FATAL BRITISH TRAIN CRASH Ten people are believed to have been killed, several injured, and a number trapped in a collision between the London - Edinburgh express and part of a goods train near Ferry Hill, County Durham, yesterday. The goods train involved in the crash became divided on a down grade. The rear part, gathering speed on tiie slope, caught up with the front section and crashed into it. Wreckage was spread over both the down and up lines, and before a warning could be given tbe express smashed into the derailed goods trucks. The engine of the express and 10 coaches were derailed. An official statement by the London and North-Eastern Rail way said that up to last night three bodies bad been recovered. The Home Secretary (Mr. Chuter Ede) was a passenger in the express. He was travelling to South Shields, which is his constituency. He was not injured. Twelve men,, three women, and a a little girl are lying injured in the Durham HospltaL Some of them are badly hurt. NIGHT SEARCH Throughout the night the search for victims went on in the glare of searchlights and flares, and was continued this morning. If the 50 m.p_h. sleeper express which ploughed Into the goods train yesterday had crashed a minute earlier, it would bave plunged off a viaduct 70 feet into a valley. Wreckage was strewn over 200 yards along the main line. The engine turned over, but the driver and firemen escaped. It was the third major rail disaster within six days. Three persons were killed in a crash at Northwood last Monday, and 19 were killed in the Lichfield disaster on Tuesday, bring ing tbe railways' "black week" total deaths so far to 32. Kyle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvUGrONGvgU&list=PLSqbnxPBKFcb2ppZtHWiIRnGWGM4gUxLK&index=5 GOLIGHTLY, ARNOLD Rank:Flight Sergeant Service No:807147 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:28 Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force (Auxiliary Air Force) Grave Reference:Ward 24. Sec. C.C. Grave 232. Cemetery:SUNDERLAND (BISHOPWEARMOUTH) CEMETERY Additional Information:Son of William Stoker Golightly and Marion Golightly; husband of Isabella Golightly, of Southwick, Sunderland.He was an original member of 607 Squadron (Usworth) and served throughout the Battle of Britain. WILSON, NORMAN Rank:Leading Aircraftman Service No:1083687 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:28 Regiment/Service:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Grave Reference:Sec. G. Grave 140. (Photo at bottom of Page) Cemetery:RYTON CEMETERYAdditional Information:Son of Thomas and Isabella Wilson, of Greenside; husband of Ethel Wilson brother Roland kia. FISH, LESLIE WILLIAM Rank: Able Seaman Service No: C/JX378993 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:22 Regiment/Service: Royal Navy H.M.S. Pembroke. Grave Reference: Plot R. Grave 12190.(Photo at bottom of page) Cemetery: SOUTHEND-ON-SEA (SUTTON ROAD) CEMETERY HERKESS, FREDERICK (FREDDIE) Rank:Able Seaman Service No:C/JX 352967 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:23 Regiment/Service:Royal Navy H.M.S. Pembroke. Grave Reference:Sec. 9. Grave 8364. Cemetery:SOUTH SHIELDS (HARTON) CEMETERY Additional Information:Son of Frank Henry and Mary Trenholm Herkess, of South Shields BOOTH, EDWIN Rank:Coder Service No:C/JX 550931 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:21 Regiment/Service:Royal Navy H.M.S. Pembroke. Grave Reference:N.E. Sec. Line A. Grave 124. Cemetery:LOXLEY UNITED REFORMED CHAPELYARD Additional Information:Husband of Irene Booth, of Sheffield McCANN, DENNIS Rank:Cook Service No:C/MX 122107 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Regiment/Service:Royal Navy H.M.S. Pembroke Grave Reference:Grave 2426. Cemetery:CAMBRIDGE CITY CEMETERY CARR, HENRY Rank:Joiner 3rd ClassService No:C/MX76416 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:28 Regiment/Service:Royal Navy H.M.S. Pentbroke? Grave Reference:Sec. C. South. Grave 36. Cemetery:WINLATON (ST. PAUL) CHURCHYARD EXTENSION Additional Information:Son of Henry and Mary Carr, of Blaydon brother William also lost at sea NAPIER, JOSEPHINE Rank:Corporal Service No:431566 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:26 Regiment/Service:Women's Auxiliary Air Force Grave Reference:Sec. C. Grave 924. Cemetery:NEW DEER CEMETERY Additional Informationaughter of Andrew Napier, and of Agnes Napier, of New Deer. Kyle
