Latest news with #Wiltshire-based
Fox News
30-04-2025
- General
- Fox News
Ominous letter written by 'prophetic' Titanic passenger sells for shocking six-figure sum at auction
A "prophetic" letter written aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic ocean liner has been auctioned in England for a stunning sum. The letter was sold by Wiltshire-based Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd. on April 26. It was written by Archibald Gracie IV on April 10, 1912 – just five days before the ship sank on April 15. Gracie penned the note on April 10, when the ship left Southampton, England. The letter was postmarked in London two days later, on April 12. "It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey's end before I pass judgment on her," Gracie wrote compellingly in the letter. "The Oceanic is like an old friend and while she does not possess the elaborate style and varied amusement of this big ship, still her seaworthy qualities and yacht-like appearance make me miss her," he added. As noted by Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd, Gracie woke up suddenly before midnight on April 14 when the Titanic hit an iceberg. "He later wrote that more than half the men who had originally reached the lifeboat either died from exhaustion or cold, quietly slipping off the keel during the night," the auction house said. "As dawn broke, Col Gracie returned to New York City aboard the rescue ship Carpathia, where he began writing about what he had been through." Though Gracie survived the shipwreck, his health was severely impacted by the disaster. He suffered from hypothermia and various physical injuries on the day of the sinking. In Dec. 1912, he fell into a coma before dying of complications from diabetes. Originally predicted to fetch the equivalent of $80,000, the 103-year-old piece of paper was sold for an eye-popping 300,000 pounds, or $399,000. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge called the letter "one of the finest of its type known." "Not only is it written by one of the most important first-class passengers on Titanic, [but] the letter itself contains the most prophetic line: 'It is a fine ship but I shall await my journey's end before I pass judgment on her,'" Aldridge said. "Five days later, Titanic was at the bottom of the North Atlantic." The auction is proof of the public's enduring fascination with the Titanic over 110 years after the tragic shipwreck. In November, a similar postcard from a Titanic victim at another Henry Aldridge & Son Ltd. auction sold for $25,000. At the same auction, a Tiffany and Co. timepiece given to a Titanic rescuer went for just under $2 million, 10 times more than the original guided price.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Shropshire out-of-hours GP plan faces independent review
A decision to appoint a new provider for out-of-hours GP cover in Shropshire has gone to an independent panel for service had been operated by Shropdoc, a co-operative of local GPs, since 1996, but commissioners at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin announced they intended to switch to Wiltshire-based commissioning body said it came to the decision after a "robust, transparent and fair commissioning process".The NHS England Independent Patient Choice and Procurement Panel is expected to offer advice before NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin makes a final decision. Documents were sent to the review body earlier this month and NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said it would fully comply with any requests or recommendations made by the had been raised about the future of the service if it changed hands, but a spokesperson for the board said: "It will continue to be a locally provided service, staffed by local clinicians, with face-to-face appointments forming a core element and remaining available at the out-of-hours bases and via home visits."The commissioning body also said that a decision to award the contract to Medvivo would not be a cost cutting measure. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New oxygen system a 'game changer' for battlefield
A new portable oxygen delivery system has been developed to improve casualty survival rates for soldiers and civilians. The system, which was developed by the Wiltshire-based Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and the Defence Medical Service (DMS), weighs just 5kg (11lb) and is able to offer sustained oxygen supply in a safer and easier form than conventional gas cylinders. "The ability to deliver oxygen at the point of injury represents a game-changing advance in battlefield medicine," said Major Andrew Maggs, DSTL military advisor. The system works by taking air from the environment and removing nitrogen to leave a breathable oxygen-rich gas that can be delivered to patients. Oxygen therapy is critical for trauma patients suffering from blood loss, head injuries and lung trauma. By getting oxygen delivery directly to the point of injury, the system can dramatically improve the likelihood of survival and recovery. "By reducing logistical burden and improving safety, the system will provide critical care in situations where every second counts," Major Maggs explained. Dr Paul Hollinshead, DSTL chief executive, added: "In operational terms, this system will reduce the logistical strain on supply chains while improving battlefield care. "The ability to also reuse the system with external power or replaceable batteries means it offers unparalleled flexibility." It is not yet known when the system will be first used, but 15 prototypes will soon be ready to deploy. DSTL is also working on a mass-producible version that can withstand rigorous military use. The system currently costs £15,000 per unit but it is hoped a more cost effective version can be designed. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Military families speak out on mouldy homes Thousands of UK gas masks being sent to Ukraine Statue displays warn of military land dangers DSTL
