Obituaries

C. J. P. Dodson

Recently we had regrettably to report the death of Pat Driscoll and now comes the sad news of the demise of another great pre-war exponent of Sir Herbert Austin’s racing team, C. J. P. Dodson, who at the age of 84, had an accident while riding at an historic motorcycle meeting and never regained consciousness. Charlie Dodson was an ex-motorcycle racer who turned to cars with notable versatility and professionalism. He made an excellent start when deputising for John Cobb in the 2.3-litre Monza Alfa Romeo in the 1934 IoM Mannin Beg race, in which he finished second, vanquished only by the Hon. Brian Lewis in the hired P3 monoposto Alfa Romeo. This is probably why Cobb chose Dodson, along with Tim Rose-Richards, as his co-drivers when he successfully put the World’s hour record up to 152.7 mph at Utah with the Napier-Railton in 1935, capturing the coveted 24-hour record at 137.4 mph. Before this Charlie Dodson had shown his four-wheeler ability by winning the 1934 Ulster TT in an MG Magnette at 74.65 mph, holding at bay on handicap Eddie Hall’s Bentley, and two years later he was to win this important race when he shared a Riley with Freddie Dixon.

Driving for Lord Austin, Dodson held the class H Brooklands’ outer-circuit lap record at over 121 mph until this was bettered by Harvey-Noble’s MG, and he holds in perpetuity the Class H Mountain lap record at 77.03 mph for Austin. Godson’s versatility was demonstrated again when, before the Austin records, he gained his 120 mph Brooklands’ badge with the big Barnato-Hassan-Special, yet was selected to share Austin 7 entries at Le Mans in 1935 and 1937 and won the British Empire Trophy Race for Lord Austin in 1938 at Donington Park, beating Bira’s ERA. He had finished second with a Riley in the 1937 BRDC 500 kms race at Brooklands and handled Count Heyden’s Delahaye in Mountain races, etc. — W.B.

Z. Milledge

As we close for press we learn with deep regret of the death, due to a stroke, of Zillwood “Sinbad” Milledge, remembered in our world as Robin Jackson’s consultant at Brooklands and thus associated with many Brooklands cars, but a scientist of repute outside the automotive world. He had been ill for some time but only recently contributed letters to the Brooklands Society Gazette. Our condolences to his wife and niece. W.B.