Cockwell, Edgar 1916 September 29th Dunbridge
Accident on the Line
Mr S Buchanan Smith, City Coroner, held an inquest at Salisbury Infirmary on Monday morning in connection with the death of Edgar Victor Charles Cockwell, a porter at Romsey railway station, who sustained serious injuries by falling on the line at Dunbridge station on Friday afternoon, and died on Saturday.
Mr George Edwards was appointed foreman of the jury.
Charles Cockwell, a plate-layer, living at Parkstone, identified the body as that of his son, who was 19 years of age. He had been on the railway about five years, and for six months had been stationed at Romsey.
Elsie Smith, of Romsey, office clerk at Dunbridge station, said that at about 4pm on Friday, a goods train was shunting. Cockwell tried to get on the train and put his foot on the brake of one of the waggons and slipped. He fell between the train and the platform. She shouted to attract the driver’s attention and the train pulled up about six waggon’s length from where the porter fell.
William James Bowers, of Mottisfont, relief signalman at Dunbridge, said it was Cockwell’s duty to travel from Romsey and attach several waggons at Kimbridge junction, and to label them on arriving at Dunbridge. He saw Cockwell come out of the booking office and shouted across to him to ask where the waggons were. He told him they were still on the train, and he afterwards saw him between the waggons and the platform.
Mr Latif, house surgeon at the Infirmary, said that Cockwell was admitted on Friday at 5.45pm suffering from compound fracture of the left knee-joint, and severe laceration of the whole leg. He was conscious on admission, but very weak owing to loss of blood. He became very restless, and was unconscious a few hours before his death, which occurred at 2.30am on Saturday. The cause of death was shock, due to hemorrhage.
A verdict of “Accidental Death” was returned and the jury gave their fees to the Red Cross Society.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 