ONGARUE RAIL DISASTER
FRIDAY 6 JULY 1923
MAIN TRUNK LINE BETWEEN TE KUITI AND TAUMARANUI, NORTH ISLAND
Ongarue is between Te Kuiti and Taumaranui on the Main Trunk Line. On the 6 July 1923 the South Bound Express ploughed into a mud slide. Unfortunately in the mud slide was a large boulder and the engine rode up on to the boulder resulting in the following carriages telescoping. However those at the rear of the train in the sleeping compartments had to be woken for their bedding for the accident victims.
Seventeen people were killed or died of their injuries from the Ongarue Rail disaster. Railway worker Louis Hill who was assisting at the scene died from a Cerebal Haemorraghe aged 52 years.
Thanks to John Billing for his help with the names of the victims and additional information gleaned from newspaper reports. Additional information is in bold. John's work is greatly appreciated.
| BILLING | Thomas J | 75, a retired farmer from New Plymouth |
| BRADY | James Joseph | Tay St, Woodville |
| CONNOR | Maurice John | storekeeper and farmer Pahiatua |
| CURRIE * | Lawrence Watson aka as Poll or Paul in newspaper reports | 17 years old amateur boxer travelling to a tournament in the King Country. Employed as a brass finisher, identified by his brother Union St, Auckland (Died of injuries) |
| DONALD | W Mrs | 24, Tredia Rd, Epsom, Auckland The only woman killed had travelled in car C. |
| GRANT * | A M Constable | Police constable and storekeeper of Te Whaiti/Tewhiti, Rotorua. Compund fracture of left leg (Died of injuries) |
| HUNT * | Horace Greenwood | Te Kauwhata (Died of injuries) |
| LEAR | W | C/o J WHITE, Waimana Ave, Northcote, Auckland |
| MAIN (MAINE)(MAYNE) | Charles (Charles Campbell) | 21, Morrinsville |
| McCOMBS (McCOMBE) | D | 52, tailor of Rotorua |
| MEAD (MEAR)(MEARS)* | Benjamin | Sawmiller of Mahirakau Injured with extensive burns and bruises(Died of injuries) |
| MORGAN | George | Palmerston North |
| PETSCHUKET | William | 22, Orphan, single with no relatives |
| POYNTER (PAYNTER) | Charles Howard | Horahora |
| SAXBY * | Allan Gordon | Clyde Rd, Napier (Died of injuries) |
| WARD | H T (Henry T) | aged 45 years or 23, Herne Bay, Auckland Papers also show a Christchurch address of Bealey St, St Albans. |
| WATERS | Norman Leslie | Returned soldier 77946 (24), Papatoetoe |
| HILL | Louis | Died at the scene aged 52 Cerebal Haemorraghe (In charge of gang) |
Eleven people were killed in the smash and were laid on cushions beside the rail track covered with rugs, one died before going to hospital a further five * initially report as injured died in hospital from their injuries.
| ACE | Ronald | a boy from Whangarei. Fractured leg - had been pinned by wreckage and was rescued by mill workers W N Edgar and R McLeod |
| ASHTON | Howard | Palmerston North |
| BILLING | Lawrence | Rahotu, New Plymouth. Injuries to head and face |
| BROWNLEY (BROWNLIE) | Les | Australia or Te Puke? Contusions and abrasions to face and right eye |
| CAMPBELL | William S (Bill) | Engine Fireman of East Tamaki, Auckland. Badly scalded on his face and body and suffered injury to his shoulder. |
| COLLINS | W (Tom, Tommy) | Beresford St, Newton, Auckland. An amateur boxer travelling to a boxing tournament in the King Country – he suffered back and chest injuries and had ribs fractured |
| DIGNAN | Charles | Pokako. Fractured ribs and haemorrhage. |
| GEORGE | G | Willis St, Wellington |
| GORDON | Christiana | Ohakune. Scalded left arm and injuries to both legs |
| GORDON | T | Ohakune |
| HENDERSON | Doris Mrs | Te Kuiti. Fractured ankle |
| HOPKINS | Taumaranui | |
| HUGHES | Sam | Seaman.Contusions and abrasions to face and right eye |
