child, Violet, aged 7 years, was also injured. An inquest was held at the grammar school military hospital, Aylesbury, on Tuesday afternoon by Mr S. E. Wilkins, coroner, as to the death of Pte. William Thomas Halsey, 52nd Battalion, Devon regiment, aged 18 years 8 months. Supt. Wooton was present during the inquiry, and P.S. Saunders was Coroner's officer.
Mrs Halsey, of Ivinghoe, said Pte William Halsey, her husband, was at present serving in France in the A.S.C. Deceased was her son. On Dec. 19 he came home on leave for twelve days. She left home about half-past twelve on Saturday, her son being at home and the other children near by. A few minutes later she heard a terrific explosion and ran back home. She saw deceased lying on the ground near the back door. Her son Arthur was lying on the ground about three yards off, and the baby, Ethel, standing near the shed door. She picked up the child and took her into the front garden. Mrs Halsey, her sister-in-law, attended to Arthur, and witness went off in a faint. She had never heard her son William mention anything about bombs. She understood the children had been told that if they found any bombs they were to take them to the police.
Violet Halsey, aged seven, said she was in the yard at the rear of her mother's house on Saturday when her brother Arthur came in. He had what looked like a round tin in his hand, and she saw him chiselling it. The tin he had was similar to the one produced. He placed it on a low wall and struck the chisel with the hammer. After Arthur had hammered the tin for a little while her brother William came out and asked Arthur what he had got, and he replied that there was some powder in it. William asked if he should light it, and he fetched a box of matches out of the house and struck one, which he placed near the tin, and there was at once an explosion. She (witness) was struck in the eye and on the ankle, and she saw William and Arthur fall down. Before William put the match to the tin he struck it with hammer and chisel, and she saw some powder on the wall. Ethel was also hit by something. Mrs Cox, wife of Mr Herbert Cox, Church Road, Ivinghoe, stated that her back room overlooked Mrs Halsey's yard. On Saturday she saw Arthur, Ethel and Violet Halsey in the yard. Arthur was knocking something with a hammer and chisel, there was a little flare and smoke and then an explosion. William and Arthur were lying on the ground where she had seen them fall, and she could see they were both injured. William was taken to the military hospital at Aylesbury and Ethel to the Royal Bucks hospital.
Arthur Bierton, aged 10, Back Lane Ivinghoe, said he and other lads were out for a walk with Arthur Halsey on Friday afternoon, Dec 27. They went into a wood at the bottom of Ivinghoe beacon, where he picked up a rusty tin with a wooden top similar in shape to the one produced. It appeared to be heavy and lay next to the footpath. He took it home, and next morning Arthur Halsey came to the house and asked him where it was. He produced it, and they tried to unscrew the top. Eventually he got the top off with a chisel when a quantity of powder came out. Witness went in to dinner, leaving the tin with Halsey. Shortly after he heard an explosion. When he picked the tin up he thought it was one of the smoke bombs and that it had been used. P.S Neals pointed out that printed on the tins were the words "dangerous explosive." Bierton said it was so rusty that they could not see anything on it. He had not been told by the schoolmaster that if he or other boys found bombs they were to take them to the police. Lieut. E. H. Shepard, assistant superindendent, pyrotechnic laboratory, R.E. Experimental Ground, Wembley, stated that in September he was uncharged of an experimental party at Ivinghoe beacon in company with Lieut. Gray. They were carrying out investigations on the visibility of service signals under the instructions of the chemical warfare department, ministry of munitions. An N.C.O, Corporal Heys, and a Private, fired the signals from the top of the beacon, and observers were placed over a radius of seven miles on the beacon line to Aylesbury. Some of the signals fires would be maroons similar to the one produced. The tests were carried out on the occasions. At the end of the day trial he received a report that three maroons fired had failed to explode. A thorough search of the district was made and it was concluded that they had fallen into a newly-ploughed field and buried themselves. He informed P.S. Neale of what had happened, suggesting that he should tell others concerned, and in the event of the signals being found to retain them. He was of opinion that the signal in question was exploded by ignition and not by the blow with the chisel and hammer.
Corporal W. T. Heys, R.E., gave corroborative evidence as to the experiments. P.S. J. Neale, Ivinghoe, stated that after hearing from Lieut. Shepherd of the loss of three maroon signals in September he personally searched the ground indicated. He circulated information to the school children through the school master and to other persons likely to be using the field or wood. He arrived from Buckingham late on Saturday night and was informed of the explosion. Early on Sunday morning he made a thorough search, and found the fragments of tin produced.
