SIR HENRY SEGRAVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 36 (Supplement)

SIR HENRY SEGRAVE.

FAMOUS SPORTSMAN'S DEATH FATAL CRASH ON WINDERMERE. The tragic death of Sir Henry Segrave, the most prominent figure in motoring circles in the world, is one of the most regrettable occurrences of recent years. Sir Henry's feats of daring are. known and respected the world over, and motoring enthusiasts in every country have felt a porsonal interest' in the famous sportsman's activities. For years ho has been one of the principal upholders of Britain's reputation iu and bis-magmficent achievement in raising the -world's land speed record to 231.36 miles an hour definitely established Irim as, the world's foremost racing driver. He wal knighted in recognition of v this achievement, which aroused world-wide,admiration. Tha disastrous accident to the speedboat Miss England 11. resulted in the » closing of a brilliant career. Segrave, already holding the land speed record, actually succeeded in obtaining the water record for Britain before the fatal crash, and it ha 3 been learned that he also intended making a bid for the air speed record. His interest in motor-boat racing was first Bhowrj early this year, and it seems doubly unfortunate that he should have been killed in a sport to which he was a comparative newcomer. Career During the War, Sir Henry O'Neal Dehane Segrave was knighted by King George last year at Bognor. He was born in the United States in 1896. His father is Mr. Charles Segravo, an Englishman. He was educated at Eton and Sandhurst. When the Great War began he was at school, but in 1917 he joined the Second Warwickshire Regiment, and also served later with the Royal Air Force. He was wouodec'l three times and mentioned in despatches. After serving as a member of one of the air missions to America he went into active service with one of the famous scout aeroplanes. In an encounter with enemy airmen, however, he was shot down when flying at a height of 8000 ft. and badly injured./ When he left hospital he became secretary to the Secretary of State for Air. After the war he decided, to take up motor-racing, and asked Mr. Louis Coatalon, chief engineer of the Sunbeam Company, to give him a job. Coatalen refused. He said he was always being pestered by. young men who thought they could break records, and only succeeded in breaking their necks. " Go-and justify yourself at your own expense in your own car," be said. " Then come back." it'. Segrave did. He bought a second-hand Opel—it nearly cleaned him out of funds —and won enough with it to cause Mr. Coatalen to think again. • Jame in Motor Bacing. ' Since then he never looked back. He took part in all the Continental races of ' 1922. In the following year he won the French. Grand Prix at Tours—the first British driver to gain that prize—and in 1924 he secured the Spanish Grand Prix. His firm then had a special car built for him secretly and with it, in March, 1926, he did a mile at 156 miles an hour—an extraordinary speed at that time. That, however, was not fast enough for Segrave. By March, 1927, he was at Daytona Beach, Florida, with a 1000 h.p. car and made a record of 1203.792 miles an hour for a mile with a flying start-. Actually in ' one part of the run he did 207 nliles an hour, but a world's record is reckoned on the average of a double journey—once in each direction. That achievement was beaten by Keech on the same course with 207.552 miles an hour. With the object of eclipsing that record Segrave went to Daytona in February last with a car, the " Golden Arrow," so finely streamlined that it has been likened to a " badly squashed lozenge." He hoped to exceed 240 miles an hour, and on March 11 made the attempt. His speed over the required distance was over 231 miles an hour. Interest in Speed Boats. His • interest turning to motor-boat racing ho took with him also a 1000 h.p. boat, Miss England, in which he attempted to beat the American record of 92 miles an hour. Ha actually attained a speed of 88 miles an hour at Miami, Florida. It was stated when Sir Henry took up motor-boat racing that he was always seasick in a yacht, and could not even swim. When asked why he took it up he replied: "Well, it's a new form of speed, and J. have not tried it yet, and the Americans "hold the record so far. That is the main reason. Now watch me." It has not'yet been fully decided exactly what caused the disaster, but general opinion is that the speed-boat collided with the piece of drift wood which was later, found floating in the lake. An eyewitness stated that the " step" on the bottom -of the boat suddenly seemed to burst, and the boat swerved violently before capsizing. Another theory is that the step, which was bolted on to the bottom of the boat, shifted slightly, admitting water between it and the boat's true bottom. This is said to have acted aa. a terrific brake, making the boat swerve .violently. It is also suggested that the Miss England ran into the wash caused by her own passage. In any case the wrecking of the boat was a most tragic affair, as it resulted in the death of one of the most capable and popular sportsmen in the world.