George
From "Extract from Digest of Service, 2Bn., PWO West Yorks Regt".
June 7th. A terrible railway accident, resulting in the death of nine men and injuries to five others, all of the regiment, took place at the Camp at 5 AM this morning. An escort of 25 men, under Lt. Keppel, 2nd Norfolks (attached), was about to proceed to Nylstroom, and the train had drawn up in the cutting alongside the camp in order to take them up. Owing to there not being room in the armoured truck for the whole escort, and natives having to be turned out of another truck to make room, there was a delayof some minutes. The men were all just in the train, when the train following rushed around the curve behind and into the rear of the standing train. The armoured truck was completely telescoped, and several other carriages broken and derailed. A working party of the Regiment was quickly at work and managed to get out the living quickly, with the exception of Private Shaw, who was under the wreck for two hours. The funeral of the men was held in the afternoon in the cemetery.
Killed; F Coy - L/cpl. Weston, Ptes. Rodwell, R.Atkinson, J.Anderson, J.Jackson, M.Curley H.Coy, Pte. A.Ackroyd and P.Redmond.
. G. Coy , Pte. D.Hope,
Injured, all more or less seriously; F.Coy, Pte. A. Jones, J.Spellman, H Coy., Pte. T.Rowan, H. Shaw. K Coy., H Eshelby.
West Yorks are one of IL's favourite Regiments!
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