The Horror of Quentin's' Hill

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 176, 29 July 1935, Page 11

The Horror of Quentin's' Hill

It is just twenty years since there occurred tho train smash the appalling death-roll of which, numbering 227, mado it tho worst accident in the history of British railways, and ono of tho worst in the world (writes “Chatsworth,” in tho Melbourne “Argus”). The censorship in force during the war prevented tho newspapers from making- any reference to the disaster at the time, and Very littio has appeared since. Yet the tragedy was poignant, since it involved tho death of many gallant youngsters who, their months of training and' preparation ended wore at last going out to take their part in tho Great War. Death lurked somewhero in tho uu-. certain future, but none of tho Seventh Battalion of the Royal Scots realised that death rode with him in the train which left Larbert, in Scotland, in the early hours of May 22, 1915. The battalion, under the command of Lieu-tenant-Colonel W. C. Peebles, was on Its way to Liverpool, where it was to take shiji for the Dardanelles. Two trains wore required to transport the | men. Tho first left some two hours - in advance of tho second. Tho first train had on board the colonel and headquarters staff, together with “A” and “D” companies; in all, -19 S officers and men.

Priority was given to this troop train, and it made good time on the run south. In tho crowded carriages the excited young soldiers, most of whom had never before been out of their native Scotland, eagerly speculated on their destination and the prospects of a speedy and safe return. Shortly before 0.45 p.in. the train was nearly at Quentin’s Hill Junction, near Gretna. At tho same time tho EustonGlasgow night express was rapidly approaching the junction, and a local train was travelling north. The custom was to switch this local train on to the up track at Quentin’s Hill to leave the way clear for tho express. This procedure was followed on this particular morning; but the signalman forgot the special troop train. Speeding round a curve, it crashed with terrific farce into the local train.

Leaving tho rails, the troop train rocked along tho sleepers, pitching the crushed and to-rn bodies of the soldiers on to the permanent way. Ultimately it turned over on the down track, a mass of twisted steel and splintered woodwork.

A few seconds later horror was added to horror. At fifty miles an hour the Glasgow express hurled itself

into the wreckage. Tlio weight and impetus of the train, carried it for some distance through the splintered coaches lying on the track.- Then it, too, overturned. Fire broke out. Frantically the survivors of the threo trains, aided by people who had hurried to the scene, fought to extricate the dead and injured being rushed in motor-cars to Carlisle, w T kere every available hospi- : tal bed was being prepared. Of the men in the troop train three 'officers and 211 of other ranks were killed. In all, 220 officers and men wero injured. The express and local train contributed 13 dead and 30 injured to the long list of casualties. Many of the dead were burned so badly that identification was impossible. In the hospitals at Carlisle tho injured received, ' among others, messages of sympathy from the King and Queen — then, as always, foremost in kindly thoughts for all in trouble. The second troop train, with “B” and “G” companies, proceeded by a different route to Liverpool, where these men were joined by the survivors of the smash. Tho War Office, however, decided that the men, after their terrible experience, were not fit to travel overseas, and they w T ero sent back to Scotland and wore given leave in order to recover from the shock. The second half-battalion, with six officers rvho had survived the accident, sailed in the Empress of Britain tho following day. A Board of Trade Inquiry was held in order to ascertain the cause of the accident. It found that it was due to the negligence of two signalmen, one of whom admitted that he had completely forgotten tho local train -when lie signalled a clear road for the troop train. Both men stood their trial on

a charge o'f culpable homicide, were found guilty, and were sentenced, one to penal servitude for three years, and the other to imprisonment for eighteen months. A memorial "was erected in the Rosebank Cemetery, Leith, in memory of the men of the Royal Scots rvho lost their lives in the disaster.