| Notes: | RMP. Died 17/12/48 age 18 years, born 15/3/30.
Derek Graves.
Extract from the Peterborough Standard 7/1/49.
"Appeared to be racing"
A verdict of accidental Death was returned by the jury when the inques5t was resumed on L/cpl Derek Graves, 8 Saxon road, Pe6terborough who lost his life in a road accident 9on December 17th at Hook Green, near Tunbridge Wells.
Jack Cole Cranham, of St Leonards, Sussex, driver of the car, said he was taking his daughter home from boarding school for the Christmas holidays and his speed was 25 miles per hour.
"I was just contemplating changing down when a motorcycle appeared swinging round a bend in the road" he said. "I twas travelling at very high speed and it seemed obvious that the driver could not possibly cross over to the correct side without crashing so I pulled out to give him clearance."
Two men who had seen the motorcycles pass before the accident said they were going very fast. One estimated their speed at between 50 and 55 mph and said there was only a motorcycle's length between them.
The other said he heard a roar as the motorcycles went past abreast and one of the drivers was crouching low. They appeared to be racing.
A police constable said damage to the nearside of the car indicated that the first motorcyclist probably passed on that side, as Cranham as stated.
Returning the verdict the jury added a rider that they considered the car driver had been guilty of an error of judgment in pulling over to the offise to avoid the first motorcyclist.
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