| KELLY | Blanche | Spottswood, Cheviot, North Canterbury. Injuries to head and legs |
| KENNEDY | A | Palmerston North |
| LEITCH (LEACH) | Herbert | Matiere, Taumaranui |
| LEY | Henry F | Te Aroha |
| LASKE (LOAKE) | Harry | Huntly. Slight abrasions to head and hand |
| McCASLEY | J | Palmerston North |
| McFARLANE | Charles | Sawmill hand,Milford, Takapuna.Fractured forearm and collapse |
| MORGAN | John | from Te Kuiti. Fractured upper and lower jaw, contusions to face and both eyes. |
| NEALE (NEIL) | John | Manawaru, Te Aroha. Abrasions and contusions to face and scalp, compound fracture of left leg |
| NEWDICK | P | Palmerston North |
| NIZICH (NISFFICH) | Mati | Thames. He was travelling in car D that over-rode car C |
| SHEPHERD | Harold | Wellington. Wound above eye |
| SMITH | Myra Mrs | Toko, Stratford. Injuries to head |
| STEWART | Alexander (Alec) | Engine Driver, of Auckland |
| TYLER | A | Martinborough. Crushed hips |
| WALKER | William George (George William) | Dannevirke. Cut on head and bruised ribs. |
| WHEELER | Sidney | Dannevirke. Abrasions to face, head and thigh |
Newspaper reports said that Currie and Collins were to take part in a boxing tournament in the King Country, which ‘was postponed out of sympathy with the deceased'.
| BANNISTER | Member of the NZ Maori Rugby Team |
| BATHGATE | David Albert Dr, Dunedin. Had travelled in last compartment car D - gave evidence. |
| BRUNT | Nurse |
| CROUCHER | A H, Christchurch |
| DRAKE | Ernest, Opera singer. (Newspaper reports that he had been in Wellington where he sang a tenor solo in Faust. |
| DUNSTAN | Postal worker onboard |
| ENTICOTT | Methodist Minister from Taumaranui |
| HINGSTON | Member of the NZ Maori Rugby Team |
| HOBSON | Henry Percy (Guard) |
| IZARD | W, lawyer from Christchurch |
| KILMARTIN | Boxing referee from Dunedin |
| LOUGHNAN | From Christchurch, son in law of Izard |
| MATTHEWS | C S from Wellington |
| McDONNEL | Postal worker onboard |
| NASH (WALSH) | H W, Medical Student from Palmerston North |
| NZ MAORI RUGBY FOOTBALL TEAM | |
| REVELL | Detective, Wellington |
| RUTTLEDGE | J, Horse trainer from Dunedin |
| SCANDAL THEATRICAL COMPANY | “Members of Harry Cohen’s ‘Scandal’ theatrical company joined the train at Te Awamutu for Palmerston North and had reserved seats at the front of train but placed at the rear otherwise they would have suffered injuries.” |
| SMITH | D'Arck Reginald (Postal worker onboard) |
| PARATA | Manager of the NZ Maori Rugby Team |
| WALSH | Detective, Wellington |
| DUNSTAN | Postal worker on board the train |
| HOBSON | Henry Percy - Guard - also reported as HOPKINS |
| McDONELL | Postal worker on board the train |
| MEEHAN | Mrs - Ladies car attendant |
| SMITH | D'Arck Reginald - Postal worker on board the train |
| STEWART | Alexander (Alec)- Engine Driver of Auckland |
| ALDRIDGE | Mr |
| EDGAR | W N - Mill worker, Ellis & Burnands Timber Mill, Ongarue |
| LAIRD | Mrs - Member of committee who prepared the bodies for viewing. |
| MAHONEY | Thomas, Constable, Ongarue |
| McLEOD | R - Mill worker, Ellis & Burnands Timber Mill, Ongarue |
| McNAB | Mrs - Member of committee who prepared the bodies for viewing. |
| MILLER | George, Ongarue Postmaster |
| REECE | Mrs - Member of committee who prepared the bodies for viewing. |
| SOUFFLOT | P L, Assistant Ongarue Postmaster |
| WORRALL | Mrs - Member of committee who prepared the bodies for viewing. |
| DUFFY | Reverend Father |
| LAIRD | A S - District Coroner made arrangements for the bodies to be properly attended to, and shrouded before relatives arrived. |
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