One of the saddest tragedy in years occurred near twn last Saturday evening when Roy Chambers, the four year old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Chambers was tragically killed by falling from his father's truck whilst on his way to his home at Champagne.
The tragedy occurred at about seven o'clock. Mr. Chambers had left town
with his truck being preceded by his wife who was driving a car with young Roy with her. When she arrived at 31-mile she waited for her husband to catch up with her. Then it was that the boy left his mother's car in order to get into his father's truck. He sat beside his father on the driver's seat whilst his mother proceeded as far as 37 mile post where
it had been arranged they would all stay for supper. Roy's two young brothers also sat with their father on the driver's seat.
Child-like Roy wanted to look through the windshield at his mother's car which was ahead of them and for this purpose stood up in the cab of the truck although his father had warned him several times not to do so. The truck at the time the accident occurred was travelling at the rate of 15 or 20 miles an hour. There were no doors on the truck. When Mr. Chambers saw a hole in the road with a puddle of water in it he slowed down and turned to go around it. It was then that the tragic accident occurred. The young boy lost his balance and fell out of the truck. His father reached out to save him from
falling but missed him by one or two inches. Realizing that to stop immediately might cause the truck to pass over the body of his young son Mr. Chambers waited a minute or so
before applying the emergency brake. Just then he heard a thump from the rear wheels of the truck and on jumping out found the boy about fifteen feet away right in the wheel tracks. He picked the boy up and then drove at once to his wife. They left the truck and both turned back toward town and the government road gang at mile 31 and there picked up Mr. and Mrs. Fred Webber who returned to town with them.
On arrival at the local hospital Dr. Stewart stated that death must have been instantaneous as the neck was broken in two places. No bones were broken. There was a
bruise on the forehead which might have been inflicted either by striking the ground or coming into contact with the rear wheel of the truck. The police were immediately informed and after consultation with the Police Magistate Aubrey Simmons it was decided that an inquest was unnecessary.
The funeral service was held in Christ Church (Anglican) at 11 o'clock on Monday morning and attended by a large number of local residents. The services both at the
Church and at the graveside were conducted by the Rev. Alex. Anderson. Mrs. W. S. Watson presided at the organ and her excellent rendition of the appropriate hymns for the occasion was deeply appreciated by all present. The small bier was covered by a fine array of choice flowers.
The sincerest sympathy of the whole community goes out to Mr. and Mrs.
George Chambers and the members and relatives of their family in the great bereavement they have sustained in the loss of their youngest son Roy who would have been four years
old next November had his young life not been terminated in such a tragic and unexpected manner.
