St. Helen's Fort, Bembridge [Wikimedia]
Wednesday 26th April 1916: News has reached Linslade of the tragic
death of Gunner William Charles Meager of 26, Waterloo Road. Gunner Meager had
been serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery in the Isle of Wight, where he was
acting as an officer’s servant at St. Helen’s Fort, Bembridge. After a busy morning
on Easter Monday he went for a swim. A small diving pier had been built at the
Fort, but due to the cold water it had hardly been used this year. Gunner Meager
dived from the platform, which was then about eight feet above the water. A
watching officer remarked on his splendid dive, but when the swimmer failed to
surface he sent a comrade to the rescue. Gunner Meager was brought back to the
Fort with a severe head injury. It was low tide and there was only about four
feet of water under the diving platform. The soldier had struck his head on the
rocky bottom, fracturing his skull and injuring his spine, causing paralysis to
the lower half of his body. Gunner Meager was taken to Parkhurst Hospital at
Newport and was conscious until shortly
before his death, which occurred between 9 and 10 p.m. that night. A native of
Linslade, he had enlisted about three months ago; previously he was a steward
on the P & O liner Salsette. Gunner
Meager leaves a widow and four young children.
Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 2nd
May 1916
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