Charles Thomas Windsor

Charles Thomas Windsor was found on the road in Stream Lane, West Chiltington with fatal injuries at about 11pm on Tuesday 6 January 1942.

He was found by two Canadian soldiers and a woman passenger who were passing by in an army truck and who thought he was a tree stump.

The driver of the lorry said that he had seen Charles Windsor earlier that evening drinking at a public-house and said that he left him there, noting that he had been drinking.

The woman in the truck was a servant from West Chiltington and said that she had been to the pictures with the driver and that afterwards she had gone with him to the officer's mess to cut sandwiches. She said that she was being driven home at the time they found Charles Windsor lying in the road.

Two farm labourers said that they went to the Queen's Head Inn in West Chiltington at 7.30pm on 6 January 1942 and stayed until about 10pm. They said that whilst they were there about eight Canadian soldiers came in and that about an hour later they all left except one who stayed until closing time. They said that at closing time the Canadian soldier that stayed then left, walking off in the direction of West Ciltington Common.

The farm labourers said that later, at about 10.20pm, they were cycling home and that when they came near to the vicarage they came upon the Canadian soldier that they had seen leave the Queen's Head earlier, saying that he was lying in the middle of the road. They said that they helped him to his feet and that he then began to lurch all over the road and kept saying, 'I am drunk'. They said that they asked him where he was going and he said, 'Pulborough', and said they helped him along as far as Stream Lane where they left him by the mill and told him to continue straight on.

They noted that they didn't actually think that he was drunk when they found him lying in the road.

A policeman that said that he had seen Charles Windsor at the Queen's Head said that when he had seen him, he thought that at that time Charles Windsor had been merry, and a long way from drunk. The policeman added that when he saw Charles Windsor leave the Queen's Head he was not drunk and thought that he was in a fit state to walk to Pulborough.

When the police went to the place in Stream Lane where Charles Windsor was found they found spots of blood in the road, which was about 9ft 6in wide and with narrow verges, and Charles Windsor's forage cap in the ditch, about 14 feet away from a pool of blood.

At his inquest it was heard that extensive inquiries were made, but no information regarding any vehicle that might have been concerned with his condition was found.

When the army truck that had been used to convey Charles Windsor away from the scene was examined, spots of blood were found on the near side front wing and front bumper, as well as on the near side front dumb iron, which the driver was unable to account for.

At the place where Charles Windsor was found the police found a pool of blood and a tyre mark nearby. It was said that from the position of the blood spots in the road that it was thought that Charles Windsor had been struck by a vehicle that had been travelling in a westerly direction.

The police said that they were unable to find any damage or bloodstains on any other vehicle.

The doctor that carried out Charles Windsor's post-mortem said that Charles Windsor's death was due to a fracture to the base of his skull.

The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, adding that there was insufficient evidence to show what caused his injuries.