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New oxygen system a 'game changer' for battlefield
A new portable oxygen delivery system has been developed to improve casualty survival rates for soldiers and system, which was developed by the Wiltshire-based Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and the Defence Medical Service (DMS), weighs just 5kg (11lb) and is able to offer sustained oxygen supply in a safer and easier form than conventional gas cylinders."The ability to deliver oxygen at the point of injury represents a game-changing advance in battlefield medicine," said Major Andrew Maggs, DSTL military advisor. The system works by taking air from the environment and removing nitrogen to leave a breathable oxygen-rich gas that can be delivered to patients. 'Every second counts' Oxygen therapy is critical for trauma patients suffering from blood loss, head injuries and lung trauma. By getting oxygen delivery directly to the point of injury, the system can dramatically improve the likelihood of survival and recovery."By reducing logistical burden and improving safety, the system will provide critical care in situations where every second counts," Major Maggs Paul Hollinshead, DSTL chief executive, added: "In operational terms, this system will reduce the logistical strain on supply chains while improving battlefield care."The ability to also reuse the system with external power or replaceable batteries means it offers unparalleled flexibility."It is not yet known when the system will be first used, but 15 prototypes will soon be ready to is also working on a mass-producible version that can withstand rigorous military system currently costs £15,000 per unit but it is hoped a more cost effective version can be designed.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
West-country drug dealer jailed for 19 years
A west-country drug dealer who went on the run has been jailed for 19 years for his role in a large drug operation in the south west. Christopher Barbosa, 32, formerly of Sea Mills in Bristol, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today, Friday April 4. Barbosa was arrested in May 2020 after officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) identified him as 'Kilo-chris', a key associate of Romaine Hyman, who was sentenced to 26 years in prison in 2022. He then went on the run, travelling across mainland Europe before being arrested in Paris while trying to continue his journey from Dubai to Barcelona. He spent a year in custody in France, having contested every stage of the extradition process, before being returned to the UK last December. Evidence from Barbosa's encrypted phone, where he used the handle 'Kilo-chris', showed he purchased at least 46 kilograms of cocaine from Bath-based Hyman at a cost of over £1.5 million in just two months. He also bought at least 20kg of cocaine from the Wiltshire-based Allison brothers, who were jailed in February as part of a separate £7m drugs conspiracy investigation, and 3kg from North Somerset man Alex Male, who was jailed last December for 18 years and who also went on the run. Barbosa used Robert Dent's home in Knowle West as a safe house, with James Hele as a courier. Dent and Hele were jailed in 2023 for 12 years and 11 years respectively. DCI Adam Smith from SWROCU said: 'Barbosa was very well connected to other serious criminals who were collectively making huge profits out of supplying class A drugs onto our streets. 'We've already seen others, including his suppliers and those who worked for him, receive significant jail time. Now it's his turn. 'Barbosa kept a low profile, letting others run the risk of storing and distributing drugs and money under his instruction. He'll have seen the sentences they've received while on the run. 'We all know the huge harm caused by the business they're in and the youth violence and exploitation it fuels. Cases like this show the absolute determination of our unit, together with our regional forces, to target those causing the most harm.' Ruona Iguyovwe, Senior Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Barbosa had a significant role in a sophisticated operation which supplied Class A drugs across the South West, handling over 66 kilograms of cocaine worth millions of pounds. "Despite his attempts to evade justice by hiding behind encrypted technology and fleeing abroad, the Crown Prosecution Service, including our International Unit, worked closely with law enforcement and international partners to secure his extradition, build a strong case and bring him to justice. 'This case sends a clear message that we will pursue criminals wherever they go – there is nowhere to hide. Organised crime and illegal drugs bring misery and harm to our communities, and we will work tirelessly to help dismantle these criminal networks. 'We will be pursuing confiscation proceedings against Barbosa to recover the proceeds of his crimes.' Barbosa pleaded guilty on 25 January this year to three counts of conspiracy to supply class A (cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine); conspiracy to conceal, disguise, transfer or remove criminal property; and acquiring criminal property.
