William Burke

William Burke died from injuries received in West Wells Road, Corsham on 16 March 1942.

It was thought that he had been knocked down by a car, but it was heard that there was really no conclusive evidence to show how his injuries were inflicted.

He was a ganger and had visited Bath on 16 March 1942, returning by bus later that night, reaching Rudloe Manor at about 10pm.

From there he walked back to his billet and was accompanied by a man who had been working on the job with him.

The man said that as they walked along West Wells Road he had walked on the kerb and that William Burke had been walking two or three feet into the road and slightly ahead of him.

The man said that he never heard a motor car coming and that the only thing that he did hear was the crashing of brakes. He said that the only thing he remembered after that was being taken in a car to a first aid post.

The car that knocked the men down stopped at once after the collision.

A passenger in the car said that he felt a bump. He said that the car had been going at about 20mph at the time and that the driver pulled up at once after the bump.

William Burke was taken to St Martins Hospital in Bath where he was found to have two fractures to his skull, fractures to both arms and a fractured leg.

He died about an hour after admission without regaining consciousness.