Captain W. P. Bonner, R.A.M.C, central military hospital, Aylesbury, said deceased was admitted at 2:30pm on Saturday, suffering from severe collapse but quite conscious. On examining him, he found he was covered with multiple small wounds in the forehead, chest, abdomen and limbs. He was put to bed and treated immediately for shock. He developed signs of internal haemorrhage, and an operation was performed in the evening, several pieces of tin found internally. The operation was quite successful and deceased improved, but died the same evening at nine o'clock, the cause being shock following the injuries.
The coroner returned a verdict of "death by misadventure" expressing sympathy with Mrs Halsey in the terrible bereavement she had suffered, and expressing the hope that her other two children would soon recover from their injuries. On enquiry at the Royal Bucks hospital we were informed that Arthur Halsey has improved slightly, but still lies in a critical condition. The child Ethel is making favourable progress.
Casualty of the Great War,William served with the 52nd Bn.Devonshire Regiment~Service No:38386.
He was 18 and the son of William and Lottie Halsey of Ivinghoe, Bucks.
Deaths Mar 1919 Halsey William T 18 Aylesbury 3a 1433.
He was accepted for commemoration as war dead on September 15th 2015, and his name was immediately added to the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance.
Bucks Herald 04 January 1919
William Thomas Halsey 1900 - 28 December 1918
Tragic affair at Ivinghoe
Fatal Explosion of a Maroon
The quiet village of Ivinghoe was startled shortly after noon on Saturday by a terrific explosion at the rear of one of the houses in Church Road as the result of a signal maroon being ignited. Some lads picked up the maroon in a wood at the foot of Ivinghoe beacon on Friday night, and their curiosity was roused as to its contents. On Saturday Arthur Halsey, a lad aged 10 years, endeavoured to open it with hammer and chisel. His brother William, who was home on Christmas leave, also interested himself, and unfortunately applied a lighted match to the tin, the result being an immediate explosion. William, Arthur and Ethel, aged five years, were injured to such an extent as to necessitate their removal to hospitals at Aylesbury. The first named died from the shock of his terrible injuries on Saturday night, and Arthur lies in a critical condition at the Royal Bucks hospital, where his sister Ethel is also being cared for. Another child, Violet, aged 7 years, was also injured. An inquest was held at the grammar school military hospital, Aylesbury, on Tuesday afternoon by Mr S. E. Wilkins, coroner, as to the death of Pte. William Thomas Halsey, 52nd Battalion, Devon regiment, aged 18 years 8 months. Supt. Wooton was present during the inquiry, and P.S. Saunders was Coroner's officer.
Mrs Halsey, of Ivinghoe, said Pte William Halsey, her husband, was at present serving in France in the A.S.C. Deceased was her son. On Dec. 19 he came home on leave for twelve days. She left home about half-past twelve on Saturday, her son being at home and the other children near by. A few minutes later she heard a terrific explosion and ran back home. She saw deceased lying on the ground near the back door. Her son Arthur was lying on the ground about three yards off, and the baby, Ethel, standing near the shed door. She picked up the child and took her into the front garden. Mrs Halsey, her sister-in-law, attended to Arthur, and witness went off in a faint. She had never heard her son William mention anything about bombs. She understood the children had been told that if they found any bombs they were to take them to the police.
Violet Halsey, aged seven, said she was in the yard at the rear of her mother's house on Saturday when her brother Arthur came in. He had what looked like a round tin in his hand, and she saw him chiselling it. The tin he had was similar to the one produced. He placed it on a low wall and struck the chisel with the hammer. After Arthur had hammered the tin for a little while her brother William came out and asked Arthur what he had got, and he replied that there was some powder in it. William asked if he should light it, and he fetched a box of matches out of the house and struck one, which he placed near the tin, and there was at once an explosion. She (witness) was struck in the eye and on the ankle, and she saw William and Arthur fall down. Before William put the match to the tin he struck it with hammer and chisel, and she saw some powder on the wall. Ethel was also hit by something. Mrs Cox, wife of Mr Herbert Cox, Church Road, Ivinghoe, stated that her back room overlooked Mrs Halsey's yard. On Saturday she saw Arthur, Ethel and Violet Halsey in the yard. Arthur was knocking something with a hammer and chisel, there was a little flare and smoke and then an explosion. William and Arthur were lying on the ground where she had seen them fall, and she could see they were both injured. William was taken to the military hospital at Aylesbury and Ethel to the Royal Bucks hospital.
