C.E. Brisley

Cuthbert Everard Brisley: (Lawyer and Forward)

Being on the small side, Brisley was amazingly fast and had excellent ball control. He was a true Corinthian-Casual, playing over 60 games for Casuals F.C. and 80 games for Corinthians. He was considered one of the best midfielders in the country at the time and toured with Corinthians 5 times, and with Casuals to Sweden.

Brisley was regarded as a key player, scoring four goals in the last match of the 1911 tour. The only loss Corinthian suffered on that tour was when Brisley was being rested.

Born in South Africa in 1886, he was one of four sons born to George Charles Brisley of Natal, South Africa. He was educated at Lancing College and Caius College, Cambridge. The Lancing College Magazine wrote the following of his 1902 season, “Plays with a very straight bat, and has more than once saved his side from defeat. Can hit hard. Played a good innings against the MCC. Has fielded brilliantly, at cover, throughout the season. Throws in well.”

He was a member of the Football XI from 1902 to 1905 and was Captain from 1903 to 1905. He was a Colour Sergeant in the Officer Training Corps in 1904 and appointed as a House Captain in September 1902, a Prefect in 1903 and was Captain of School in 1904. Alongside R.C. Cutter and H.G. Yates, (both fellow 1914 tourists), he was considered to be one of the best prospects for Cambridge in 1906.

He earned his blue for football in 1908 and 1909 and played in seven A.F.A. internationals for England, four against France, two against Wales and Bohemia. He played for London A.F.A. against Paris in 1909 alongside fellow tourist H.G.Yates. He was a member of the general committee of the A.F.A. and was also an excellent golfer with a handicap of six.

As soon as he returned from the abandoned trip, he enlisted as a private in the London Battalion of the Artist’s Rifles but was offered a commission into the Royal Naval Air Service, where he became a Flight Sub Lieutenant. He served in the Dardanelles, Malta, Romania, Russia and was promoted to Squadron Commander and then Commanding Officer of the Training Depot at Tern Hill near Market Drayton.

He died on July 3, 1918, whilst testing a new plane with a mechanic but fell out whilst attempting, what witnesses described as a ‘loop de-loop’. The Wellington Journal stated, “Shortly before midday on Tuesday an aeroplane flying at a great height was observed to attempt to climb as if to loop the loop. The machine however appeared to slip sideways, then turn upside down and something was seen to fall from the machine. The aeroplane turned over once again and then descended to the earth at a tremendous speed with the engine full on and crashed into a field. A number of people working near rushed to the spot and found the machine a complete wreck with the body of an RAF mechanic lying nearby. In a field on the opposite side of the road and several hundred yards from the scene, the remains of an RAF Officer were discovered.

At the inquest evidence was given to the effect that the pilot Major C.E. Brisley (32), the officer commanding a West Midland aerodrome and a pilot of considerable experience. The other occupant of the machine was stated to be 2nd class Private Fred Lythgoe (18), whose home was at Atherton, Manchester.

Lieut H.J. Murphy stated that he saw Maj Brisley and passenger go up in a new machine. It had been tested the previous evening and was in a perfect condition. Major Brisley and Lythgoe were both strapped in the machine when they went up, but in witnesses opinion Maj Brisley's belt was not tight enough. After the accident witness searched the debris and found Major Brisley’s belt still fastened, and his opinion was that Maj Brisley had slipped through the belt. Several witnesses described how they saw the pilot fall from the aeroplane when it turned over. A verdict of “accidental death” was returned.

The funeral of Major Brisley took place in a Midland Cemetery on Thursday when many hundreds were present. A Company of Infantry with arms reversed accompanied the cortege, which was composed of RAF officers and men many hundred strong. A firing party fired three volleys over the grave and the “Last Post” was sounded by five buglers. Whilst the cortege was proceeding to the cemetery and during the funeral ceremony several aeroplanes hovered overhead."

He was married to Marjorie Beryl Dawson (nee Atherley) on the 5th of February 1917 in Hanover Square, London but they had no children.

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