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 376–392.
| Date | Surname | Given names | Designation | Location | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923-10-05 | WHITFIELD | Robert | Fettler | Greenbushes, Timber Corp. | Robert "Bob" Whitfield was 41 years of age when he was fatally injured in the derailment of wagons loaded with sleepers. He died some hours later at the greebushes hospital. Robert was married and had three children. Robert was a veteran of the Great War 1914-18. | Open PDF |
| 1944-09-12 | WHITMORE | Frank | Fireman | Karrakatta | Frank Whitmore was 29 years of age when he died in the cab of an ASG locomotive as the result of being struck by an open coach door on a passing passenger train. Frank was married with three children at the time of his death. Included on original list as George Whitmore (an error originated by a newspaper report on the day of the accident.) now corrected. Information provided by his son Frank Whitmore Junior. March 2016 | Open PDF |
| 1977-07-14 | WILKINSON | D. J. | Track machine operator | Hamersley Iron Railway | D. J. Wilkinson and D, Fredd were struck by a train propelling on the East track while track maintenance machines were working on the West track of dual lines. DMP Ref. FS-MG-457-432 | Open PDF |
| 1901-02-26 | WILLIAMS | Jasper Fisher | Porter | Perth | Jasper Williams was fatally injured by the Fremantle to Perth train as he crossed the main line near the Perth carriage sheds. Jasper was19 years of age and lived at home with his parents in Leederville. He is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/AA/0070) | Open PDF |
| 1917-03-16 | WILLIAMS | William | Goods Porter | Perth | William Williams was 60 years of age when he was fatally injured after tripping on a tarpaulin and fell under moving wagons in the Perth Railway Yard. William lived with his wife at Mount Hawthorn. They had adult children. William was interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (WELSH FREE/AA/0018). | Open PDF |
| 1940-08-23 | WILLIAMSON | Samuel | Ganger | East Perth | Samuel Williamson was 50 years of age when he was fatally injured as the result of being struck by a locomotive while engaged in track work at East Perth. Sam lived at East Perth with his wife Clara and their four children. He is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/YC/0110). | Open PDF |
| 1915-07-10 | WILSON | Arnold Henry "Harry" | Guard | Woolgar | Harry Wilson was 35 years of age when he was fatally injured while engaged in shunting operations at Woolgar (Near Menzies). Harry lived at Kalgoorlie with his wife Mabel and he is interred in the Roman Catholic portion of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1914-10-17 | WILSON | James | Fettler | Bunjil | James Campbell died as the result of falling from a gang trolley carrying eleven men. In an attempt to arrest his fall he grabbed his workmate James Wilson. James Wilson died within hours and James Campbell died in Northam Hospital sometime later. James Wilson was married with four children and James Campbell was single. | Open PDF |
| 1953-03-31 | WILSON | Richard Charles Edward | L&S Maintainer | Perth | Richard Wilson was 33 years of age when he died by being run over by at least two trains under the Barrack Street Bridge at Perth Railway Station. It is not Known how he came to be on the line. Richard lived at cannington with his wife Yvonne and their two young boys. He is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/ZM/0241). | Open PDF |
| 1920-11-06 | WILTON | Thomas (See Paulson) | Fireman | Mornington Mill, Millars T & T | Thomas Wilton was 20 years of age and the fireman of the Locomotive "Jubilee" when he died in what was later to become known as the Wokalup rail disaster. The train guard, John Paulson, and 7 timber workers were also killed. John Paulson and three of the timber workers were veterans of the "Great War 1914-18". The locomotive "Jubilee" and its train of sleepers ran away on a steep down grade and derailed on a curve not far from Wokalup. Thomas' father, Christopher Wilton the Traffic Foreman, who was also on the loco jumped clear and survived. The driver, Clarence Cook and a timber worker Lloyd Morey were injured but also survived the accident. | Open PDF |
| 1961-08-22 | WILTON | Thomas Edward | L & S Maintainer | Parkerville | Thomas Wilton was 34 years of age when he died as the result of a collision between his per way trolley and a train. Thomas lived with his wife Hendrika (Hennie) and three children (one of whom died aged 2 months and is buried with Thomas) in Midland and he is interred at Midland Cemetery (RC/A/0031) | Open PDF |
| 1895-04-04 | WORCHURST | Charles E | Shunter | Perth | Charles Worchurst, a shunter, was 30 years of age when he was fatally injured during shunting operations at the Perth goods sheds on 30 April 1895. Charles died from his injuries four days later on 4 May 1895. Charles was interred in The Church of England Cemetery at Fremantle. | Open PDF |
| 1951-11-06 | WRIGHT | George Vivian "Viv" | Head Shunter | Midland Junction | George Wright was 51 years of age when he died as the result of being run over by a shunters' float and locomotive bogie during shunting operations at Midland. George lived in Maylands with his wife and children and he is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (WESLEYAN/FC/0500). | Open PDF |
| 1892-04-18 | WRIGHT | Henry "Harry" | Driver | North Fremantle | Henry (Harry) Wright died when he fell from his locomotive after being struck by a bridge staunchion or telegraph pole while crossing the Fremantle railway bridge. The injuries he sustained to his head were instantly fatal. Harry lived in York and was a well respected member of that community. He was interred at York Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1970-02-13 | YOUARD | John Mostyn | Guard | Bayswater | John Youard was 56 years of age when he was fatally injured as the result of being struck by a locomotive at Bayswater. John lived at Bentley with his wife Ruby who survived him by 21 years.They are both memorialised at Karrakatta Cemetery (CREMATORIUM ROSE GARDEN/GARDEN 16/0313). | Open PDF |
| 1924-01-08 | YOUNG | John | Porter | Bunbury | John Young was 46 years of age when collapsed while on duty at Bunbury. He never regained consciousness and died at 10 o'clock that night. John had a stroke some six months prior to his collapse and was partially paralysed. John was married and lived in Bunbury, he was interred in the Anglican portion of the Bunbury Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1959-07-08 | ZMARICH | Josef | Ganger | Bolgart | Josef Zmarich (Ganger, Bolgart) was 60 years of age when he died as the result of a collision between a railcar and a per way trolley,carrying 5 men, just South of Bolgart. All on the trolley jumped clear but Josef fell back into the path of the railcar. The railcar had recently departed Bolgart when the guard realized they had failed to pick up the mail bag. The railcar was reversing back to Bolgart when it collided with the trolley. The other men escaped injury. Josef was interred at Northam 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.