1928 Fred Hook in Railway Crossing Accident
Crossing Tragedy. Train Strikes Motor-Truck
Woman Killed Eight People Injured
Accident After Dance
Struck by a goods train at a level crossing on the Cardinia road, between Pakenham and Officer, early yesterday morning, a motor-truck carrying nine persons, who were returning from a dance, was wrecked. A woman who was sitting next to the driver was killed instantly, and the eight other persons were injured.
The victims were:
Killed.
DUBOUT, Mrs. Mary, of Dalmore.
Injured.
ROBBINS, Roy, farmer, of Dalmore.-Fractured leg, abrasions, and shock.
ROBBINS, Eric John, his brother, farmer, of Dalmore.-Shock and abrasions.
BOULD. Victor Arnold, farmer, of Cardinia, -Bruises and shock.
LOBB, Miss Ena, of Cardinia.-Abrasions and shock.
LOBB, Miss Rose, her sister.-Concussion of the brain.
BOULD, Hector Leonard, - Abrasions and shock.
HOOK, Frederick D. of Clyde.-Cut head.
ORR, James Stewart, of Dalmore.-Crushed hand, thumb severed.
The party attended, a dance at the Beaconsfield Hall on Saturday night, and was travelling to another dance at the Officedale State school hall, when the accident occurred shortly before 1 o'clock yesterday morning. Roy Robbins, who, with his brother, Eric Robbins, is joint owner of the truck, was driving. Bould was seated on his left side, and Mrs. Dubout on his right. All the other members of the party were seated on the floor in the rear of the vehicle. There are no gates at the level crossing where the accident occurred, but there are no curves in either the road or the railway line within some distance of the spot, which has always been regarded in the district as being particularly safe. The night, however, was very windy and dark, and, as the truck approached the crossing, a goods train which left Melbourne at half-past 9 o'clock was neither seen nor heard by any member of the party. No train was expected by the driver of the truck at that hour, and the vehicle was partly across the line before the approach of the train was noticed. Before any effort to avert an accident could be made the engine of the train had crashed into the right side of the truck at the driver's cabin and had hurled it with terrific force against the posts guarding the cattle pit beside the crossing. Mrs. Dubout, who received the full force of the impact, was killed instantly. Most of the other members of the party were thrown out, and lay dazed and bleeding beside the line. The guard, engine-driver, and fire- man of the train lifted Mrs. Dubout's body and the injured persons into tho guard's van, and took them to the Pakenham railway station. Mounted-constable Armstrong, of Pakenham, and a doctor were notified, and later most of the injured were removed to the Pakenham District Hospital. Mrs. Dubout's body was taken, to the Melbourne morgue yesterday.
The most seriously injured persons are Mr.James Orr, whose right thumb was cut off and whose hand is so seriously crushed that it is feared that he may lose three more fingers, and Miss Rose Lobb, who has concussion of the brain and a possible fracture of the skull.
When he examined the scene of the accident Mounted-constable Armstrong found twisted pieces of steel and splinters of wood from the wrecked truck many yards from the point of impact. The main portion of the truck, battered and broken, was lying partly against the fence and partly in the cattle pit beside the line. Mrs. Dubout's husband, who is a farmer, at Dalmore, left for Western Australia on a holiday trip two weeks ago.
The Argus, Monday 20 August 1928 |
Editor: According to local reports, Mr Fred Hook was involved in two further train accidents. However he lived to be in his nineties. Fred Hook is the grandson of Isaac Hook, one of Clyde's earliest farmers.