Significant Events

Mornington Train Tragedy

By Heather Wade, 2020.

The accident that occurred on the Mornington line on Saturday, 6 November 1920 remains the rail accident with the greatest loss of life in Western Australia.

Around 9pm a Millars’ Timber & Trading Company train pulled by the Jubilee steam locomotive left Mornington Mill loaded with railway sleepers and proceeded down the Darling Scarp to the stacking yards at Wokalup. An engine driver, guard, fireman and a traffic manager made up the crew. As there wasn’t a passenger van, nine mill-hands perched themselves on the sleepers to catch a lift to Wokalup, contrary to Company policy.

The train gathered speed descending the scarp and ran out of control on a bend. The Jubilee and wagons derailed approximately 4km from Wokalup burying men beneath the debris

TIMELINE

Saturday 6 November 1920

9pm – train left Mornington Mill for Wokalup stacking yards, a distance of approximately 9½ km.

The derailment occurred approximately 4 km from Wokalup.

About 10pm – Survivor Joe Flynn raised the alarm at the Wokalup Hotel and word of the accident quickly spread through the community.

11pm – A train left Mornington Mill with 150 men on board to assist in the recovery.

Sunday 7 November

12.30am Doctor Kennedy of Harvey arrived giving what assistance he could.

The injured men were taken by repairer’s trolley to Wokalup where they waited on the station for the special train from Brunswick to take them to Bunbury.

2am – Volunteers worked until about 2am assisting those who were alive and recovering bodies.

4am – The injured men (Cooke, Moray and Paulson) left Wokalup by the special train to Bunbury and were conveyed to the Bunbury Hospital.

At Daylight – Men resumed clearing the debris from the scene.

7.30am – John Paulson died at Bunbury Hospital.

3.45pm – The body of the last victim was discovered. Meanwhile, bodies were held in the Wokalup Station waiting room for removal to Bunbury.

A second train sent from Bunbury conveyed the bodies of the dead men to Bunbury for the inquest and burial.

Monday 8 November

Morning – An inquest on the bodies of the nine deceased was opened and after evidence of identification had been given, was adjourned. Those killed were Thomas Wilton (fireman), John Paulson (guard) and mill-hands John Leitch, Ellis Lake, James McNamara, William Malacari, Frank Winfield, Edward Delaney and Walter Maggs.

Afternoon – Seven funerals were conducted in Bunbury – in the Church of England section Paulson, Lake and Maggs; in the Roman Catholic section Delaney, Winfield, McNamara and Wilton.

William Malacari’s body was sent to Fremantle by train in the afternoon and John Denis Leitch’s body was sent to Perth in the evening.

February 1921

An inquest was held on 21 & 22 February 1921 at Bunbury. Dr Flynn gave evidence of the injuries sustained:

Ignatius Flynn, district medical officer, stated that on November 7 three men. Morey, Cooke, and Paulson were brought to the Government Hospital, Bunbury. Paulson, when admitted, was unconscious, and he never regained consciousness. He was suffering from a compound fracture of the skull and injuries to the legs, including a fracture of the left thigh. He died about three hours after admission from the effects of his injuries. The bodies of eight other men were brought to the hospital morgue the same day. They died from the following injuries: -Denis Leatch [sic, Leitch], fractured skull, leg broken at right ankle, and broken left forearm; James P. McNamara, fractured skull; Frank P. Winfield, fractured skull; Edward P Delaney, fractured skull, compound fracture of the left ankle, and fracture of the left forearm above the wrist; Thomas Wilton, body completely severed above the hips; Walter Maggs, fractured skull.[1]

At the conclusion of the Inquest the jury returned the following verdict:

That the deceased came to their deaths as the result of a railway accident on the Mornington line on November 6. The accident was caused by insufficient brake power being applied at the proper time. In the absence of any regulations governing the running of the train, the jury did not feel justified in attaching blame to anyone.

The following rider was added:—That regulations should be formulated for the running of trains on this line.[2]

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

THOMAS WILTON

Occupation: fireman on train[3]

Marital Status: single

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Roman Catholic A, Grave #100

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THOMAS WILTON[4]

……………………………………………………………………………………………

JOHN GODFRID PAULSON

Occupation: running guard on train

Marital Status: married

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Anglican B, Grave 43

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN GODFRID

THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF CECEILIA

AND FATHER OF FRED & JACK PAULSON

DIED RESULT OF WOKALUP DISASTER 7TH NOVEMBER 1920

NOBLE WAS HE, CONDEMNING ALL THINGS MEAN,

HIS TRUTH UNQUESTIONED, AND HIS SOUL SERENE,

SHAME KNOW HIM NOT, HE DREADED NO DISGRACE,

TRUTH, SIMPLE TRUTH, WAS WRITTEN ON HIS FACE.[5]

