the Bere Ferrers Rail Accident

On Monday 24 September 1917 ten New Zealand soldiers were killed and two were injured when they alighted from a troop train at the Bere Ferrers station near Plymouth in South Devon

The NZEF 28th Reinforcement's two troopships Ulimaroa and Norman had just arrived at Plymouth Sound from New Zealand and were en-route from the docks to Sling Camp on the Salisbury Plains when the tragedy occured

The men had got out of the train on the wrong side simply because they had assumed the door of entry was the correct door to exit by. They were actually on the train tracks and were struck by the west-bound express from Waterloo to Plymouth

Nine New Zealand soldiers were killed instantly
One, William John TRUSSELL died later at the Tavistock Hospital

The ten are buried at the Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery, Devon

... each have a Commonwealth War Graves headstone

- THOSE KILLED WERE:

GILLANDERS - William Simon aged 36
- AKA William Jensen Gillanders
- Rifleman #55050
- born 1881 to Hector (1838-1892) & May (1841-?) Gillanders
- Occupation: Sheep Farmer
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs M.A. Gillanders (wife) 1 Rugby St, Christchurch
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements J Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave reference: General C. 4273.
his parents Hector & May arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand on 24 December 1862 on the ECHUNGA. They were from Loch Carron, Ross-shire, Scotland
- Hector died on 11 December 1892 at Almond Bank, Darfield, Christchurch the only 3 verfied children born from 1875 (but no doubt more):
1875 - 1949 Duncan Gillanders
- (name of Hector's father (1798-1842)
- died aged 73, buried 20 Dec 1949 at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch
1877 - 1951 Alexander Gillanders
- nothing known
1881 - 1917 William Jensen Gillanders
______________________________________________________________________
GREAVES - William Frederick aged 31
- Rifleman #57068
- born 1886 to Crawford Smith GREAVES (1860-1937) & Hannah LADBURY (1862-1940), Paraparaumu
- Occupation: Farm Hand
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs Crawford Greaves (mother) Maharahara, Manawatu
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements J Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: Cl. C. 4279.
William's parents, Crawford & Hannah, married in 1884
- they had 6 known children
1885 - Robert Bolton Crawford Greaves
- married Dorothy Philas Gertrude WHITE in 1914
- they were divorced in 1937 (grounds of desertion)
1886 - 1917 William Frederick Greaves
- died as above
1888 -1971 Marion Greaves
- married Frank COOPER in 1926
1892 - 1951 Margaret Greaves
- married Herbert Rolland MANNING (1890-1977) in 1912
- lived in haumoana in 1940
- Margaret died aged 68
1894 - 1980 Hannah Greaves
- married Frederick LANG (1890-983) in 1917
- lived in Levin in 1940
- Hannah died aged 86
1895 - 1986 Helen Mary Greaves
- born 25 July 1895
- married Douglas Frank HOWELL (1898-1945) in 1920
- lived in Paraparaumu in 1940
- Helen died 1986 aged 91
______________________________________________________________________
JACKSON - John Stanley aged 20
- Private #55753
- born 1897 to John JACKSON & Mary Ann REDMAN 32 Law St, South Dunedin
- Occupation: Coppersmith
- NEXT OF KIN: J. Jackson (father) Salvation Army Chaplain, Featherston
- serving with New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 28th Reinforcements Otago Infantry Regiment, D Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: General C. 4274.
______________________________________________________________________
JUDGE - Joseph aged ?
- Occupation: Labourer
- Rifleman #56791
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs C. Judge (mother) 17 Leyland St, Accrington, Lancashire, England
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements H Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 14 July 1917 on HMNZT 89, Waitemata
- Grave Reference: R.C. C. 3407.
______________________________________________________________________
KIRTON - Chudleigh Inwood aged 21
- Rifleman #56795
- born 1896 to Robert KIRTON (1836-1926) & Frances SHEATH (1852-1923)
- Occupation: Farmer
- NEXT OF KIN: Robert Kirton (father, Parnell St, Fitzroy, New Plymouth
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements H Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 on HMNZT 90, Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: Church C. 4877.
Chudleigh's parents, Robert & Frances, were married on 2 Oct 1871 in St Johns Presbyterian Church, Willis St, Wellington
- they had 11 (known) children:
1872 - 1946 Matilda Isabella Ellen Kirton
- married James WILSON in 1899
- Matilda died in 1946 aged 73
1875 - 1965 Jessie Ella Kirton
- born 6 Sepember in Hokitika, Westland
- married Hubert HINE on 3 June 1907 in Holy Church, Te Henui,Taranaki
- Robert was a Solicitor of Te Kuiti
- her bridesmaids were her sisters Bertha & Sybil
- Jessie died in 1965 aged 89
1876 - 1912 Florence Millicent Kirton
- born 10 October in Hokitika, Westland
- not married
- in 1897 passed the first section for the B.A degree
- in 1899 graduated from Canterbury University with a M.A.
- died 11 November 1912 aged 46 (1 day before sister Sybil)
1878 - 1969 Robert Alfred Kirton
- born 21 August in Nelson
- wife not found
- died 1969 aged 90
1880 - 1911 Bertha May Kirton
- born 6 May in Nelson
- not married
- died 1911 aged 32
1883 - 1960 Eva Fannie Kirton
- born 3 June in Nelson
- not married
- died 1960 aged 77
1885 - 1976 Frank Kirton
- born 15 June in Nelson
- married Katharine Goddard AWDRY (1882-1976) in 1914
1887 - 1911 Sybil Hilda Kirton
- born 7 June in Nelson
- not married
- died 12 November 1911 aged 23 (1 day after sister Florence)
1890 - 1983 Henry Sheath Kirton
- born 27 November in Nelson
- wife not found
- died 1983 aged 93
1893 - 1981 Muriel Kirton
- born 10 August in Christchurch
- not married
- died 1981 aged 88
1896 - 1917 - Chudleigh Inwood Kirton
- born 11 July in Christchurch
- not married
______________________________________________________________________
McBRYDE - Baron Archibald Wilson aged 24
- Private #55776
- born 1893 to Eliza & Henry Alan McBryde
- Occupation: Labourer
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs T.H. Mortimer (friend) c/o Mutual Stores Ltd, Princes Street, Dunedin
- serving with New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 28th Reinforcements Otago Infantry Regiment, D Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: Church C. 4861.
______________________________________________________________________
McKENNA - Richard Vincent aged 20
- Rifleman #57122
- born 1897 to J. and Mrs. V. M. McKenna, of Pahiatua
- Occupation: Farmer
- NEXT OF KIN: James McKenna (father) Private Bag, Pahiatua
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements J Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: R.C. C. 3386. ______________________________________________________________________
TRUSSELL - William John aged 28
- Rifleman #56874
- born 1889 to John TRUSSELL (1867-1951) & Clara OSBORNE (1867-1946) of Kawa Kawa St, Wanganui
- Occupation: Cabinetmaker
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs Clara Trussell (mother) Kawakawa St, Wanganui East
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements H Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: Church C. 4876.
William's parents, John & Clara were married in 1888
- they had 5 known children
1888 - 1917 William John Trussell
- died as above
1892 - 1983 Herbert James Trussell
- no ife found for Herbert
1894 - 1952 Lawrence Albert Trussell
- married Hilda Mary WHETTON in 1918
1897 - 1983 Arthur Henry Trussell
- married Lucy May HAMILTON in 1921
1904 - 1973 Clara Grace Trussell
- Clara died not marry
- she died aged 68
______________________________________________________________________
WARDEN - John aged 33
- Rifleman #56883
- born 1884 to Samuel WARDEN & Sara Warden McAULEY of Artlone, Randalstown, County Antrim
- Occupation: Farmer
- NEXT OF KIN: S. Warden (father) Artlone, Randalstown, County Antrim, Ireland
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements H Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: General C. 4276.
_____________________________________________________________________
WEST - Sidney Ennis aged 21
- Private #54624
- born 1897 to John James WEST (1864-1902) & Harriett Ellen HAMMOND
- Harriett remarried in 1908 to Joseph MESSER (1874-1940)
- Occupation: Farm Hand
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs F.H. Sampson (aunt) Sentry Hill, Taranaki
- ALSO: Brother of Mr. W. H. (William Henry) West of Warea
- serving with New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 28th Reinforcements Otago Infantry Regiment, D Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Grave Reference: Church C. 4875.
Sidney's parents, John & Harriett married in 1893
- they had 6 known childen:
1894 - ? Arthur John West
- nothing known
1896 - 1922 William Henry Victor West
- died aged 26
1897 - 1917 Sydney Ennis West
- died as above
1898 - 1971 Winifred Ellen West
- married Frederick John ARNOLD (1896-1976) in 1930
1900 - ? Victor Lile West
- nothing known
1901 - 1977 Frederick Christian West
- married Clara Patricia McCLURE in 1926
- died aged 76