Two casualties not on the CWGC (at least I cannot see them?) AB Seaman McGravery 27 Beauville Road Middlesborough Samuel Clifford aged 32 of Appleforth Avenue Grangetown Sunderland A young DLI soldier died in the rescue attempt;- STEEL, CHARLES RAYMOND Rank:PrivateService No:14481175 Date of Death:05/01/1946 Age:17 Regiment/ServiceDurham Light Infantry 4th Bn. Grave Reference Div. 8. Grave 1730. Cemetery:GATESHEAD EAST CEMETERY Additional Information:Son of Charles and Ellen Steel. of Gateshead ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Josephine Napier`s death must have been terrible news for the Napier family with two sons being lost already! NAPIER, JOSEPHINE Rank: Corporal Regiment/Service: Women's Auxiliary Air Force Age: 26 Date of Death: 05/01/1946 Service No: 431566 Additional information: Daughter of Andrew Napier, and of Agnes Napier, of New Deer. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. C. Grave 924. Cemetery: NEW DEER CEMETERY Her older brother who died as a prisoner of the Japanese NAPIER, JAMES BURR Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 27 Date of Death: 31/07/1942 Service No: 2876793 Additional information: Son of Andrew and Agnes Napier, of New Deer, Aberdeenshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 10. A. 15. Cemetery: KRANJI WAR CEMETERY And her younger brother lost on the Gustav line in Italy NAPIER, GEORGE LOGAN Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Gordon Highlanders Unit Text: 1st Bn. The London Scottish Age: 23 Date of Death: 14/01/1944 Service No: 2878463 Additional information: Son of Andrew and Agnes Napier, of New Deer, Aberdeenshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: II, E, 16. Cemetery: MINTURNO WAR CEMETERY Kyle
Dear Mr Jinks I've just seen your helpful information on the Ferryhill train disaster. My father was Arnold Golightly and I would very much like to make contact with you, not least because we're coming up to the 70th anniversary of the crash. I'm hoping that it might be possible to organise an event in commemoration of the anniversary. What do you think? I do hope that you will be able to get in touch. With thanks and best wishes. Yours sincerely Michael Burnett (ps My mother, Isabella Golightly, re-married after Arnold's death. Her second husband was John Barker Burnett, also of Sunderland.)
My Grandad was Samuel Clifford aged 32 of Appleforth Avenue Grangetown Sunderland and my mum is Yvonne Clifford the tthree year old who was saved
Bad job. Once lived in Hett, just North of Ferryhill. The then Hett Arms used to have a frame with newspaper cuttings of the disaster. Landlord was Ron, if I remember rightly and landlady was Gwen. He was from Essex, ex-Para and another frame featured this: Gwen came from Wales. The newspaper cuttings included snippets of locals who had helped in the carnage. The last frame I remember had a picture of Churchill - rather rare for Durham. Recollect my first 'heavy' was on the house and a predilection for lock-ins.
In family research I found some of the family were affected by the Flying Scotsman crash / disaster at Goswick, Northumberland (south of Berwick-on-Tweed), at 1115am 26th October 1947, when nine of fifteen coaches left the track and fell down an embankment. Twenty eight died and fifty-nine need hospital treatment. See: Goswick rail crash - Wikipedia a short B&W film: A very detailed account and explanation why is on: http://www.greatdisasters.co.uk/the-flying-scotsman-1947/ Alas when I tried the website had 'difficulties'. Two crashes with that service so close together? Apologies for the diversion.