This compilation contains the names of more than 300 railwaymen (ie employees, not public passengers) who were killed or died while on duty between 1879 and today. Many workers have also suffered injuries, some life-threatening, which it has not been possible to include.
392 records found. Showing 26–50.
| Date | Surname | Given names | Designation | Location | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896-02-06 | BLOOMFIELD | William James | Stationmaster | Spencers Brook | William Bloomfield was 34 Years of age when he died instantly as the result of a shunting accident at Spencer's Brook where he was Stationmaster. William left a wife and four young children. He is interred at Beverley Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1912-05-28 | BLUMENTHAL | Percy | Night Porter | Geraldton | Percy Blumenthal was 30 years of age when he died as the result of an accident in the Geraldton shunting yard. Percy's left leg was severely injured when he caught his foot in a spring crossing and was struck by a slow moving wagon. An operation to amputate the leg was successful but Percy did not regain conciousness and died that day. Percy Lived at Geraldton and was interred at Geraldto Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1914-02-06 | BOHAN | William Joseph | Fettler/Length Runner | Nannup | William Bohan was about 35 years of age and died instantly when his rail trolley was run down by a reversing train between Barrabup and Nannup. William lived in Boyanup with his wife and infant son. He was interred in the Roman Catholic section of the Boyanup Cemetery. An inquest determined that his death was accidental. | Open PDF |
| 1906-01-16 | BOND | Edgar Thomas | Head Shunter | Northam | Edgar Bond was 24 years of age when he died of injuries sustained in a shunting accident in the Northam station marshalling yard on the afternoon of 16 January 1906. He was survived by his wife of two years, Mary Anne who gave birth to their only child, Edgarina Pearl, about 5 months after his death. The coroner found that Edgar's death was an accident. Edgar lived in Northam and is interred at Northam Cemetery. There are photographs, a newspaper report of Edgar's funeral and the edited transcript of the inquest available. | Open PDF |
| 1943-06-25 | BOWEN | Richard Neil | Goods Porter | Geraldton | Richard Bowen was 53 years of age when he was fatally injured while shunting in the Geraldton Station yard. Richard was seen to trip and fall and was run over by wagons being shunted. Richard was married with two grown daughters who were also married. Richard and his wife lived in Geraldton and he is interred in the Anglican section of the Utakarra Cemetery at Geraldton. | Open PDF |
| 1917-06-21 | BOYCE | Robert Owen | Fireman | Armadale | Robert Boyce was 23 years of age when he was fatally injured in a fall from a locomotive tender at Armadale. Robert lived with his wife and two young daughters at Highgate and is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (WESLEYAN/EC/0004). | Open PDF |
| 1935-05-23 | BOYES | William Richard | Fireman | Meekatharra | William Boyes was 37 years of age when he was fatally injured while coupling travelling water tanks. He fell into a pit and was crushed by the tanks as they came together. William lived in Midland Junction with his wife, Louisa Elizabeth, and two children. He was interred in the Anglican section of the Midland Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1987-04-28 | BRAYNE | Rudolph Erwin | Guard | Welshpool | Rudolph Erwin was 44 years of age when he was fatally injured in a train/car collision at Welshpool. Rudolph lived at Wilson and was cremated at the Fremantle Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1895-01-20 | BRENNAN | Patrick | Navvy | Meckering | There does not appear to be any information of Patrick Brennan's death recorded in WA | Open PDF |
| 1925-02-23 | BRINDAL | Albert | Driver | Northam | Albert Brindal was 35 years of age when he died in a fall from a locomotive at Northam. Albert lived at Northam with his wife Mildred and their two children he was interred at Northam Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1893-08-26 | BROADFOOT | John | Porter | Midland Junction | John Broadfoot was 23 years of age when he received fatal injuries while shunting at Midland Junction. John was struck on the head by an axle box when he fell while alighting from wagons being shunted. John lived in Midland with his wife and young child. | Open PDF |
| 1915-01-05 | BRODERICK | Thomas | Labourer | Coonana, TAR | See also: Patrick HALL, Thomas KEARNEY and James McKEOWN. Thomas Broderick and the others named here died when the brake van they were travelling in derailed and overturned at Coonana on the Trans-Australia Railway (TAR). A coroner's inquest determined that their deaths were accidental. | Open PDF |
| 1932-01-23 | BROTHERS | Ronald | Checker | Bunbury | Ronald Brothers was 30 years of age when he was run over and killed by a locomotive at Bunbury yard. It is believed that Ronald walked through and empty van and stepped in front of the passing locomotive. Ron was a keen musician, was well liked and respected in his workplace and in his community generally. Ronald lived in Bunbury with his wife and four month old son he is interred at Bunbury Cemetery (METHODIST/A/126/GENERAL). | Open PDF |
| 1931-08-15 | BROWN | Albert James | Driver | Mt Helena | Albert Brown was 49 years of age at the time of his death. To escape an iminent head-on collision Albert leapt from his cab only to be run down by wagons from his train as they derailed in the collision. He died instantly. Albert lived in Midland with his wife and dughter and he is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/ZA/0520). | Open PDF |
| 1935-04-26 | BROWN | Leo John Stephen | Night Stationmaster | Caron | Leo Brown was 23 years of age when he was crushed between two trucks and critically injured while shunting at Caron on 7 April 1935. Leo died in Morowa Hospital on 26 April 1935. Leo's home was at Inglewood and he was interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ROMAN CATHOLIC/HA/0283). | Open PDF |
