TRENTHAM FATALITY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 177, 22 April 1919, Page 6

TRENTHAM FATALITY

BOY SCOUTS AND GUNCOTTON

ALLEGED INSECURE STORAGE

HOW THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED

MAGISTRATE'S FINDING AT INQUEST

An inquest into the circumstances of the death of the Boy Scout, Kenneth Edwin Watigli, \vho was killed by a bomb explosion at Trenthani Camp on Sunday, was conduoted yesterday at Trentlmin by Mr. F. V. -Frnzer, S.M. In a part of the camp thero is a small series of trenches, and in one of the trenches a dug-out, secured by a door with a rather weak In this, dug-out there had been a hundred pounds of gun-cotton, and"a few bombs, some-o; them empty nnd others charged. By some person or persons this dug-out was broken into and all but a very small quantity of the explosive taken away. Of the hundred pounds of explosive originally there only five pounds now remains. The party of Boy Scouts or which Waugh was one, unscrewed the head of an empty bomb, filled it with explosive, and lighted it with a match. .According to all the rules the 6hot should not have been'fired with a match, and, according to some evidence, the boys actually fired four charges before getting an explosion. Tlio fifth fired explosively, with the fatal result. Altogether the hoys must-have fired not more than a pound of the gun-cotton. The remainder, ritli the exception of five pounds found scattered about in the dug-out, is missing.

The Explosion. William Norman Abbott, medical practitioner, said that he had examined the body of the deceased immediately after it was carried into the medical hut at the camp. The cause of death was injury to the brain due to a piece of foreign body having been driven in. Death had been due to the wound and not to shock. jQyril Lambert, 14, years of age, and a member of the Lower Hutt. Boy Scouts, gave evidence. He said that a part)' of the scouts, including ■ himself and deceased, were going through the trenches at the hack of the camp when lie noticed deceased nick up a shell-case from the trench. There was a lnt of gun-cotton in small pieces all over the ground in trench and in the dug-out. Waugh picked up some of tlie larger piece© broke them up, and put them into the shellcase. He then put the shell-case on the ground the side of tlio trench, covered it-with and-put a lead of gun-cotton to it. Waugh lighted the train, and,witness ran about fiftepn yards before he heard an explosion. Witness looked round and saw Waugh lying on t"he ground. ITo did not see anyone else t/ieti. Witness had been told by the other 'boys that the substance was guncotton. He himself did not know what gun-cotton was. The gun-cotton was all over the ulace. He remembered bringing- shell-cases into his hut before. He saw tire deceased fire another bomb prior to the accident. It did not explode, but only fizzled. Alexander Wright also told of tile firing of the bomb/ He paid that en four occasions the shell was loaded with guncotton, and fired without an On these four occasions it "fizzled." The fifth time it -exploded. On this last,, occasion-deceased put some stones round the "hell and laid a train to it." Deceased lighted the train, and stood about two yards away. The train burned for a short distance, and then appeared, to die tout. Deceased went nearer and nut somo gun-cotton on the place where the burni»i? had died down, and was stopping back when ..the bomb exploded. Waugh »nun round and fell over. Witness ran to him, but he anneared to l:e dead. Witness spilt for the Scoutmaster at oiice. lie did not know iyhether the gun-cotton cainc from the shed. - Ho thought the boys had some before (hey went into the dugout. . He had seen emptv bomb cases in his hut on .Saturday' afternoon, and the boys said they brought them from the trenches.

