THE TRENTHAM TRAGEDY

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 93, 22 April 1919, Page 3

THE TRENTHAM TRAGEDY

BOY SCOUTS & EXPLOSIVES

COMPLAINTS OP INSECURE

STORAGE

THE CORONER'S COMMENTS,

An inquiry was held at Trentham camp yesterday afternoon and evening concerning the death of Kenneth Edward Waugh, 12 years of age (a son of Mr. Thomas Waugh, of Lower Hutt), who was killed a 6 the result of the explosion of a bomb at Trentham on Sunday afternoon. As a result of the accident, three other boys were rather seriously injured. Mr. F. V. Frazer conducted the inquest. Mr. T. Young appeared for the relatives of the deceased, Major Sweetzer for the military authorities, and Mr. H. Baldwin for the boy scouts. Constable Cnmmings represented the police.

Dr. W. N. Abbott, of the Medical Corps, Trentham, said that he had examined deceased when he was brought to him at the hospital, and had found that the lad had died as a result of injuries to his brain. It appeared that either a, piece of metal or a stone had caused the fatal wound.

Cyril Lambert, a member of the Lower Hutt scout troop, said that he, together with a number of the scouts, including Waugh. went to the trenches on Sunday afternoon. The)' found a considerable quantityvof gun-cotton on the ground, and also empty bomb cases. Waugh picked up one of these cases, and, breaking the gun-cotton up, put it into the case. He covered the case up with stones, and then lit a lead of gun-cotton which was connected with the bomb. Witness rushed back, and shortly, after the explosion occurred. He found the deceased lying on the ground. Mr. Mason, who was in charge of the ecouts,' was some distance from the scene of the accident. As far as witness knew, the door of the.dug-out in which the explosives were originally stored was open the whole time. He was unable to account for the gun-cotton in and around the trenches.

At this etage 'Mr. Baldwin asked for an adjournment in order to allow the scouts to obtain counsel. It was quite probable that during the inquest it would be suggested that there had been negligence on the part of the scoutmaster.

Mr. Frazer : So far, there has been nothing to show that there was negligence on the scoutmaster's part. However, if such evidence is put in, I will grant an adjournment. Mr. Young : I may explain that Mr. Baldwin asked me to act as counsel for the scouts, but I informed him that that would be impossible, as I had already been engaged by the parents of the deceased.

Alexander Wright, a sergeant in the Lower Hutt Scouts, corroborated the evidence o£ the first witness. He further stated that altogether the bomb was set off five times. A mere "fizzle" resulted the first four times, but the fifth time tho lead went out, and Waugh went forward to place more | gun-cotton down. Shortly after Waugh retreated, the explosion occurred, and witness next saw the deceased lying on the ground. He immediately summoned the scoutmaster. Questioned regarding the dug-out, Wright stated that the door had been open. He and several other boys entered the dug-out, but he could not say whether any of them handled the gun-cotton. Personally he did not. There had been gun-cotton about the ground before any of the boys entered the dug-out. SCENE OF FATALITY INSPECTED. The inquest was then adjourned in order to allow the Coroner to view the scene of the accident. Since the occurrence the place had been cleared up, and all the explosives, in the vicinity had been collected. There were a few pounds of gun-cotton and three and ahalf sticks of gelignite in the collection. The door of the dug-out, it was apparent, had been forced open, and there were three 'holes (two large) ,in the roof. In the dug-out there was a barrel used for the storage of guncotton. l ' ■ When the inquest was resumed, the Coroner recalled the first witness, who stated that he had not" seen any gelignite in the trenches. Further, he had not seen anything but gun-cotton put into the bomb-case. John Doyle, another member of the Lower Hutt Scouts, said that when he went into the dug-out he saw some small bombs and some small pieces of gun-cot-ton. The boy Drake (who was injured) also filled one of the cases. Before putting the gun-cotton in the case he removed the cap, and in order to ram the cotton home he used, witness thought, a stick. As far as witness knew, the bomb did not contain any form of detonator. Questioned by the Coroner, witness stated that some live rifle cartridges were brought to the camp from the rifle range, but none were found in the trenches.

