Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book, Westerham, Kent, by his wife, Sarah Ann, dau. of William Cooper, of Milton, Kent; _b._ Pimlico, 17 July, 1883; educ. Westminster Training College, and was for some 14 years in the employ of Messrs. J. W. Benson, Ltd., of Ludgate Hill. On 27 Feb. 1899, at the age of 15, he joined the 1st Cadet Battn. of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regt., and leaving them 11 Jan. 1900, joined the old 13th Middlesex Queen's Westminster Volunteers 5 Nov. following, with whom he served till 8 Dec. 1904. After the outbreak of war he rejoined 2 Sept. 1914, and went to the Front at the end of Jan. The Westminsters were stationed at Houplines, near Armentières, until 28 May, when they were moved up to Ypres. At the Battle of Hooge they were in reserve and were heavily bombarded the whole time. Bushell was hit in the head by a piece of shrapnel shell, and was killed instantaneously at midnight on 16-17 June, 1915. He was _unm._, and was buried on the side of the Potjhe-Hooge Road, about half a mile from Potjhe. His Commanding Officer, Capt. Stanley Low, wrote: "He was killed by shrapnel whilst doing his duty nobly in the trenches. He was very popular and will be sadly missed by his comrades. I should like to say how well his brother (who recently joined us) behaved, by restraining his natural inclination to go to his brother's assistance, and remaining on sentry go until someone came to relieve him"; and Lieut. R. S. Dickinson wrote of him as "One of the best soldiers" in his platoon. His third brother, Harry George, joined the Warwickshires on the outbreak of war, and was later transferred to the Westminsters, being with his brother when he was killed. He is now (1916) a 2nd Lieut. in the 10th Suffolks. His next brother, Arthur Frederick, is serving with the Army Service Corps. [Illustration: =William T. Bushell.=] =BUSK, EDWARD TESHMAKER=, Lieut., London Electrical Engineers (T.F.), _s._ of Thomas Teshmaker Busk, of Fords Grove, Winchmore Hill, and Hermongers, Rudgwick, co. Sussex, M.A., J.P., by his wife, Mary, dau. of Nathaniel Brindley Acworth, of the Hook, co. Herts, J.P., Chairman of Petty Sessions; _b._ Fords Grove afsd., 8 March, 1886; educ. Bilton Grange, Rugby, Harrow (Mr. Marshall's House, 1900-04) and King's College (Foundation Scholar), Cambridge, where he secured a 1st Class in Part 1 of the Mechanical Sciences Tripos (1907), and carried off the John Winbolt prize next year. He joined the staff of the Royal Aircraft Factory as Assistant Engineer in charge of physical experimental work on 10 June, 1912. There he devoted much of his time to the mathematics and dynamics of stable flight on the full size, as distinct from the model aeroplane. He introduced many valuable improvements, of which it is not permissible to give particulars at the present juncture, his work not being confined to the solution of aeroplane stability, but covering a wide and varied range. His valuable researches into the nature and cause of wind gusts and his work in connection with the offensive and defensive uses of aircraft in warfare may be specially mentioned. He also guided his branch in the production of aeroplane instruments, some of which were exhibited at the Royal Society in May and June, 1913, by permission of the Superintendent, Mr. Mervyn O'Gorman, C.B., Royal Aircraft Factory. By the autumn of 1913, Mr. Busk had carried his researches so far that complete stability without material loss of efficiency could be obtained for any aeroplane designed in accordance with his results. Such an aeroplane was then produced for the first time, and in Nov. 1913, he was able to make flights of several hours' duration in winds up to thirty-eight miles per hour, without at any time using any balancing, controlling, or steering mechanism whatever, save for alighting purposes. He took Col. Seely on such an uncontrolled flight, and later on made demonstration flights before the King and Queen. The matter was introduced in practical form to the Royal Flying Corps by his taking his Commanding Officer, Col. Sykes, as passenger, from the Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough, to Salisbury Plain and back, while both passenger and flier, being freed from the use of controls, wrote notes and observations continuously throughout the journey. This trial was repeated by Col. now Gen. Brancker as pilot as well as many other officers. When at the Wilbur Wright Memorial Banquet (1914), Col. Seely made the first public announcement of his flight on the stable aeroplane produced at the Royal Aircraft Factory, the pilot's name was veiled in anonymity, only a privileged few knowing that Lieut. Busk was, in fact, the designer of the R.E. 1 now known as B.E. 2C. He was flying over Laffan's Plain in his own stable aeroplane on 5 Nov. 1914, when it was destroyed by fire at a height of some 800 ft. The cause of the accident is unknown, as he was engaged on experimental work of which he had not given information. Mr. Busk's scientific attainments and versatility were shown by the variety of matters entrusted to him by the Superintendent of the Royal Aircraft Factory. He resembled other men of genius in the simplicity of his methods, and the speed at which he worked, and he was remarkable for the soundness of the scientific judgments he reached. His mother received the following letter from H.M. the King:-- Buckingham Palace, 11 Nov. 1914. Dear Mrs. Busk, The King has heard with much concern of the tragic death of your son Mr. Busk. His Majesty well remembers meeting him at the Royal Aircraft Factory on the occasion of Their Majesties visit to Aldershot last summer, and was much struck by his ability and technical knowledge of the machinery of aeroplanes. The King and Queen also saw him give an exhibition of flying in a stable aeroplane of his own invention. In offering you his sincere sympathy in your bereavement, the King feels that the Country has lost the services of one, who, by experiment and research, contributed, in no small measure, towards the Science of flying. Yours very truly, (Signed) CLIVE WIGRAM. Mr. Mervyn O'Gorman, C.B., Superintendent R.A.F. wrote: "He did the most magnificent things without announcing any intention and without applauding audience. He merely took all the sane precautions of a clever engineer. Later with his hair blown about by a hatless flight, he would walk into my office, report the success of an experiment. He knew it was interesting, he forgot that it was brilliant or it did not occur to him. He worked out a result, knew he was right, but simply had his results checked and then proved them in his own person over and again. He was a genius, that we knew and you knew. He knew what he was about when he relinquished his volunteer regimental duty for the risks of this service, he talked it all over with me and he took this course, because he knew that he served his country better that way"; and Lord Rayleigh, President, writing on behalf of the Advisory Committee for Aeronautic |