John povlfe. 14 years of said he had seen the bomb filled only once, when the explosion occurred. Ho mnde ,th'e same statements as other' witnesses as tc bombs being brought into the huts on Saturday and Sunday, and ho said that he himself found a bomb in o» near the trenches. Altogether twelve bombs had been found, all of them within throwing distance. A military policeman had told them that they might go into the trenches. No Warning of Danger. "William Mason, scoutmaster of the Lower Hutt Boy Scouts, stated that he took the boys for a walk through the trenches at Trentluim on Sunday afternoon. He picked up a piece of guncotton some considerable distance away from the dug-out, but did not see any bombs, Abcuit 1.45 p.m. he heard an explosion, and rushed over immediately with Air. Collett. He found the deceased lying on his side with a wound in the region of the eye. The hoy. was insensible, but still living. Witness rendered first aid, and sent him to the hospital. but he died just as they got clear of the' trenches. The scouts were allowed the liberty of the camp, except for the neighbourhood of the Nurses' Home. Lieutenant Judd was detailed to look after the. scouts. He supplied them with quarters and equipment. Witness did not enter the dug-out. A boy showed him a bomb on Sunday morning. It was empty, and had no cap. Witness saw no others. Some boys reported finding rifle cartridges on the range on Saturday. Witness had taken the boys to caiup twice a year for four years. The bovs were not at any time out of hand. There were efighty-seven boys in camp this Easter, with three scoutmasters. The boys were keen to go co Trentham, and there was a large attendance. The bov who showed him the bomb did not sav where it had been found, except that it was .in the trenches. It was rusty and ■empty,-and witness considered it to be camp debris. The boy said that he had not seen any more. Knowing that visitors were permitted to go through tho trenches, witness did not think anything dangerous would be left about. He did liot think that the boys knew that the Runcotton was gimcotton. There was a restriction on fires, and the boys wore understood to be under the control of the scoutmasters. He knew that the bovs were about the trenches. He believed that tho boys considered the guneotton to ba some kind of fuse material that would fizz, but not explode.

About Supervision and Inspection. Ewrene Keys, an ordnance officer at Uentham, deposed that lie took over the camp equipment from the Engineers on December 14, 1918. Included in ' the equipment was a quantity of guncotton (1051b.) and 88 bombs, some empty and some charged. The latter were kept in water. The guncotton and' bombs were kept in a dug-out near tho scene of the accident. The door was securely fastened by means of two staples and a padlock, produced. He lust visited the dug-out a.month or eix weeks ago. In the meantime, ho might have detailed a subordinate to ,visit tho dug-out and other equipment stores. The placo was secure when he last --isitetl it. Only a few pounds of guncotton had been left on top, 1051b. After tho explosion he found that thp door had been opened and the staple on tho left hand side broken in forcing the door. Some bombs and guilMrUon we're scattered about. The key of the padlock was kept in his office. lie was not aware till that day that visitors were idlowed about the trenches. Guncotton did not explode if wet, unless a detonator v. as used. The effect of compression with a stick might have caused it to explode. He saw four sticks of gelignite in tho tranches yesterday. It was not part of the cam]) stocks. Ho did not know how it camu to be there. The fact of the fjuncotton being wet and the bombs being kept under water led him to think that thoro was no risk in their storage in the dugout. He would have visited tho dug-out more frequently, but fot the proseuro of other work.

"I think," added the witness, "that the fastening wa3 not strong 'enough, but at the time I took it over it appeared to mo secure. The boles in the roof of the dug-out were tot thoro when I

last inspected it. If I had known that the boy scouts had the run of the camp 1 would have made h special inspection of tho dug-out. The charged bombs o liad no detonator affixed. I know that some cadets were camped at Trentham dome weeks ago. I did not know that they ■had access to the trenches. The strenuous work I have had to do in camp, owing to the absence of competent assistance, has prevented mo from doing the amount of inspection I would otherwise have done."

