| Lincolnshire Echo of 20 June 1940: An inquest is being held at the County Hospital, Lincoln, to-night on Leading Aircraftman James Weston Bowes (21), of Ida-street, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, who died on the way to hospital on Monday (16 June).
Taken from the same paper the following day: Inquest On Airman, Killed By Fall Of 4ft. 6ins. Dr G.C. Wells-Cole, the Lincoln Coroner, stated at an inquest last night that the head injury which caused the death of a young aircraftman was a “bug-bear” of surgery. He returned a verdict of “Death by misadventure” on James Weston Bowes, of Norton, Stock-on-Tees, who fell four feet six inches from a platform to a concrete floor while at work on an aircraft last Sunday. Evidence was given that Bowes, after his fall, was dazed, but seemed to recover and continued with his work. The next night he collapsed and died in an ambulance on the way to the county Hospital. Dr W.Y. Cornack, senior house surgeon, said a post mortem examination showed a fracture of the temple bone on the right side of the skull. Death was due to depression of the brain caused by hemorrhage from an artery. There would not necessarily be any signs of the serious injury when it occurred and in such cases a man could carry on with his work for a time. The bleeding would be of the nature of a slow leak. An R.A.F. medical officer said Bowes reported sick at mid-day on Sunday and complained of headache. He seemed to have recovered the following day. It was stated that Bowes need not have been on duty at the time of the accident but for his keenness to finish work on an engine. The Coroner said the injury did not give “signs and symptoms. |