Arthur Bierton, aged 10, Back Lane Ivinghoe, said he and other lads were out for a walk with Arthur Halsey on Friday afternoon, Dec 27. They went into a wood at the bottom of Ivinghoe beacon, where he picked up a rusty tin with a wooden top similar in shape to the one produced. It appeared to be heavy and lay next to the footpath. He took it home, and next morning Arthur Halsey came to the house and asked him where it was. He produced it, and they tried to unscrew the top. Eventually he got the top off with a chisel when a quantity of powder came out. Witness went in to dinner, leaving the tin with Halsey. Shortly after he heard an explosion. When he picked the tin up he thought it was one of the smoke bombs and that it had been used. P.S Neals pointed out that printed on the tins were the words "dangerous explosive." Bierton said it was so rusty that they could not see anything on it. He had not been told by the schoolmaster that if he or other boys found bombs they were to take them to the police. Lieut. E. H. Shepard, assistant superindendent, pyrotechnic laboratory, R.E. Experimental Ground, Wembley, stated that in September he was uncharged of an experimental party at Ivinghoe beacon in company with Lieut. Gray. They were carrying out investigations on the visibility of service signals under the instructions of the chemical warfare department, ministry of munitions. An N.C.O, Corporal Heys, and a Private, fired the signals from the top of the beacon, and observers were placed over a radius of seven miles on the beacon line to Aylesbury. Some of the signals fires would be maroons similar to the one produced. The tests were carried out on the occasions. At the end of the day trial he received a report that three maroons fired had failed to explode. A thorough search of the district was made and it was concluded that they had fallen into a newly-ploughed field and buried themselves. He informed P.S. Neale of what had happened, suggesting that he should tell others concerned, and in the event of the signals being found to retain them. He was of opinion that the signal in question was exploded by ignition and not by the blow with the chisel and hammer.
Corporal W. T. Heys, R.E., gave corroborative evidence as to the experiments. P.S. J. Neale, Ivinghoe, stated that after hearing from Lieut. Shepherd of the loss of three maroon signals in September he personally searched the ground indicated. He circulated information to the school children through the school master and to other persons likely to be using the field or wood. He arrived from Buckingham late on Saturday night and was informed of the explosion. Early on Sunday morning he made a thorough search, and found the fragments of tin produced.
Captain W. P. Bonner, R.A.M.C, central military hospital, Aylesbury, said deceased was admitted at 2:30pm on Saturday, suffering from severe collapse but quite conscious. On examining him, he found he was covered with multiple small wounds in the forehead, chest, abdomen and limbs. He was put to bed and treated immediately for shock. He developed signs of internal haemorrhage, and an operation was performed in the evening, several pieces of tin found internally. The operation was quite successful and deceased improved, but died the same evening at nine o'clock, the cause being shock following the injuries.
The coroner returned a verdict of "death by misadventure" expressing sympathy with Mrs Halsey in the terrible bereavement she had suffered, and expressing the hope that her other two children would soon recover from their injuries. On enquiry at the Royal Bucks hospital we were informed that Arthur Halsey has improved slightly, but still lies in a critical condition. The child Ethel is making favourable progress.
He was 18 and the son of William and Lottie Halsey of Ivinghoe, Bucks.
Deaths Mar 1919 Halsey William T 18 Aylesbury 3a 1433.
He was accepted for commemoration as war dead on September 15th 2015, and his name was immediately added to the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance.
Bucks Herald 04 January 1919
William Thomas Halsey 1900 - 28 December 1918
Tragic affair at Ivinghoe
Fatal Explosion of a Maroon
The quiet village of Ivinghoe was startled shortly after noon on Saturday by a terrific explosion at the rear of one of the houses in Church Road as the result of a signal maroon being ignited. Some lads picked up the maroon in a wood at the foot of Ivinghoe beacon on Friday night, and their curiosity was roused as to its contents. On Saturday Arthur Halsey, a lad aged 10 years, endeavoured to open it with hammer and chisel. His brother William, who was home on Christmas leave, also interested himself, and unfortunately applied a lighted match to the tin, the result being an immediate explosion. William, Arthur and Ethel, aged five years, were injured to such an extent as to necessitate their removal to hospitals at Aylesbury. The first named died from the shock of his terrible injuries on Saturday night, and Arthur lies in a critical condition at the Royal Bucks hospital, where his sister Ethel is also being cared for. Another child, Violet, aged 7 years, was also injured. An inquest was held at the grammar school military hospital, Aylesbury, on Tuesday afternoon by Mr S. E. Wilkins, coroner, as to the death of Pte. William Thomas Halsey, 52nd Battalion, Devon regiment, aged 18 years 8 months. Supt. Wooton was present during the inquiry, and P.S. Saunders was Coroner's officer.
