THREE DEATHS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 308, 5 October 1940, Page 5

THREE DEATHS

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS. KNOCKED DOWN BY VEHICLES. DURING BLACK-OUTS IN BRITAIN. (From the Official War Correspondent attached to the New Zealand Forces in Great Britain.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, October 3. The danger of the English main roads in a black-out has been dearly demonstrated to New Zealand troops in the last few days. Inquests wore completed to-day into the deaths of two members of a South Island battalion, Privates David John Evans and Norman George Heads, who were fatally injured on successive nights by being struck by passenger buses. The findings were “accidental death, with no blame attachable to the drivers.”

Both accidents occurred when the - men were returning to camp from evening leave, each time during -an air raid when the buses were wholly unlighted except for small side lamps which (by regulation, must not throw beams forward) and tail lamps Private Evans and a companion, Private Archibald Laing, were walking homeward along the left side of the road in order the better to pick up a side road leading to their billet, when they were struck from behind. Private Evans died in hospital shortly after admission. Private Laing. was sent to„ hospital suffering from severe leg injuries. Private Heads was one of a party crossing a main road to reach their billet. The men were distracted fay searchlights, enemy aeroplanes overhead and anti-aircraft gun fire, so they failed to see or hear a bus which struck two of them just as they were reaching the far side of the road. Private Heads died in hospital the next night without having regained consciousness. The authorities are still investigating the death of Sergeant Clem Wareham, N the Wellington Plunket Shield cricketer, who, when crossing a narrow village street in a black-out was struck by a fast-driven motor-car and killed. The car braked and skidded after hitting Sergeant Wareham, hut did not stop. The inquest was adjourned for further police inquiries. All three soldiers are being buried with full military honours. A Southlander, Major Leckie, temporarily commanding the Battalion, has been promoted temporarily LieutenantColonel.