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MARCH 10 will mark the 75th anniversary of a tragic World War II accident at Terara in which an 18-year-old girl was killed.
Daphne May Woods was killed when she was struck by United States Army Air Force (USAAF) P40E Kittyhawk aircraft which veered off course during taking off.
The aircraft was one of six from the 49th Pursuit Group which had landed east of Nowra at Terara the day before.
The squadron members made an unscheduled landing while on a navigation exercise or returning from an operational task in Melbourne.
They landed on the Watson brothers property adjacent to the Woods property, today owned by Tim Cochrane, about 300 metres north east of Terrara House.
At the time local farmers feared they might have been invading Japanese troops and allegedly accosted the pilots with shotguns.
The aircraft were returning to their temporary operating base at Bankstown prior to departing north to defend Darwin within the following few days.
One aircraft was damaged during its landing and had to be trucked back to base.
Daphne met up with six-year-old John Hogan, the son of the Terara Public School teacher, and rode her horse Companion down to watch the aircraft take off.
Around noon during the take off of the fifth (and final) airworthy aircraft, piloted by Lieutenant Joseph Henry King, the plane diverged left approximately 45 degrees from its intended take off direction on a northerly heading after its left wheel appeared to sink into a hole or ditch.
At high speed the aircraft crashed through Watsons westernmost boundary fence, taking out 12 panels, before colliding with Daphne, John and the horse.
Daphne and the horse were killed instantly.
John suffered severe head injuries and was taken to the Edman Private Hospital in Nowra for treatment. The youngster had a metal plate inserted in his head.
Recovering from his injuries, he later joined the railways, first working at Bomaderry, then Mandurama and Carcoar before settling in Sydney.
He spent 45 years with the railways, working as a shunter. He died in Sydney in February 1997 aged 60 years.
Local press coverage of the accident described Daphne as possessing a wonderfully cheerful, kind, happy, unselfish nature, which endeared her to all who knew her.
An inquest into the accident was held at the Nowra Court House six days later with Coroner Reuben King finding Daphne died from severe head injuries after being accidentally struck by an aeroplane piloted by Joseph H King of the USA Air Force. He found there was no negligence or carelessness on the part of the pilot or connection with the death as aforesaid.
Daphne Woods was buried in the Church of England portion of the Nowra General Cemetery with her sister Marie, who had died 12 years previously.
The site of the accident is not marked, but to commemorate the 75th anniversary a plaque will be placed on the boundary of Terrara House.
Daphne is also remembered on the Roll of Honour at Terara Public School and on a plaque in the school grounds of the Bolong School, where the Woods family had lived before moving to Terara.
Transcription Summary of Coroners Report on Death of Daphne May Wood 10 March 1942
Conducted at Nowra Courthouse by Coroner Mr Reuben King. Signed on 16 March 1942 Registered as Inquest number 42/382 by NSW Attorney General
Main Finding (Daphne May Wood) Died from severe head injuries accidentally received on the same day through being struck by an aeroplane piloted by one Joseph H King of the USA Air Force. I further find that there was no negligence or carelessness on the part of the said pilot or connection with the death as aforesaid.
Age of deceased 18 years 1 month Where born Nowra NSW. Post Mortem Not conducted
Name of nearest relative Earnest. A. Wood (father) Terara.
Statement by Earnest Alfred Wood. Farmer of Terara.
Deceased Daphne May Wood the subject of this inquest was my daughter and was born at Nowra on the 18/2/1924. She was a single woman and resided with me and my wife at Terara. At about 1130 AM on the morning of the 10th inst deceased left house on horseback. The boy John Hogan was riding behind her on the same horse. I was coming up the paddock with a load of cows when I met deceased. She said she was going down to see the planes I did not see her again alive. (Dated 16 March 1942).
Statement by Norman Rod (or Roy) Bradshaw. Motor Mechanic of Terara.
On the 10th inst at about twelve to twelve thirty PM, I was upstairs at my residence. I was looking through a telescope at some planes that were taking off from Watts paddock. I saw four planes take off perfectly. The fifth plane seemed to either strike a depression or a tire may have blown out. The plane veered in a north westerly direction. I could see some people standing about and a number of them moved away. I saw a boy and a girl and a horse standing near the corner of the paddock. I saw the plane pass over the girl and boy. A cloud of dust arose from the movement of the plane. I proceeded to the scene of the accident. And there I saw that the horse had been cut to pieces. The boy was crying and I saw the deceased lying on the ground and that she was badly injured about the head. Death had taken place. I did not speak to the pilot. I saw the damaged machine near the scene of the accident. I saw a man whom I was told was a military doctor attending to the boy. I was about to leave when the ambulance arrived with the police. The people moved off in the first instance. ( the previous two sentences may have been intended to say the police moved the people off etc) I think it was about as the first plane took off. The position that deceased and the boy were in would be perfectly safe under ordinary conditions of taking off by a plane. (Dated 16 March 1942).
Statement by David Thomas Frederick Sturgess. SGT of Police at Nowra.
At about 1230 PM on the 10th inst a military man called at the police station and said that there had been an accident at Terara and that one person had been killed and one injured. I immediately notified the district ambulance and proceeded to the spot accompanied by the Coroner. On my arrival there I saw the deceased lying on the ground near a fence. The body was covered with a cloth. I saw a boy lying about 20 yards away. He had his head bandaged. I examined deceased and found that death had taken place. There were severe injuries to the back and to the side which would be consistent with a blow from the wing or propeller of a plane. And the injuries would be the cause of death. I spoke to the pilot of the plane. He stated that he had commenced his run and when nearly opposite to where deceased and the boy were standing the wing of the plane nearest to fence dipped suddenly and the plane swerved to the left and hit the fence and went on for a distance of approximately 70 yards. He climbed out of his plane. And it was not until then that he knew that an accident had occurred. He further stated that had he seen deceased and the horse he could have done nothing to alter the course of the machine which would have been travelling at about 100 miles per hour. There was no sign of liquor about the plane. And the pilot was perfectly sober. The body of the deceased was conveyed by the ambulance to the (two words unreadable) hospital of Nowra. Prior to removing the body John Thomas Watson of Terara identified the body as the body of Daphne May Wood. (Dated 16 March 1942).
Statement by John Thomas Watson. Farmer at Terara near Nowra.
At about 1130 AM on Tuesday the 10th inst. I went across to Watts paddock to where several aeroplanes were running prior to taking off on a flight. I was standing near the boundary fence between Watts and Kennedys properties. I saw deceased and the boy named Hogan arrive on horseback. They rode to Watsons Bros boundary and there dismounted and stood near the fence. Four planes took off and as the fifth was making its run the wheel nearest the fence where the deceased was standing hit a ditch and the wing on that side touched the ground. The plane then changed its course to the extent of about 45 degrees. It crashed into the fence and ran along the fence for a distance of 15 panels. I saw the plane strike deceased and knock her (and?) Hogan to the ground. I went to where deceased was lying. I saw that she was dead. I saw that her head was badly injured. No other part of her body appeared to be injured. I saw the boy Hogan lying nearby. My brother picked up the boy Hogan and carried him away from the carcass of the horse. The horse had been cut into three pieces which would be consistent with being struck by a propeller of the plane. Later on I identified the body as that of Daphne May Woods. There was no evidence of drink about the plane or about the scene of the accident. (Dated 16 March 1942.)
Robert Crawford is a senior journalist at the South Coast Register, for Australian Community Media . Everyone's got a story, what's yours? Email robert.crawford@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Robert Crawford is a senior journalist at the South Coast Register, for Australian Community Media . Everyone's got a story, what's yours? Email robert.crawford@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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