1155 AUST. LIGHT RAIL OPERATIONS COMPANY SAPPER

G.F. PAULSON

7.11.1920     AGED 37

“HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE

LEST WE FORGET”[6]

………………………………………………………………………………………

JOHN DENIS LEITCH

Occupation: mill hand – truckloader

Marital Status: married

Place of Burial: Karrakatta Cemetery, Roman Catholic DB 323

There is no headstone inscription for Leitch but he is buried with six-month old Matthew Buckland, (probably a relative) who died on 29 May 1920 who has a headstone. The Grantee for both was M Buckland.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

ELLIS SYLVESTER LAKE

Occupation: mill hand – truckloader

Marital Status: single

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Anglican B, Grave 45

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ELLIS S LAKE

KILLED IN THE WOKALUP DISASTER 6TH NOVEMBER 1920

AGED 17 YEARS

ERECTED BY HIS LOVING MOTHER[7]

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

JAMES PATRICK MCNAMARA

Occupation: mill hand – had not started work

Marital Status: married

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Roman Catholic A97

No headstone

10877 1ST ARTILLERY BRIGADE

J. P. MCNAMARA

6.11.1920     Aged 30

“HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE

LEST WE FORGET”[8]

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

WILLIAM PACUALO MALACARI

Occupation: mill hand – timber yard worker

Marital Status: single

Place of Burial: Fremantle Cemetery, Roman Catholic, Section MON CC, Gravesite 0509.

In loving memory of Clementina

Beloved mother of Joseph Malacari

Died Aug. 28, 1910, Aged 73 years.

WILLIAM P. MALACARI

ACCIDENTALLY KILLED 6TH NOVEMBER 1920

AGED 19 YEARS

BELOVED SON OF JOSEPH AND MARIA MALACARI[9]

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

FRANK PATRICK WINFIELD

Occupation: mill hand – worked on the roller at No. 2 Mill

Marital Status: single

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Roman Catholic A76

No headstone

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

EDWARD PATRICK DELANEY

Occupation: mill hand – caretaker of chaff-house

Marital Status: single

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Roman Catholic A74

5109 3RD AUST. TUNNELLING COMPANY

SAPPER

E.P. DELANEY

6.11.1920, AGED 45

“HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE

LEST WE FORGET”[10]

…………………………………………………………………………………………

WALTER ALBERT MAGGS

Occupation: mill hand

Marital Status: married

Place of Burial: Bunbury Cemetery, Anglican B, Grave 47

There is no headstone at Bunbury but he was reinterred at Karrakatta Cemetery, Anglican Area, Section OC, Gravesite 0354[11]

WALTER ALBERT MAGGS

… WAS KILLED IN THE WOKALUP DISASTER

AGED 40 YEARS

….

ERECTED BY HIS LOVING WIFE[12]

………………………………………………………………………

MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE VICTIMS

Westralian Worker, 19 November 1920. When a disaster occurs which results in the loss of human life the rescue work performed by zealous workers often goes unnoticed. It is well, therefore, that a worker’s paper places on record the splendid work at the Mornington wreck of the gang of Italian navvies; also Messrs. Wagner (2), Jacks, W. Berry, Ferguson, Fernley, Childs, Cousins (2), Cooke (3), Morton, Parker, Judd, Kelleher (2), Fulton, Powell (2), Murray (2), Doel, McEvoy, Brady, Bell Muller, Read, Stone, Flynn, Briggs, Smith Manager, Maburn, Steele, Edwards, Wooler, Logue, Maloney, Loughlen, Hoskins, Plunkett, Nicholson, Greenwell, Walson and Ridley of the Transport Office, Spencer, Anderson (2), and Dodd.

Some may be missed, but extra tributes due to Messrs. Edelman, Ted Briggs, P. C. Nevin, W. Berry, Mountford and Matron Steele.

Tommy Wilton the fireman who went west, was bound to take to engines owing to his early environment. His father Chris Wilton, was traffic Manager, and through jumping from the ill-fated train he saved his life. Tommy was well-liked amongst all those who knew him.

James McNamara, also a returned soldier, was indeed unlucky. Being one of the great army of toilers he was visiting the mill in quest of employment. The mill being working with a full complement it is presumed that he boarded the sleeper train to make the connection on the trunk line. Poor Mac evidently had few relatives in the State, but those that are here should soon be located.

Wally Maggs was a resident of Mornington for only a couple of months. The proprietors of the boarding house speak in high terms of him. Being a gifted musician he was very popular with his workmates. His widow arrived from Adelaide on the day that his remains were laid to rest at Bunbury. Since then, his body has been exhumed and transferred to Karrakatta.

