Harry Boyden

Harry Boyden was found injured on a road and later died in hospital.

He was found on the Sudbery to Bury Road near Rush Farm in Long Melford on the Sunday night, 13 September 1942. He was then taken to St Leonards Hospital where he later died.

A chemical worker who lived in Long Melford said that Harry Boyden was his brother-in-law and that he visited him on the Sunday evening. He said that they went to the Crown Hotel where they spent an hour and a half, and that Harry Boyden had about three pints of mild beer after which they went back to his house where they had a good supper. He said that when Harry Boyden left to cycle back to Lawshall he was perfectly sober.

A private later said that he was cycling near Rush Farm when he saw Harry Boyden lying near the side of the road with his bicycle across his legs. He noted that he had seen two army lorries pass him, travelling at medium speed, shortly before he found Harry Boyden.

When the police went to the scene, they said that they found no marks on the road to indicate what had happened. They said that Harry Boyden's bicycle was undamaged and that both of his bicycle lamps were in working order.

When the drivers of the lorries that the private said he had seen pass him were questioned, the first said that he knew nothing of the accident until he was told about it the next day and said that he didn't see any cyclists on the road. The second lorry driver said that nothing untoward occurred whilst he was on the road and said that if a cyclist had been lying on the road then he would have been bound to have seen him.

An open verdict was returned after it was heard that there was nothing to show how Harry Boyden fell off his bicycle.