Major Sweetzer ; .Who gave you permission to go to the trenches? Your scoutmaster ? Witness : No; a military policeman. We were not on duty at the time, and were at liberty to go where we wished. Major Sweetzer (to the Coroner) : They were at perfect liberty to go to the trenches provided they were under proper control. THE SCOUTMASTER. William.Mason, scoutmaster in charge of the Lower Hutt troop, said that he took the boys for a walk on Sunday afternoon through the trenches. Some of the boys were a considerable distance ahead. About a quarter to five he heard an explosion, and on running to the scene found Waugh lying on his side. He at once took steps to convey him to tho hospital, but Waugh died on the way. On going into camp, they were told they would have the full run of the camp, with certain necessary reservations. One of tho conditions was that the boys were to be under the strictest supervision. He had had considerable experience in managing scout camps. HOW THE EXPLOSIVES WERE

STORED. ( The officer in charge of ordnance at Trentham, Lieutenant Eugene Keys, said he had last visited the dug-out about a month-or six weeks ago. There were then 1051bs of gun-cotton and 88 bombs (some empty and some full) stored there. When he had left/the dug-out had been locked, but on hii examination, after the accident on Sunday, life found that the door had been smashed, and there were several holes in the roof. There were also not more than ten pounds of guncotton left. He could not account for the presence of gelignite near the scene of the accident, as none had appeared in the camp ledger charges since he had been in charge.

Mr. Young : Do you think you were doing your duty in not visiting the dugout for a period of a. month or six weeks? —Yes. Pressure of other duties prevented me visiting the dug-out oftener, but I knew that the explosives would be perfectly safe.

You consider that was a perfectly safe 'way of leaving explosives?— Yes. The gun-cotton was wet, and the bombs were all under water. >

Did you not consider that the lock on

the shed was rather insecure ?—No; I thought it was quite safe.

You will probably admit now that it wasn't?—-Yes.

Can you account for the holes in the roof ?—No.

Lieutenant Keys added that had he known the scouts would visit the trenches he would have paid an immediate visit of inspection. Lieutenant John Moore, who has had 21 years' Imperial and colonial experience, said that ho had never known guncotton to explode otherwise than by a dry primer and a detonator. It might be that old gun-cotton would develop peculiarities not possessed by new material. He could not in any way account for the explosion. COMPLAINT OF "WANTON NEGLIGENCE." Thomas Waugh, father oftjie deceased, said he considered that the dug-out was not a safe place for the storage of explosives. He felt that his sou —a most promising boy—had been saerified by the "wanton negligence and utter carelessness of the people in the camp." He added that should a military inquiry 'be held he would take .steps to see that he was represented. From his experience as j a builder of tea-tree fences lie could tell that the dug-out was rotten, and that the holes in the top had been there for some months. Harry Clifton Gibbons, seedsman, oft Wellington, who had had twenty-five I years' experience with tea-tree, supported the contention of the former witness that the place was not safe for the storage of explosives. Addressing the court, Mr. Young said that it was felt by him that' the boy's death was due to the want of care shown in storing explosives. The evidence proved that gun-cotton would not explode unless there was a detona.■tor. He therefore contended that it ■was quite evident that a detonator was about. THE CORONER'S FINDING. In his verdict, the Coroner stated that Kenneth Edward Waugh was killed at Trentham on 20th April, death being due to injuries to the brain caused by the explosion of a bomb. Mr. Frazer added that in war-time, when no visitors were allowed in the camp, the dug-out might have been a suitable place for the storage of the explosives, but in these days, when visitors were allowed to wander at random through the camp, it was very questionable whether such a, protection was sufficient Before the Scouts were allowed to use the trenches, they should certainly have been ; warned of the existing danger. In view of the military enquiry into the matter, he would retrain from further comment. '