SERIOUS ACCIDENT

Southland Times, Issue 17642, 4 May 1914, Page 5

SERIOUS ACCIDENT

MEMBER OF C BATTERY INJURED. ON RETURN FROM CAMP. A youth named Dyack, whose parents reside at Gladstone, met with a very serious accident on Saturday. He is a member of the C Battery, and was returning by the train which conveyed that company from the camp at Matarae back to Invercargill. The train was about to enter the station as Milton when Dyack, who was riding on top .of one of the horse trucks with a number qf other territorials, was struck behind the ear by the pipe which leads from the filling tank from which engines passing either way take in water. The force of the blow knocked Dyack clear of the train, but on falling he rolled near the track, and Was carried along for about a dozen yards. It then seemed as if the lad must be run over and crushed to death, but through some unknown but most fortunate circumstances he was' again thrown clear An ugly gash was inflicted on the back of the head, the pipe struck him, and part of was cut clean away. When lie fell from off the truck he fell face downwards and his lips were split open The pthers on top of the truck noticed the pipe just in time to avoid it, but not in time to warn their companion.

At Milton the services of a doctor were not available, so the injured lad, who was then unconscious, was taken on to Balclutha, where a doctor joined the train and. travelling with the patient, dressed his wounds. The doctor stated that although his condition was critical there was still a hope for his recovery. After having been attended to by the doctor, Dyack became semi-conscious for a time, and asked them to sit him up, but he soon lapsed back into unconsciousness and was in that state when after the arrival of the train at Gore he was admitted to the hospital there. It seems to be rather a curious coincidence that just prior to the accident the officer in charge had remarked to another that they could compliment themselves on the fact that they were returning home from the camp without a serious accident of any kind having happened to any member of the company. • Dyack was also unfortunate enough a few days prior to the return of the C Battery to b© thrown from his horse, though the injuries received in that instance were, though painful, of a minor character. It was not possible to communicate with Gore last evening, owing to the telephone bureau at that centre being closed, but yesterday morning Captain Lennie received word that the lad was no worse, although he had been a little restless through the night.