Age: 29
Sex: male
Date: 23 May 1940
Place: Harvil Road
Arthur Dobson was found injured at the side of the road and later died in hospital.
He had been cycling to Harefield and was found lying in Harvil Road seriously injured. He was taken to Hillingdon County Hospital but died an hour after admission.
He had lived at 29 Bridge Road in Uxbridge. His brother said that Arthur Dobson was a pensioner of the Canadian Army and had been a salesman by trade but had been out of work at the time of his death.
Arthur Dobson's wife said that Arthur Dobson was an expert cyclist and said that he had set off shortly after 4pm on 23 May 1940 to visit his sister in Harefield.
A man that had been a passenger in a car travelling from Harefield to Uxbridge said that half-a-mile before reaching the scene of the incident he had seen a big car approaching, saying that it was travelling at between 45 and 50mph, noting that the road was narrow and winding. He said that the car was a large saloon of the Lincoln type and was dark purple in colour. He said that he later saw Arthur Dobson lying in the road with his cycle near him.
A man who lived in North Harrow and had been driving towards Harefield said that when he was at the foot of the hill near the watersplash he saw a man lying in the road and a cycle about five feet in front of him. He said that the man was badly injured and unconscious. He said that there was a soldier there too and that the soldier stood by the man on the ground whilst he went off for an ambulance. He said that he drove off fast to the police-box, but said that he didn't remember passing the car in which the man that had seen the speeding car had been in. He noted that his car was not purple, but black.
The Coroner said that there was no evidence to show how he had come by his injuries and an open verdict was returned.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette - Friday 31 May 1940, p8