BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10668, 12 June 1902, Page 1

BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA.

The Moohavle Disaster. Mr Brebner, stationmaster at Invercargill, has supplied the Southland Times with the following account of the railway collision at Btochavie, in the Transvaal, in which members of the Eighth New Zealand- Kegiment were killed or injured, written by his son. Lieutenant 0. ,W. Brebner, now serving with General W. Kitchener's column in South Africa: — On the morning of the 12th, I went over to the New Zealand lines to see some of the Otago and Southland boys but learned that they had not arrived. I then went down to the station to meet them, when I was told that a collision had occurred between Mbchavie and Potchefstroom, where a goods train had collided with the troop train bringing the New Zealandersl A light engine vn» just leaving, taking the railway inspector to the scene of the disaster, and he kindly allowed me to accompany him. The ride of about 20 miles was not very pleasant,' sitting on the water tank with steam and smoke blowing over me. We did not stop until we reached Mbchavie, the station where the fatal mistake was made. It appears that the acting stationmaster, a young and inexperienced man, confused the numbers of his trains, doubtless through the extra rush of traffic. A goods train from Klerksdorp to Johannesburg was to cross both troop trains at Mochavie.. One of the troop trains had f arrived, and the stationmaster mistaking a ration which was standing in the yard for the other troop train, de-

spatched the goods' before the second train had arrived. He soon after discovered his mistake; and telephoned to the next blockhouse to try and stop the 'goods/ but was -too late to avert the catastrophe. ' When" the drivers of the approaching' trains .saw each other they applied the brakes, but it was too late, and they dashed into each other at a speed of from 12 to 15 miles an hour. The first truck, containing troopers, was smashed to pieces, the next, containing ,15 men, turned completely over, and landed right side up_ several yards away, with only one man slightly hurt. The third truck mounted the first and the fourth, containing horses,- was thrown sideways upon the first, and, strange to .say, not a single horse was seriously , injured. The horses in the next truck were not' so fortunate, nine being killed. Corporal" Hunter, of Invercargill, was in the second waggon which turned over, and had a wonderful escape. As soon as he pulled himself together he mounted a 'horse and rode to Potchefstroom for assistance. As he passed the blockhouses he was mistaken for a Boer, and .was fired on, but escaped unhurt, and succeeded in getting an ambulance train to come out. As soon as possible the dead were separated from the injured, and some dreadful sights 1 were seen. Nine were killed outright, and four died shortly afterwards, while thirteen were injured. One poor fellow prayed to his comrades to shoot him as he was suffering so much. The injured were taken to Potchefstroom hospital, and the dead were placed in blankets and taken on to Klerksdorp. The accident occurred at 8 a.m., and it was 5 p.m. before the line was cleared. I returned to Klerksdorp with the first train/to get through, reaching there at 2 a.m. next day. When the stationmaster found what had happened he tried to shoot himself, but was prevented from doing so and placed under arrest. The funeral was a most impressive sight. First came the firing party, with reversed arms, h the band following, playing a funeral march; then the 13 bodies each carried on a stretcher by four of their comrades, and covered by flags and wreaths... Then followed men from the various regiments': J On reaching the cemetery, the burial service was read by the New Zealand chaphunin the presence of 7000 soldiers and civilians. The last post was then sounded on the side-drums, the whole battalion standing at 'the present.' The regiments then marched off to their respective units, leaving a few still lingering by the graves of their late comrades.

Winter comeß with chilly drape, And coughs and colds we can't escape; We're bound to face it every year, However much the damp we fear. We long to see Old Sol's bright rays Through those wet and gloomy days, While our (health we do assure With some Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.