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Full Details

Surname
THORNE
Forename
Edward
Day
02
Month
03
Year
1917
Age
27
Occupation
Rescue Team Instructor
Mine/Quarry Name
Duchy
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Duchy Collieries Ltd
Location
Pontycymer
County
Glamorganshire
Details of Event
A quarterly training exercise for the men of the Duchy Colliery Mines Rescue Team, at the colliery a request had been made to the colliery manager, Mr. Eli Pugh, to make available some of the old workings at about 500 feet from the mouth of the drift, these workings had been last used in the early 1880’s. There were 6 men in the Duchy Rescue team. (Captain) James Morgan; John Evans; Bert Churchill; David John Williams; Thomas Williams; and William James Beer. Instructor, Mr Edward Thorne, from the Brynmenyn Mines Rescue Station was in attendance, to supervise the operation. At about 3.30pm they entered the the disused workings and commenced the practice, at 5.pm the alarm was raised, word came that some members of the team were in trouble. It was thought at first that John Evans had got into a pocket of ‘foul air’ and had been overcome. Mr Thorne, the Instructor had gone immediately to Evans’ aid and in doing so had got into difficulties himself, despite several desperate attempts by the others to rescue them both men were now dead. The manager of the Glenavon/Garw Colliery who was driving past, stopped and was informed of the problem, he then proceeded straight on to Brynmenyn Mines Rescue Station to fetch more gas helmets. Once equipped with these, further efforts were made to reach the two men. Two members of the Ffaldau Rescue Team, Robert Roberts and Herbert Jones, were on hand by now and with the help of Mr, Dryborough, had already succeeded in bringing out the body of Edward Thorne into the colliery roadway, whereupon Dr. Pennant pronounced him dead.