_____________________________________________________________________

- THOSE INJURED WERE:

BARNES - Robert James
- Rifleman #55026
- born 1878 to Robert BARNES & Adelaide Esther MARIE (1853-1948)
- Occupation: Storeman
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs G.N. Barnes (wife) 6 Stevenson's Lane, Kaiti, Gisborne
- serving with New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements J Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Robert died in 1967 aged 89
Robert's parents, Robert & Adelaide, married in 1874
- (Adelaide remarried in Oct 1900 to George Goddard BREMNER)
- Robert & Adelaide had 8 (known) children:
1875 - Adelaide Ann Barnes
- married Horatio Frederick PALMER in July 1900
1876 - ? Mary Barnes
- husband not known
1878 - 1917 Robert James Barnes
- married Gipsy Nora LICENCE in 1916
1879 - ? Harry Barnes
- wife not known
1882 - ? Charles William Barnes
- wife not known
1883 - ? Katherine Barnes
- nothing known
1884 - ? Walter Blackley Barnes
- born in Dunedin
- moved to Sydney and served with th AIF aged 31
- enlisted from 4 Bloomfield Street, Surry Hills, Sydney
- served as Private #24/19/3 with the Machine Gun Company, 14th Reinforcements, embarking from Melbourne 25 Oct 1916 on HMAT A38 "ULYSSES". Returned to Australia 11 Jan 1918. His next of kin was his wife Emily of Water St, Kensington Park, South Australia
1890 - Adele Marie Barnes
- married Albert Charles ROWE in 1908

GATLEY - Nathaniel Johnston
- Private #56920
- born 1883 to Charles & Jane GATLEY
- Occupation; Horse Trainer
- NEXT OF KIN: Mrs William McDonald (his sister Catherine Alice) Heddon Bush, Southland
- serving with New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 28th Reinforcements Otago Infantry Regiment, D Company
- EMBARKED: Wellington 26 July 1917 HMNZT 90 Ulimaroa
- Nathaniel died in 1969 aged 86