Brocklesby Park Cricket Club

Born: 15th October 1877, Rothwell, West Riding

Died: 10th March 1914, aged 36

Educated: Bedford School; Emmanuel College (Cambridge)

Military Service :

Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant Northamptonshire Regiment 1899 and served during the South African War 1899-1901; employed with the Mounted Infantry he took part in the advance on Kimberley, the actions at Belmont, Enslin, Modder River and Magersfontein including those at Venterskroon, Lindley and the Rhenoster River in the Transvaal and in the Orange River Colony.

Captain Downer was granted his Royal Aero Club certificate 29 August 1913, one of the first R.F.C. pilots - he was killed while flying a B.E.2 tractor biplane from the Central Flying School, Upavon 10 March 1914. From a height of 2,000 feet his machine descended in an almost vertical rotating dive until some 500 feet from the ground, when the right hand pair of wings collapsed and the wreckage dived into the earth.

Biography: Son of Rev. Arthur Cleveland Downer, vicar of Limber Magna 1897-1903.