Miss Lilllian Frances MELVILLE was born in 1905 in Tumut, NSW.

In 1937 Miss Lilllian Frances MELVILLE married Mr Hebert Stanley BAWDEN in Tumut - (Ref- NSW BDM 9787/1937). Herbert Stanley BAWDEN, was born in 1907 in Tumut, NSW -(Ref -NSW BDM 18855/1907). He died in Tumut in 1960 - Ref - NSW BDM 13021/1960).

Story

CORONIAL INQUIRY.

An inquest into the cause of death of the late Mr. Denis O. Melville was held at the Tumut Courthouse by the Tumut Coroner, Mr. R. L. Blakeney, on Wednesday last. The finding was that the late Mr. Melville died from the effects of injuries, viz., a fracture .1 skull, accidentally rereceived on December 20,' 1943, by a tree falling on him..

The following evidence was given: — Roy Ronald Matthews, laborer, residing at Adelong, deposed: I am 14 years of age and was temporarily engaged assisting my father at his eucalyptus plant at Pimbeyan, Yarrangobilly.

I was there on 20th December last and at about 10 a.m. on that morning I was with deceased about two miles from the eucalyptus distillery. Deceased was engaged falling tres and threshing eucalyptus leaf and about 10 a.m. deceased was on a side of the hill and threshing leaf.

The hill was heavily timbered. I was further up the hill and was falling a green tree which was about 4ins through. When the tree was about to fall I called out to deceased to 'Look out, here it comes!' and he replied 'Let it come!'

The tree in falling hit a dry sapling to the left, where deceased was working. The dry sapling broke off at the ground and fell across the heap of leaf where deceased was working.

I looked down at the heap of leaf and noticed that deceased was pinned under the dry tree alongside the heap. I went down to where deceased was lying and I said 'What is wrong?' The deceased made no reply. Deceased was lying face-downwards on the ground and the tree was across his back. He was breathing heavily and I could see he was badly hurt.

I immediately went for assistance and met my father about half a mile away. I told him what happened and we hurried back to where deceased was. My father lifted the tree off deceased and said to him 'How are you?' And deceased replied 'Gee, I am sick!' My father then told me to go to the distillery to get my brother.

He came back with me with the lorry. We could not get up to where deceased was lying with the lorry, so placed him on a slide for about two miles, then put him on the lorry and he was brought in to the Tumut District Hospital.

I have, known deceased as long as I can remember. He is a relation of mine and we were the best of friends and on good terms the day the accident happened.

Thomas Henry Matthews, laborer residing at Adelong, deposed: On 20th December last I was sleding leaf from the bush to the eucalyptus plant owned by my son, Henry Matthews. The plant is situated at Pimbeyan, Yarrangobilly. At about 10 a.m., or a little later that morning, my son Roy met me on the truck and said 'Denny has been hurt; he got hit with a sapling!'

I hurried back with my boy to where deceased was and there saw him lying alongside a heap of cut leaf. A dry sapling was lying across his body. >P>I lifted it off and raised deceased to a sitting position. "I asked him how he felt and he replied "I am very crook!" I asked him what happened, but he did not answer.

Deceased had a cut on the head and blood was running down the side of his face. I then told my boy to go back to the distillery and get my son to bring up the lorry. The track was too rough to come right up, so deceased was placed on a slide for about two miles and taken to the lorry and then conveyed to Tumut District Hospital.

I have known deceased for about 10 to 15 years. He is a relation and we were on the best of terms.

Francis Joseph Longhurst, constable 1st class stationed at Tumut, deposed: At about 4 p.m. on 20th December, 1943, I received a telephone message from the Tumut District Hospital to the effect that a man named Dennis Owen Melville had been admitted as a result of an accident.

After making inquiries I later went to the hospital, where I saw Henry Francis Matthews, of Adelong. After interviewing him I ascertained that deceased had been injured by a falling tree whilst working at Pembeyan, Yarrangobilly. Matthews informed me that deceased was cutting leaf when a tree which had been fallen by his brother Roy struck a dry tree, which broke off and caught deceased before he had time to get out of the way.

At about 8.30 p.m. the same night I saw the deceased at the hospital. He was in a serious condition, but conscious and quite rational. I asked him to tell me what had happened to him in as few words as possible. He said "I got hit with a tree. I could not get away from it.

There was a young chap, Matthews, with me, but I don't think he saw it happen. I got too far down the hill; it was an accident." I did not question deceased further, as he was very weak; and I was informed on 23rdDecember, 1943, that deceased had passed away that morning at 10.55 o'clock.

I went to the hospital morgue, where I made an examination of the body of deceased. There was a large wound in the back of the head; the whole of the back was badly bruised. The marks on the body, in my opinion, could have been caused by a falling tree , and were very consistent with same,.and I am satisfied, after questioning the persons concerned who were in the vicinity at the time, that deceased did receive the injuries as indicated.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and I am satisfied that Mr. Matthews and his two sons did everything in their power to endeavor to save his life.

I have known deceased for about eight years. He was a quiet, respectable young man and as far as I know, had no enemies. Victor Roy Harbison, qualified medical practitioner residing at Tumut, deposed:

On 20th December last, at about 3 p.m., I saw the deceased in a car outside my surgery. He gave a history of having been injured by a falling tree at about 10.30 o'clock that morning. I made a cursory examination and sent him to the hospital, where I found him to have an incised wound in the scalp on the left side of the vertex.

His left ear was bleeding considerably and he was suffering from very marked shock and concussion. I diagnosed his condition as a fractured base of the skull and he was given appropriate treatment. His general condition remained stationary until the evening of the 22nd December, when his general condition deteriorated quickly.

He finally became unconscious and died about 10.30 a.m. on the morning of the 23rd December. His injuries were quite consistent with the history given by him to me, and in my opinion death was due to a fractured skull..

(ef-rhondacampbell53 - rhondacampbell53 originally shared this - 17 Oct 2014 story - Denis Owen Melville - 1943

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