SHOCKING OCCURRENOE AT TRENTHAM.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 March 1923, Page 3

SHOCKING OCCURRENOE AT TRENTHAM.

YOUNG xMAN KILLED BY BAYONET

THRUST,

WHILE SKYLARKING IN HUT

(Per Press Association.) Trentham, March 16.

An unfortunate accident which terminated fatally marred the closing stage of the rifle meeting here. A number of Territorials occupying one hutment were skylarking, when an attack was made on them from another hunment. Sham bayonet fighting was indulged in, the bayonets .being in their scabbards. While this was proceeding someone turned Hie lights out for a moment, and when they were turned on again, the men wore horrified to sec one of their number, Pte. J. S. Lean, of the Ist Battalion, Otago Infantry, staggering towards his bunk, evidently seriously injured. He was taken to the Trentham Hospital, where it was found that he nad a bayonet thrust through the abdomen. After receiving attention, Private Lean was removed to the Wellington Hospital, where he died about five o’clock.

So far as is ascertainable it appears that, while scuffling was proceeding in the darkness, the scabbard fell off a bayonet attached (o the rifle of one man, and in lunging he struck Lean.

Deceased was aged 19, and lived with his parents at Port Chalmers, where lie was employed in the Union Company’s shipwright yards.