BOMB EXPLOSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24836, 9 February 1942, Page 4

BOMB EXPLOSION

TRAGEDY AT TRENTHAM FIVE DEATHS CAUSED 'ELEVEN MEN INJURED ACCIDENT DURING TRAINING (P.A.) . WELLINGTON, Feb. 8. "It is with much regret that I have to announce that an unfortunate accident, resulting in the death of four men and the wounding of 12 others, one of whom subsequently died in hospital, occurred at the Army School of Instruction at Trentham on Saturday morning," said the Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, to-night. "The accident occurred during a demonstration which was being given to a class of officers and non-commissioned officers undergoing instruction in the practical use of bombs. "The chief instructor, Major R. J\ D. Davis, N.Z.S.C, an officer of long experience and recognised as an expert in weapon training in all its phases, was himself giving a demonstration," Mr Jones said, " and- in the process of throwing a bomb, the fuse of which had been lit, the bomb exploded and he was killed, together with three others. In addition, 12 members of the class were wounded, four of them seriously. The remaining 11 men, who suffered shock, were able to go to their quarters and soon l'eturned to normal. "AH the injured men were immediately attended, to by the camp medical staff and all except those suffering from shock were quickly removed to the Wellington Public Hospital by the army motor ambulances which are held in camp to meet such emergencies, the most serious cases being admitted within half an hour of the accident. The next-of-kin of the dead and injured officers and soldiers were notified of the accident by telegram and progress reports, where there was a turn for worse in any of the injured were despatched to the next-of-kin during the" week-end. A coroner's inquest was held at Trentham camp on Saturday afternoon, and a Military Court of Inquiry also commenced an investigation. Mr Jones concluded by saying that the Government deplored the sad loss of life that had occurred, and deeply sympathised with the bereaved, and also with the relatives of the injured men. Thevfollowing are the names of those killed and injured:— KILLED MAJOR R. J. D. DAVIS; wife, Mrs Davis, -Paraparaumu. : SERGEANT R. A. PETERS; father, Mr W. Peters, Hastings. ACTING SERGEANT R., S. THOMSON; wife, 'Mrs'. N. G. Thomson, Whitecliffs. CORPORAL K. M. GEARD; mother, Mrs : Annie Geard, Auckland. DIED FROM INJURIES ACTING SERGEANT H. H. WOOD; wife, Mrs E. Wood, Auckland. Seriously Injured SERGEANT T. A. BOLTON; wife, Mrs T; A. Bolton, Ashhurst. CORPORAL R. G. MAUGER; wife, Mrs J. D; Mauger, Methven. CORPORAL ,G. G. STEVENSON; father,' Mr G. Stevenson, Master- .'..' ton.-

Injured, Not Seriously

Lieutenant O. H. Burford; wife, Mrs J. J. Burford, Wanganui. Staff Sergeant A. J. Cocker; mother, Mrs J. Cocker, Nelson. Staff Sergeant N. W.' Faithful; mother, Mrs A. E. Faithful, Okaihau. Sergeant T. B. Burtt; mother, Mrs E. C. Burtt, Christchurch.. Sergeant R. B. Hastings; mother, Mrs * D. E. Hastings, Matamata. ■,', Sergeant H. F. Spedeh; wife, Mrs M. E. Speden, Gore. Corporal A. R. Brain; mother, Mrs E. R. Brain, Frankton Junction. Private T. K. Wood; wife, Mrs A. E. Wood, Wellington. '. CAREER OF MAJOR DAVIS EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTOR ASSOCIATION WITH DUNEDIN (Special) WELLINGTON, Feb. 8; Major Davis was one of the bestknown personalities in the New Zealand military forces. At the outbreak of the present war Major Davis, who had been living in retirement since April, 1938, at Paraparaumu, was recalled to duty by the Army Board and appointed instructor at the Army School of Instruction. He was one of those army instructors of the older generation who gave devoted service to the military forces of New Zealand generally and the Expeditionary Force of the present war in particular. He was a specialist in rifles, machine guns and other weapons of the infantryman. He was a gifted instructor, his army associates say, and added unflagging enthusiasm to indefatigable energy. By riflemen in all parts of New Zealand Major Davis will be remembered with affection, for throughout his service he closely associated himself with the National Rifle Association. He represented Army Headquarters on the executive for more than 12 years, besides acting as chief range officer at the association's annual meetings. Born in Sydney in 1883, Major Davis began his military career in 1899, when he enlisted as a volunteer in the 7th Infantry Regiment, New South Wales. Coming to New Zealand in 1902, he joined the Dunedin Naval Artillery, with which he served until 1911, when he joined the new reserved permanent staff. From 1911 to 1914 he was engaged in instructional duties at various centres. He went overseas in 1914 with the Main Body as a regimental sergeant-major with the Wellington Mounted Rifles. Badly injured at Gallipoli, he was invalided back to England, where after recovering from his wounds he attended a course of instruction at the Small Arms School, Hytlie, Kent. He then returned to New Zealand and was appointed to a commission, and became assistant musketry instructor at Trentham, where he helped to train reinforcements until the armistice. In 1919 Major Davis was appointed to the New Zealand Staff Corps, and became musketry instructor to the Southern Military District, which appointment he held until 1925, when he again went to England to attend certain special courses at Hythe, Woolwich, Netheravon, Aldershot and Bisley. Returning to New Zealand in 1927, Captain Davis, as he then was, was appointed chief instructor at the Small Arms School, Trentham, and made two visits on duty to Australia. He was promoted to the rank of major in October, 1940. Major Davis is survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs L. Rhodes, of South Grafton, Australia, a brother, Mr A. G. Davis, of Newtown, and four, sisters —Mesdames C. Foley. Dunedin, W. Pleace, Dunedin, H. Bartell, Sydney, and P Hines, Sydney.