| 1909-05-05 | BRYAN | Christopher H. W. | Navvy | Norseman | This death was originally reported as O'BRIEN, Christopher 6 May 1909. Christopher Bryan was 35 years of age when fell from a ballast wagon and was crushed against the wall of a cutting. Christopher died at the scene of the accident. It is not known if Christopher was buried at Norseman or if his body was repatriated to his native Sale in Victoria where his father lived. | Open PDF |
| 1942-05-14 | BURDON | John Jervis | Checker | Perth | John Burdon was 64 years of age and almost due to retire, he died instantly when struck by a loose shunted coal wagon. This was a compounding tragedy for the family as John's older brother, Will, had passed away in South Australia the day before. John was a husband, father, father-in-law and a grandfather at the time of his death. John Lived at Bassendean and is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (WESLEYAN/HA/0580). Author's Note: John's age was variously reported as 59, 60 and 64. If due for retirement his most likely age was 64. | Open PDF |
| 1960-07-25 | BURFITT | Thomas Henry Charles | Fettler | Rawlinna, TAR | See also, Milosaw DIMITRJEVICH, Thomas MATHEWS and Karl JUNGLING. Alfred Burfitt was 42 years of age when he and three others were fatally injured near Rawlinna on the Trans Australia Railway. The motorised trolley they were riding collided with a train. | Open PDF |
| 1925-03-21 | BURGESS | John Winkle | Traffic Inspector | York | John Burgess was 44 years of age when he was fatally injured when the Dort rail car (A tourer set up to run on rails) he and three others were travelling derailed and rolled over. The other occupants were also injured and later recovered. John lived at Subiaco with his wife Marion Elizabeth and his daughters Doris and Edna. He is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/MA/0127) | Open PDF |
| 1897-12-11 | BURKHILL | Walter | Porter-in-Charge | Baandee | Walter Burkill was 26 years of age when he died instantly as the result of being struck by a train at Baandee. His failure to reset points to the main line meant the express from Southern Cross was directed onto the loop where he was standing. His wife and five children were living in Paramatta NSW at the time. He lived at Baandee. There is no indication where he is buried. | Open PDF |
| 1919-09-26 | BURROWS | William | Fettler/Length Runner | Midland Junction | William Burrows, a Fettler of 22 years experience, was 54 years of age when he died as the result of a shunting accident at Midland Junction. William had stepped clear of the track he was working on to allow a train to pass. He inadvertently stepped into the path of coaches being propelled into the station. Two coaches passed over him and he died at the scene. A Coronial inquest determined that Williams death was an accident. The son of a convict of the same name, William lived in Guildford with his wife, Eliza, and seven children and he is interred at Guildford Cemetery (ANGLICAN/A/0076). | Open PDF |
| 1943-07-28 | BUTLER | Edward John | Fireman | Kalgoorlie | Edward Butler was 36 years of age when he died after being crushed between a locomotive and the coal stage at Kalgoorlie loco depot. Edward lived in Kalgoorlie and is interred at Kalgoorlie Cemetery. Information provided by John Winter a retired Locomotive Engine Driver who was a Trainee Engineman in Kalgoorlie at the time. | Open PDF |
| 1941-12-08 | BUTLER | Joseph Charles | Head Shunter | Bunbury | Joseph Butler was 31 years of age when he was fatally injured while shunting at Bunbury railway yard. He had caught his foot in points and was unable to free himself before being run down by a carriage. Joseph lived in Bunbury with his wife and family. He is interred at Bunbury Cemetery with his father who died 6 months earlier (105/ROMAN CATHOLIC/C/GENERAL). | Open PDF |
| 1910-08-17 | BYERS | James | Guard | Moora, MRWA | James Byers was 23 years of age at the time he was fatally injured while shunting in Moora. James told a witness that he was moving from one side of the wagons to the other and had slipped of the brake lever,with the result that his legs were severely crushed and had to be amputated. James died two days later in hospital at Midland Junction. A coroner's inquest determined that James' death was an accident. James was single and lived in Midland with his mother and is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (Anglican/CA/0093). | Open PDF |
| 1942-07-25 | CAHILL | Charles "Paddy" | Driver | Burracoppin | Charles "Paddy" Cahill was 56 years of age when he died as the result of falling from the cab of his locomotive and being run over. Charles lived in Kellerberrin with his wife and they had two married daughters. He is interred at the Anglican section of the Merredin Cemetery. | Open PDF |
Death or serious injury, in the days before compulsory workers’ compensation insurance, could, and often did, result in the victim’s family being left destitute. The families often had to rely, at least in the short term, on the charity of their community and the generosity of the injured or deceased worker’s colleagues.
Many men, stationed at outlying depots, were faced with such rudimentary medical facilities that an injury which may have been survivable in a large town or city could and often did prove fatal.
Contemporary newspaper reports and edited transcripts of coronial inquiries have been included where they are available. Some photographs of these railwaymen have been made available by descendants and other family members. Other information welcome and can be sent to archivist@railheritagewa.org.au
Caution: Contemporary newspaper reports, particularly those prior to 1920, sometimes contain explicit descriptions of the injuries sustained by the deceased person. Some readers may find these descriptions offensive and in bad taste by today’s standards. However, they reflect the norms of the times and are reproduced as found.