SEASIDE TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 42, 18 August 1933, Page 8

SEASIDE TRAGEDY

GIRL SHOT IN ROW BOAT

AEROPLANES AND TARGETS

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

Dnited Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received August 18, 2 p.m.) . ; LONDON, August 17. A verdict of death by misadventure was brought in at the inquest on Jean Chesterton, who -was shot dead from an aeroplane in manoeuvres. Joan Chesterton gave evidence that she saw the danger flags, but was perfectly sure she was outside the danger zone. Aircraftsman Boahemia, who fired the fatal shot, gave evidence that he did not fire, until he was past the red flag, when he aimecL at the first object ho saw, thinking it was a target. He added that the sun glare made all look alike. Royal Air Force men ashore, responsible for the signals, gave evidence that the boat -.was within the. safo.ty area, but the flyers, considered the boat sufficiently close to the danger zone to j bo mistaken for a target, especially in j view of the glare. ! The Coroner and jury advocated a better demarcation of the danger zone.

The tragedy was described in the following cablegram from London on Wednesday:—Seeing a child crying because its ball had been carried to sea, Jean Chesterton, 15, and her sister, Joan, 18, belonging to Ilford and spending a holiday at Leysdown, Kent, rowed, a quarter of a mile and recovered it in the neighbourhood of a row of buoys, which the Air Force had used as targets since the war. Suddenly five Territorial aeroplanes, arrived and began machincrgunning the buoys. One, mistaking the Chestertons' boat for a target, fired a burst, hitting Jean, who crumpled up in the stern. Other bullets pierced the boat. Joan signalled the aeroplanes and pulled at full speed ashore in the hope of saving her sister's life. The Territorials' ambulance and doctor met the boat, but found Jean had been killed instantly. They carried Joan, who collapsed, to th,e bungalow of the grief-stricken mother.