EX-AIRMAN’S DEATH

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 44, 21 January 1926, Page 10

EX-AIRMAN’S DEATH

GERMAN HOSPITAL’S NEGLECT

. SHRAPNEL LEFT IN HEAD. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 19. To die from the effects of a war injury which only manifested itse,.' three weeks ago has proved tho fate of Mr Arthur Hirst Skinner, of Aikman’s road. For tho years since the war up to the illness which terminated fatally in the Christchurch Hospital on Friday Mr Skinner had enjoyed tho best of health, and had never been troubled by tho wound. The neglect of the Germans, by whom ho had been taken prisoner, to extract a piece of shrapnel from his head proved the eventual cause of lvis death. The late Mr Skinner loft New Zealand in 1914 with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the Expeditionary Force. He was a member of the Ist Canterbury Company, and was in the landing on Gallipoli. Later ho served in France. After that ho was on the headquarters staff in London. Finally he transferred to the Royal Air Force, in which ho gained the rank of captain. Ho was engaged in operations behind the German lines in France when ho was struck by. a piece of shrapnel and crashed. The wound he then received was the one which subsequently proved fatal. For 15 months he was a prisoner in Germany, and after the armistice, when he- gave tho indication of perfect health, ho rejoined the Royal Air Force and saw service on the Russian front against the Bolsheviks. On his discharge he returned to Christchurch, and about two years ago married Kathleen, daughter of Mr and Mrs L. Banks, of Shirley. On Christmas Eve Mr Skinner had a series of seizures, tho first manifestation of tho fatal trouble. He was operated upon at tho Christchurch Hospital by Dr Acland, but he died on Friday. Ho is survived by his widow and an infant child. He was a very popular member of the Christchurch Officers’ Club.