The Expert on Explosives. John Moore, lieutenant of Engineers at Tienthain. stated: ; I have had 21 years' English and colonial experiencu, and have a competent knowledge of guncotton. It explodes with a dry primer and « detonator. I have never known it explode otherwise. A quantity of small fragments compressed into a hot bombshell and fired by means of a train would not bo likely to explode. I have never it done. If guncotton were used," it is a mystery to me that it should have exploded without a detonator. The guncotton 111 question is old and has deteriorated with age. That may- have alfccted its action. I have never known gelignite to explode without a cap. I think that there must have been a detonator or something of the kind about the bomb to cause the explosion. I have seen 'nothing of the #ort about. Fulminate df mercury is the detonating 'substance. Prior to December, 1918,- I had charge of the dugout and stores'. J.t was secured by a padlotk and staple, and the roof was intact. I passed by the dug-out on April 10, anil it appeared to be secure. I cannot say if some cadets who were here ten days ago had the run of those •treuciies. i was not on inspection duty mi April 10. During my time of control visitors were allowed to go through the trenches without special supervision. Detonators were never kept in the dugout. 11 did not allow anyone to use Chain-except myself. They were kept in my ottice. I Jmve never ' seen nor used gelignite iu camp. In the service explosives are handled and stored with care. The store in question was in my opinion securely fastened. _ I have seen horses running near the trenches. A horse might break down part of the roof. It is customary to keep explosives in England in similar dug-outs. 1 have not seen Boy Scouts given the run of a camp betore. Since recruiting has ceased no guard liaa been placed on the treuches. The roof ot the dug-out should have lasted with fair wear and tear for two years from December last.

Allegations as to Insecurity of Dug-out,

Thomas AVaugh, residing at the Lower Itutt. father of-the deceased,,stated that the boy wits twelve years of ago oil Der,ember 1 last. He had inspected the dug-out in the trench, and in his opinion it was not a sale place to keep explosives in. The root was made of tit.ree and soil, rind a boy could easily go through it. A horso could have gone through it. when it was new. , Two holes were big enough to admit a man. He did not consider the door -was safely fastened, as anyone could have removed the two screws with a pocket-knife. The rlonr would evidently be thrown open bv a man putting his weight against it. fie had frequently visited the camp prior to the armistice. Thero .was no restriction on visitors going through the trenches without supervision. He was not aware that there was any explosives in the trenches. He had not made inquiries from soldiers as to the position of tho explosives, Hurry Clifton Giblxms, seedsman, Wellington. said that lie had 'had twentyfive years' experience of ti-tree, and would not like-to trust a ti-trce roof for more than three years, unless substantially supported. He had inspected the dug-out. In his opinion the roof had not, been safe for some time, nor in December last. Two, at least, of the holes in the roof were old—weeks old. They had gradually been enlarged. He was inclined" to think tflie original access was from tlie' roof. He thought the roof couid not possibly have lusted another two vears. Ho would say it was now three to four years old, and it was only a thin layer of ti-tree. lie had never had ti-tree under earth. He did not think a thin coat of earth would:,,, be much protection to it. The portion of a ti-tree fence buried in the soil would rot within two years.

jfr. T. Young, who appeared on behalf of the relatives, addressed the coroner on the danger of explosives being stored so.insecurely and left about the trenches. i The Finding. The coroner delivered 1 his finding as follows: "1 find that deceased died nt Trentham Camp on April 20, 1919, the cause of death being injuries to the brain due to the explosion of ft bomb conslructed by cloceased from explosives and a bomb case found in or near a dugout in the camp. At the time of the explosion deceased was one of a party of Boy Scouts encamped at Trentham Military Cam)). Considering the construction of the dugout and the nature of the fastening of tht> door, 1 am of op'inion tliat the dugout should have been inspected immediately prior to the Boy Scouts being permitted to make use of the and tnat the Scoutmaster's should have 'been informed of tho location of the stores of .explosives', and instructed to keep the boys away from them. The evidence does noirshow when or by whom the dugout was broken into. It appeals, to me that while the dugout may have been a sufficiently secure place of storage for gun-cotton and bombs durin gthe period when the camp was in military occupation, and visitors were more or less'under supervision, it was not sufficiently secure at the time when tho camp was no longer in the same active military occupation, and partieiCof boys were allowed to have unrestricted use for a number of days of the portion of the camp grounds where the dugout was situated uuless the safeguards I have mentioned had been made use of. In •view of the possibility of a full inquiry being held by the Defence Department into the matter, it is not necessary or desirable that I should make a more detailed finding." g