Harold Leonard Thompson

   Research Notes:

"Coroner's Inquest.

DEATH OF MR. H. L THOMPSON.

At the Moree Police Court on Tuesday morning last the District Coroner (Mr. W. A. Cole) held an inquiry into the death of Mr. Harold Leonard Thompson, who died In the Moree District Hospital on December 27. Dr. R. J. Hunter, Government Medical Officer, stated that at about 4.30 pm. on December 24 he was called to an accident on the Boggabilla road about two miles from Moree. He there saw a motor lorry turned upside down and a man lying on the road, a few yards away from the lorry. He knew him as Harold Leonard Thompson. He made an examination and ordered his removal to the Moree District Hospital. Witness stated that the deceased was suffering from a fracture of the right thigh, with extensive injuries to the soft tissues of the right leg, compound fracture of the nose, lacerations to both lips and abrasions to the face. The deceased was a sufferer from severe diabetes for which he was under treatment by him. The man subsequently died in the Hospital on December 27, the cause of death being shock due to the accident and contributed to by his diabetic condition. Witness said that when he saw the deceased on the Boggabilla road on December 24 he also saw an upturned lorry a short distance from where the deceased was lying. The Injuries in question could have been caused by his having been thrown from the lorry when it turned over. He could see that the lorry was badly knocked about. Constable Edward Stanley Brown stated that at about 4.30pm. on December 24 he was told that an accident had occurred on the Boggabilla road and that a man was hurt. He proceeded along the Boggabilla road and there saw a man lying to the middle of the road. The ambulance and Sergeant Canning were attending to the man, who was injured. The injured man had his face covered with a small towel and he could not see his face. Eighteen paces southward of where deceased was lying he saw a motor lorry upside down. He looked at the tracks and from the last track where the wheels were on the ground to where the lorry was lying there were tracks which denoted that the lorry turned over three times from the time it left its wheels until it came to a standstill. Witness said he examined the tracks further back towards Moree and from his observations he would say that Thompson was probably traveling in the region of 35 to 40 miles per hour. He searched the scene of the accident and from observations he would say that there were no sighs of any liquor having been on the lorry. Witness said that deceased, whom he had known for a number of years, left no property, his life was not insured and he did not leave a will. Neither Newick, who was in the lorry at the time of the accident, nor Thompson, smelt of drink. Raymond Vaughan Newick, laborer, residing at Moree, stated that at about 4.30 pm. on December 24 he was in company with Harold Leonard Thompson driving a Chevrolet truck, and was proceeding to Yarraman along the Boggabilla road. 'Thompson was driving, said witness, 'and I was sitting alongside him. Just this side of the two mile peg on the Boggabilla road, near a tree, we turned on to the black soil road. After we got on to the black soil road the truck seemed to skid. The speed the lorry was travelling at was between 30 and 35 miles per hour. The tail of the lorry seemed to skid to the right, forcing the head of the lorry towards the fence. Thompson then tried to bring the lorry on to the black soil road. This developed into a serious skid and the lorry swayed and rocked and then turned over. I was thrown out through the side of the cabin when the lorry was on its side, added witness. This left me dazed for a few seconds, when I got up and had a look I saw the lorry upside down further along the road. I did not know how many times the lorry turned over, but I do know it turned over more than once. I looked around and saw Thompson about twelve yards further along the road towards Boggabilla. I walked up to him and he asked me what happened. I replied The lorry turned over and did not damage much. I did not see Thompson have any drink that day, said witness, and I am satisfied he was not under influence of liquor. I had only one drink since lunch time that day. I am of the opinion that the loose gravel where Thompson turned off the metal road caused the skid. I am also satisfied that had Thompson gone straight through the fence and not tried to right the first skid the lorry woould not have turned over. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical officer's opinion." ²

   Marriage Information:

Harold married Thelma Inez Newick, daughter of John Henry Newick and Mary Kate Hoey, on 25 May 1929 in Queensland, Australia ¹. (Thelma Inez Newick was born in 1904 in Moree, New South Wales, Australia.)