The Beighton Rail Disaster

In November 2005. I obtained a copy of The Scotsman newspaper dated Friday 13th 1942 which also has a report of the accident but somewhat surprisingly gives more information than that reported in The Times -

Miners and villagers, first in darkness and then by the flickering light of hand-lamps, helped to drag dead and injured Servicemen from the wreckage of a troop train at Beighton Station, near Sheffield, following a crash between 10 and 11 o'clock on Wednesday night. The death-roll is fourteen and 36 men were injured. Sides of carriages were ripped out and left gaping—soldiers and sailors being thrown on to the rail track—by, it is believed, a piece of sheet steel, projecting from a stationary goods train. The names of two of the dead are given as Ernest Rodgers, of Woolwich, and Amos Albert Hollingsworth, of Beeston, Notts, both Army men. They died on the way to Sheffield Infirmary. The list of injured includes the name of James Bailey, Midlothian

Although the damaged coaches did not leave the lines doors were torn off and other wreckage lay amid a litter of steel helmets, respirators, and other equipment . As rescue work went on for four hours the injured were rushed to Sheffield hospitals in ambulances which, with doctors and nurses, were soon on the scene. " There was not a word of complaint from any of the injured," said a rescuer. "One man was upset because he had just written to his wife telling her he was all right. He was afraid she would worry on hearing of the crash. Another man was anxious about his rosary." One man probably owes his life to a comrade who-was thrown on top of him. "The injured were mostly trapped in loose wreckage," said Mr Charles Booth, a colliery ambulance instructor, who took a team of seven men with blankets and stretchers to the spot. The scene at the station was like a shambles. Soldiers in the first half of the train were the more seriously involved. As they were taken from the debris villagers comforted them before they were hurried to hospital. Ambulances left every few minutes. Breakdown gangs had cleared the line by dawn.

The men mentioned in the report as being killed in the accident appear on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website

Name:	HOLLINGSWORTH, AMOS ALBERT
Nationality:	United Kingdom
Rank:	Gunner
Regiment:	Royal Artillery
Unit Text:	366 Bty., 42 (7th Bn. The Sherwood Foresters [Notts. and Derby Regt.]) Searchlight Regt.
Age:	23
Date of Death:	11/02/1942
Service No:	2056365
Additional information:	Son of Albert and Caroline Hollingsworth, of Nottingham; husband of Alice Hollingsworth, of Bulwell, Nottingham.
Casualty Type:	Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:	Sec. P/12. Grave 31. – Nottingham Northern Cemetery

Name:	RODGERS, ERNEST
Initials:	E
Nationality:	United Kingdom
Rank:	Gunner
Regiment:	Royal Artillery
Age:	32
Date of Death:	11/02/1942
Service No:	1763763
Additional information:	Son of Horace and Sarah Ann Rodgers; husband of Eveline May Rodgers, of Merstham.
Casualty Type:	Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:	West of Path. – Merstham (St Catherine) New Churchyard

Six days later on Thursday 19th February 1942 The Scotsman also reported on the Inquest that was held into the crash. Although brief it does contain information that was not included in The Times report

KING James Samuel. Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Gunner. Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery. Age: 32. Date of Death: 12/02/1942. Service No: 11264438. Additional information: Son of Samuel and Bertha Grace King, of Westcliff-on-Sea. Plot R. Grave 12050.

Name: NICHOLAS, JAMES
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 34
Date of Death: 12/02/1942
Service No: 11400525
Additional information: Son of John and Agnes Nicholas, of Liverpool; husband of Christina Nicholas, of Liverpool.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 20. C. of E. Grave 433. Cemetery: LIVERPOOL (ANFIELD) CEMETERY

Name: ALLEN, JOSEPH
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11061514
Grave/Memorial Reference: Gen. Sec. Grave 10394.
Cemetery: TOTTENHAM CEMETERY

Name: CHANDLER, GEORGE JAMES
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 40
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11061577
Additional information: Son of George and Emily Matilda Chandler; husband of Harriett Chandler, of King's Cross, London.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. C.C. Joint Grave 1703.
Cemetery: SHEFFIELD (CROOKES) CEMETERY

Name: PIPER, DAVID WILLIAM
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 42
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11061732
Additional information: Son of William David and Charlotte Piper; husband of Violet Anna Piper, of Edgware, Middlesex.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. C.C. Joint Grave 1703.
Cemetery: SHEFFIELD (CROOKES) CEMETERY

Name: SMITH, LEONARD EDWARD
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 34
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 1754437
Additional information: Husband of Violet Nina Smith, of North Kensington.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Square 185. Row 38. Grave 51076. (Screen Wall).
Cemetery: KENSAL GREEN (ALL SOULS') CEMETERY

Name: MILNE, LEONARD ARTHUR
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 41
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11061201
Additional information: Son of John R. Milne and Martha Elizabeth Milne; husband of Elsie Milne, of Ilford.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Square 406. Grave 110080.
Cemetery: CITY OF LONDON CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM, MANOR PARK

Name: POYLE, FRANK
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 40
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11061739
Additional information: Son of Joseph and Fanny Poyle; husband of Ada Emily Poyle, of Enfield.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. B. Cons. Grave 1361.
Cemetery: ENFIELD (HERTFORD ROAD) CEMETERY

Name: LORD, THOMAS BUTTERWORTH
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 36
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11400346
Additional information: Son of Fred and Amelia Lord; husband of Annie Elizabeth Lord, of Middleton.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave R. 546.
Cemetery: TONGE (ST. MICHAEL) CHURCHYARD - LANCASHIRE

Name: LAWRENCE, FRED
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Age: 36
Date of Death: 11/02/1942
Service No: 11400582
Additional information: Husband of Jessie Lawrence, of Oldham.
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. B. Row 14. Grave 95.
Cemetery: OLDHAM (GREENACRES) CEMETERY