Two only sons gone in an instant, David Barron (Dorothy`s brother) and Jim MacDonald (Jim`s cousin). It is hard to imagine the grief, anguish and disbelief that followed. Adding to the tragedy Dorothy`s sister Mavis was also injured and spent time recuperating in a wheelchair.
Two years earlier Jim MacDonald was groomsman at Jim and Dorothy`s Wedding.
David Barron and Dorothy Andreassend (nee Barron)
Timaru Herald 22 November 1954
Four Persons Killed and six injured at Levels
Collision earlier yesterday between two cars
Four persons were killed and six injured in a head-on collision between two motor-cars at 12.20am yesterday one and half miles north-west from the levels railway siding, about seven miles from Timaru. The accident occurred on a straight highway, near a new culvert where the railway had not been sealed, and all four victims were killed instantly.
Those killed were:-
Mr James Andrew MacDonald aged 26, builder, of 174A Otipua Road Timaru.
Mr David Gordon Barron, aged 20, post and telegraph linesman, of Eversley Street, Timaru
Miss Maureen Iris Gainsford. aged 21, domestic of Taiko
Miss Pat Stidolph, aged 23 Domestic, of Timaru
The injured persons are:-
Miss Mavis Barron., aged 18, of Eversley Street sister of Mr David Gordon Barron, dislocated hip and fracture of shoulder(condition satisfactory).
Mr Cyril Russell Farrell, aged 22, of 5 Hassall Street, Timaru; fractured leg, dislocated hip and fracture of shoulder, and fractured arm (condition satisfactory)
Mr David William Ellis, aged 23, 134 Wai-iti Road, Timaru, concussion and abrasions
Mr Ronald Mitchell McGregor aged 23, 72 High Street (condition satisfactory)
Miss Dorothy Dix, St Andrews; concussion and lacerations to face (condition fair)
Miss Mary Ellen Watkins, of Timaru; concussion and lacerations to face (condition satisfactory)
Mr MacDonald, whose twenty-sixth birthday was yesterday, was driving a late model sedan car and was travelling towards Timaru with Mr Ellis, Mr McGregor and Misses Watkins, Dix and Stidolph as his passengers. The other car involved in the accident, owned by Mr Farrel and driven by Mr Barron. With Misses Gainsford and Barron as passengers, was traveling in a north-westerly direction. Where the accident occurred the road is almost dead straight, and visibility for that hour of the night was good. There is a slight rise over the culvert over which Mr MacDonald`s vehicle had just crossed.
Neither car was turned over in the accident, but both were extensively damaged. The cogs from the gear-box of Mr MacDonald's car were found lying on the road, the whole body of the car was twisted sideways, the engine bonnet and radiator grill were badly buckled back towards the front windscreen, the dashboard was smashed to splinters, and the front seat was forced back to the rear seat. The other car received similar damage to the radiator, engine and bonnet.
After the accident the car driven by Mr Barron was still facing the way it had been travelling, but the other car was slewed sideways across the Road.
Both drivers and one passenger travelling in the front seat were killed. As far as is known Mr Farrell and Mr Barron and Misses Barron and Gainsford had been attending a dance in Timaru and Miss Gainsford was being taken home to Taiko.,
The Police said yesterday that Mr MacDonald apparently had been taking his passengers for an evening run. Miss Stidolph and Watkins, as far as could be ascertained, had arrived in New Zealand last year from Australia, Miss Stidolph`s address being given as St Vincents Convent Brisbane. They started work in Timaru only last Wednesday.
There were no eye-witness accounts of the accident. Constable T.W. Parkhill. Of Pleasant Point, and Dr H.D. Prisk of Timaru, were called to the scene. Dr Prisk was summoned from Timaru public hospital after a call had been received for the ambulance. This was the third fatal accident on this stretch of Road in the last two years. About 18 months ago a youth was killed when a car turned over about 200yards from this same spot, and in June of last year a motor-cyclist and pillion rider were killed two miles from the scene of yesterday's accident. (new paragraph) An inquest for purposes of identification was opened yesterday before the Coroner, Mr M. M. Enting.
Thanks to Grant Shimmin,Deputy Editor, Timaru Herald for the missing text
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