Mrs Halsey, of Ivinghoe, said Pte William Halsey, her husband, was at present serving in France in the A.S.C. Deceased was her son. On Dec. 19 he came home on leave for twelve days. She left home about half-past twelve on Saturday, her son being at home and the other children near by. A few minutes later she heard a terrific explosion and ran back home. She saw deceased lying on the ground near the back door. Her son Arthur was lying on the ground about three yards off, and the baby, Ethel, standing near the shed door. She picked up the child and took her into the front garden. Mrs Halsey, her sister-in-law, attended to Arthur, and witness went off in a faint. She had never heard her son William mention anything about bombs. She understood the children had been told that if they found any bombs they were to take them to the police.
Violet Halsey, aged seven, said she was in the yard at the rear of her mother's house on Saturday when her brother Arthur came in. He had what looked like a round tin in his hand, and she saw him chiselling it. The tin he had was similar to the one produced. He placed it on a low wall and struck the chisel with the hammer. After Arthur had hammered the tin for a little while her brother William came out and asked Arthur what he had got, and he replied that there was some powder in it. William asked if he should light it, and he fetched a box of matches out of the house and struck one, which he placed near the tin, and there was at once an explosion. She (witness) was struck in the eye and on the ankle, and she saw William and Arthur fall down. Before William put the match to the tin he struck it with hammer and chisel, and she saw some powder on the wall. Ethel was also hit by something. Mrs Cox, wife of Mr Herbert Cox, Church Road, Ivinghoe, stated that her back room overlooked Mrs Halsey's yard. On Saturday she saw Arthur, Ethel and Violet Halsey in the yard. Arthur was knocking something with a hammer and chisel, there was a little flare and smoke and then an explosion. William and Arthur were lying on the ground where she had seen them fall, and she could see they were both injured. William was taken to the military hospital at Aylesbury and Ethel to the Royal Bucks hospital.
Arthur Bierton, aged 10, Back Lane Ivinghoe, said he and other lads were out for a walk with Arthur Halsey on Friday afternoon, Dec 27. They went into a wood at the bottom of Ivinghoe beacon, where he picked up a rusty tin with a wooden top similar in shape to the one produced. It appeared to be heavy and lay next to the footpath. He took it home, and next morning Arthur Halsey came to the house and asked him where it was. He produced it, and they tried to unscrew the top. Eventually he got the top off with a chisel when a quantity of powder came out. Witness went in to dinner, leaving the tin with Halsey. Shortly after he heard an explosion. When he picked the tin up he thought it was one of the smoke bombs and that it had been used. P.S Neals pointed out that printed on the tins were the words "dangerous explosive." Bierton said it was so rusty that they could not see anything on it. He had not been told by the schoolmaster that if he or other boys found bombs they were to take them to the police. Lieut. E. H. Shepard, assistant superindendent, pyrotechnic laboratory, R.E. Experimental Ground, Wembley, stated that in September he was uncharged of an experimental party at Ivinghoe beacon in company with Lieut. Gray. They were carrying out investigations on the visibility of service signals under the instructions of the chemical warfare department, ministry of munitions. An N.C.O, Corporal Heys, and a Private, fired the signals from the top of the beacon, and observers were placed over a radius of seven miles on the beacon line to Aylesbury. Some of the signals fires would be maroons similar to the one produced. The tests were carried out on the occasions. At the end of the day trial he received a report that three maroons fired had failed to explode. A thorough search of the district was made and it was concluded that they had fallen into a newly-ploughed field and buried themselves. He informed P.S. Neale of what had happened, suggesting that he should tell others concerned, and in the event of the signals being found to retain them. He was of opinion that the signal in question was exploded by ignition and not by the blow with the chisel and hammer.
Corporal W. T. Heys, R.E., gave corroborative evidence as to the experiments. P.S. J. Neale, Ivinghoe, stated that after hearing from Lieut. Shepherd of the loss of three maroon signals in September he personally searched the ground indicated. He circulated information to the school children through the school master and to other persons likely to be using the field or wood. He arrived from Buckingham late on Saturday night and was informed of the explosion. Early on Sunday morning he made a thorough search, and found the fragments of tin produced.
Captain W. P. Bonner, R.A.M.C, central military hospital, Aylesbury, said deceased was admitted at 2:30pm on Saturday, suffering from severe collapse but quite conscious. On examining him, he found he was covered with multiple small wounds in the forehead, chest, abdomen and limbs. He was put to bed and treated immediately for shock. He developed signs of internal haemorrhage, and an operation was performed in the evening, several pieces of tin found internally. The operation was quite successful and deceased improved, but died the same evening at nine o'clock, the cause being shock following the injuries.
The coroner returned a verdict of "death by misadventure" expressing sympathy with Mrs Halsey in the terrible bereavement she had suffered, and expressing the hope that her other two children would soon recover from their injuries. On enquiry at the Royal Bucks hospital we were informed that Arthur Halsey has improved slightly, but still lies in a critical condition. The child Ethel is making favourable progress.
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