KIRKIN’S LAST ACT

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1933, Page 5

KIRKIN’S LAST ACT

TRUE SPORTSMANSHIP RACING MOTORISTS END. DEATH DUE TO BURNS. Sir Henry Birkin, the' famous motorracing baronet, died in a London nursing home on June 22 from blood poisoning caused by a trivial accident, after a great fight for life. He was 36 years of age. In the course of the race for ti.a Tripoli Grand Prix in May, Sir Henry burned his arm on a red-hot exhaust pipe, but refusing a dressing, carried on, and finished third after thrilling driving. Some days after his return to London he became feverish, and bloc I poisoning was diagnosed. Later two blood transfusions wera performed. The patient’s temperature rose and the doctors despaired. Sir Henry fought on, and Dr. J. D. Benjafield, racing motorist and bacteriologist, who was one of his devoted attendants, struggled for his friend’s life. His temperature ranged between 101 and 103 degrees, but he fought on. In his delirium there were, broken fragments of talk about races in which he hoped to take part.

The fight for his life went on for three weeks. Dr. Benjafield day ar. 1 night rarely left the darkened bedside of his friend, watching and easin I him in the deliriums of fighting his motor battles again. Three times recovery semed possible. The patient’s determined struggle to live, however, had sapped his vitality. Sir Henry’s death was indirectly caused by an act of courteous sportsmanship. In May he entered the race for the Tripoli Grand Prix. Just before the race he found himself bereft of useful mechanics. He had decided to give up against the hopeless odds of no replenishment' pit staff when he heard that a near by village could win at least £15,000 if he ran, as they had drawn him in a State lottery.

RUN FOR VILLAGERS’ MONEY.

In the truest spirit of sportsmanship Birkin changed his mind, and decided to give the villagers a run for their money against the Italian champions, handicapped as he was. He was standing third in the race with a fair chanci of winning when he had to stop at the replenishment pits for an engim adjustment. He had to do all the work himself. With £15,000 for the villagers hanging on every second he lost he, in his hurry, caught his forearm oh a red-hot exhaust pipe. Rather than waste time, and let down his village champions, with a laugh Sir Henry refused a dressing, jumped into the car and finished third. The villagers entertained him royally afterwards. But that neglect of tho burn, acting on a system impaired by war wounds, created the toxic stato which proved fatal. Sir Henry succeeded to the title on the death of his father, Sir Stanley Birkin, the millionaire lace-maker. He was the last of a family of four, three, sons and a daughter. His elder brother, Lieutenant T. R. Chetwynd Birkin, was killed in an aeroplane in the -./ary and his youngster brother Charles Archibald, a famous motor-cyclist, wag killed while practising for the Tourist Trophy motor-cycle races in the Isle of Man in 1927. His sister died when a child. The heir to the title .‘is his uncle, Major Alexander R. Birkin, agad 72. ■ • -

It was not until 1927 that Sir Henry began to race seriously. After the death of "Archie” his father implored him to give up speed motoring, but the urge of adventure was irresistible. In two years "Tim,” as he wag known to his friends, bare-armed in blue polo shirt, with a blue and white spoted neckerchief round his throat, ends streaming at the back, became known on most European tracks as a man of cool, audacious courage relentless in pursuit and eager always to take on the most recklessly desperate job to “spoil” a rival and score a win for Britain.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS. Birkin held the lap record for Brooklands at a speed of 137 J m.p.h. and. the road circuit record of the British Grand Prix at a speed of 83 m.p.h. While his racing succesess were not many—he won the Le Mans 24 hours race with Earl Howe in 1931 and the Dublin Grand Prix in 1930—his magnificent driving and self-sacrificing efforts as a member of the team were a tremendous influence in the success of the “Bentley Circus,” which did more than any other racing equipage to place British motor prestige in- the front rank. Probably Sir Henry’s most memorable achievement was in a Le Mans race. Herr Caracciola and the. 135 m.p.h. Mercedes, the famous German combination sweeping all before it at the time, was leading. Britain’s only hope of a Bentley win was for Caracciola to crack up, to be lured into a greater speed, and an unsafe mechanical stress. Birkin asked for the task. Driving to astonish even the fiery Latin champion drivers, Birkin chased, the Mercedes, sitting on its tail for hundres of miles at 130 m.p'.h. averaging the enormous speed of 90 miles an hour. Caracciola was hypnotised into going faster. He was passed by Birkin, and in trying to catch him again his engine gave trouble and Britain won, though Birkin lost