Ellis Lake was a brother-in-law of Jockey Bunny Hyde. He had been working for some time in the timber country. His grief-stricken mother journeyed to Bunbury, but was unable to get a last look at the son who meant much to her.

Jack Paulson, a returned soldier, was guard of the train and did not meet with instantaneous death. His injuries, however, were such that he shortly followed his comrades. Jack leaves a wife and family, and the sympathy of the whole State goes out to the bereaved.

John Denis Leitch, who was buried at Karrakatta, was formerly employee of the “West Australian,” but during recent months was engaged in the timber mills. He left a wife and family of five children, who reside at Victoria Park. When a family is left such as in the last two instances, the wells of sympathy in a generous public should be tapped to lighten the load of grief that now hangs over these households.

William Malacari, like the rest, was a young man in the prime of life. His parents reside at Spearwood. Young Bill, like many more, city lads, struck out for Jarrahland, where he thought opportunities were more numerous. Malacari’s remains were laid to rest in Fremantle cemetery.

Both Houses of Parliament carried resolutions of sympathy with the relatives of Mornington victims. At Jack Leitch’s funeral the pall bearers were made up of Messrs. Kelsall, Gandy and A. Laurence, of the Typo. Union, and Messrs. Mills, M.L.C., Cunningham. M.L.C., and Hardwick, Lutey, and O’Loghlen, Ms.L.A.

Edward Delaney, one of the victims of the Mornington disaster, was native of the State, and was a member of a big family known to most people who have dwelt in the forest country. Ted was one of the generous sort who had no enemies. With another brother he fought through the war.

Frank Winfield was also a returned soldier.[13] Known to his associates as “Paddy,” he had spent a good deal of his time in the Nor-West. Was prominent supporter of J. J. McDonald, M.L.A. what time [sic] Mac won the Gascoyne seat. Paddy always had a cheery smile and was one of the type of men who helped to build Australia.

Walter Maggs was known as ‘Wally’ Wallace and it appears that he was running from his past.

South Australian Police Gazette, January 29, 1919.

Apprehensions during the week. Walter Albert Maggs, by Dets. Noblet (J. E.), Noblet (G. E.), and McMohon for a breach of the Lottery and Gaming Act, 1917 (being on the Cheltenham Park Racecourse for the purpose of betting): Information dismissed.

South Australian Police Gazette, July 7, 1920.

Warrants issued for the following: Walter Albert Maggs, described as a labourer or barman, 40 years of age, 5ft. 6 in. high, dark complexion, dark hair, strong build, clean shaven, round features (broad), old scar on bridge of nose, frequents racecourses, wore a black serge suit, grey felt hat, black boots; charged that on the 24th April, 1920, at Adelaide, one suitcase containing a coat and skirt, three ladies’ costumes, two sports coats, one raincoat, two skirts, four blouses, four pairs of shoes, one scarf, one hairbrush, a quantity of underclothing, two gold brooches, one gold ring, one strand of beads and a quantity of sheets of music and songs, together of the value of £45, the goods and chattels of one Mary Graham Donaldson, feloniously did steal, take, and carry away. Note; Offender was arrested for the above offence and subsequently admitted to bail, but failed to appear at the Police Court, Adelaide, on June 30th, 1920. Warrant filed at Detective Office, Adelaide.

THE SURVIVORS

The survivors were Clarrie Cooke, engine driver; Christopher Wilton, Mill Traffic Manager and father of Thomas Wilton; and mill hands Lloyd Morey and Joe Flynn.

The ‘Jubilee’ was repaired and served for many years. As a memorial to the victims,

its bell hangs at the Harvey Church of England, Young Street.

……………………………………………………………………..

[1] Daily News, 23 February 1921, p.5.

[2] Kalgoorlie Miner, 23 February 1921, p.5.

[3] South Western Times, 9 November 1920, p.3. Occupations listed for deceased.

[4] Photo: Australind Family History Society (AFHS)

[5] Photo: Harvey History Online.

[6] Photo: Jeff Peirce.

[7] Photo: AFHS

[8] Photo: Jeff Peirce

[9] Photo: Billion Graves

[10] Photo; Jeff Peirce

[11] Metropolitan Cemeteries Board website at https://www2.mcb.wa.gov.au/NameSearch/search.php

[12] Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 October 2020), memorial page for Walter Albert Maggs (1880–6 Nov 1920), Find a Grave Memorial no. 145127385, citing Karrakatta Cemetery and Crematorium, Karrakatta, Nedlands City, Western Australia, Australia ; Maintained by aussiegenealogy (contributor 47224840). Note that some of the headstone inscription is unreadable.

[13] Note that this hasn’t been verified.