David Annan Jordan, (1921-17/11/1942). "one, or perhaps two"

RAILWAYMAN KILLED.

PORTER FOUND DEAD IN YARD.

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, This Day. Mr David Annan Jordan, aged 21, a railway porter, was found dead beside the tracks in the shunting yard last night, with extensive injuries, suggesting that he was run over or knocked down by a rake of trucks. His parents reside at Stirling.  -Ashburton Guardian, 18/11/1942.

INQUESTS

RAILWAYMAN’S DEATH

An inquest into the death of David Annan Jordan, aged 21, a railway porter, who died from injuries received while he was engaged in shunting operations in the railway goods yard on the night of November 17, was concluded yesterday, Mr H. W. Bundle. S.M., sitting as coroner. Sergeant O’Carroll represented the police, and Mr C. G. Browett watched proceedings on behalf of the Railways Department. 

Medical evidence was given by Dr A. A. Reid, who expressed the opinion that death was due to shock, the result of severe injuries received, apparently, when the deceased was run over by a truck or an engine. Death, witness considered, would be instantaneous.

George Korner, who was foreman in charge of the yard on tile night of the accident, said that the deceased, who was a capable and reliable workman, was, when the accident happened, apparently engaged in working and braking incoming wagons. There was a possibility that he might have tripped and been crushed between the buffers of two wagons.

Douglas James Jolly, a porter, who was working in the same gang as the deceased, said that shortly before 9 p.m. the latter went to the weighbridge to find out how two incoming trains were running. To get to the weighbridge, he had either to go round or climb between two stationary trucks, and it was probable that while attending to a trailing brake on one of these he was struck by a moving truck which had just been released from an engine. There was no doubt that he had been run over by one, or perhaps two, trucks. Only a few minutes elapsed between the time when the deceased left to go to the weighbridge and when witness found the body lying on the track under a wagon. 

Bert Carr Tempero and George Edward Harris, shunters, who were also working with the deceased, gave evidence of having assisted to remove the body from the track, but neither could say what had happened. 

The coroner returned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally killed while on duty in the railway goods yard by being run over by a goods wagon or wagons. The evidence showed, the coroner added, that the deceased was a capable, conscientious employee who took a keen interest in his work.  -Otago Daily Times, 12/12/1942.

Balclutha Cemetery.