He died in an accident in 1930 shortly after setting a new world water speed record on Windermere in the Lake District, England.

His revolver was clogged with mud so he threw a belt of ammunition at the German he was fighting and the resulting shot went high and hit him in the shoulder.

On the first of May 1916 he shot down a German Aviatik two-seater but was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the Somme in early July and crashed, severely breaking an ankle.

To impress Breton automobile designer, Louis Coatalen, in order to gain a place in the formidable Sunbeam-Talbot-Darrac Works team, Segrave, replaced fourteen engine covers on his Talbot, a rebadged highly advanced straight eight dual overhead camshaft (dohc) 1921 Sunbeam Grand Prix.

On 16 March 1926, Segrave set his first land speed record of 152.33 miles per hour (245.15 km/h) using Ladybird, a 4-litre Sunbeam Tiger on Ainsdale beach at Southport, England.

This record was broken a month later by J. G. Parry-Thomas driving Babs, a custom-built car with a 27-litre 450 hp (340 kW) V12 Liberty aero engine.

A year later he became the first person to travel over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h) when he regained the land speed record at the Daytona Beach Road Course on 29 March 1927.

Using a new car designed for him by Captain Jack Irving and named the Golden Arrow he set a new record of 231.45 miles per hour (372.48 km/h).

On the 90th anniversary of Segrave setting his first historic record, his original Sunbeam racing car returned to Southport where it was driven down Ainsdale beach in March 2016.

Although Segrave had already used aero-engines in some of his land-speed record setting vehicles, Miss England I used a single Napier Lion engine.

On Friday 13 June 1930, a few months after receiving his knighthood, Segrave drove Miss England II to a new record of 98.76 mph (85.82 kn; 158.94 km/h) average over two runs on Windermere.

Concerns were raised that its hull was too light in design and construction, particularly around the craft hydroplane which was found partially detached after the crash.

[citation needed] Kaye Don subsequently broke two more world water speed records in Miss England II.

[18] In 1930 the Segrave Trophy was established to recognise any British national who demonstrated the most outstanding accomplishments in the possibilities of transport by land, sea, air, or water.

Recipients include Malcolm Campbell (1932), Stirling Moss (1957), Richard Noble (1983), Lewis Hamilton (2007) and John Surtees (2013).