Edgar John WILLIAMS
Edgar John WILLIAMS
New South Wales Police Force
Sergeant 2nd Class
Served for over 25 years
Motor Vehicle Accident
Coolah
Died Saturday 28 August, 1926
Funeral ?
About 2pm on 28 August, 1926 Sergeant Williams was a passenger travelling with two other men in a vehicle returning from the Dunedoo Court. Along the Leadville Road the vehicle skidded, left the roadway and somersaulted, ejecting all three men. The sergeant was killed instantly, while the other two men were seriously injured in the accident. The Mercury newspaper dated 30 August, 1926 briefly reported the accident.
MOTOR CAR SOMERSAULTS – POLICE SERGEANT KILLED.
SYDNEY. ( Saturday ) August 28 – A shocking motoring accident occurred on the Leadville Road, three miles from Coolah, about 2 o’clock this afternoon. A car was returning from the Dunedoo Police Court, with Harold Fraser (driver), Fred Haynes and Sergeant Edgar John Williams, when it skidded. The front wheels locked and the car ran off the road. It turned a complete somersault, and the occupants were thrown out. Sergeant Williams was killed almost instantly. Haynes and Fraser were injured.
The sergeant was born in 1873 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 21 May, 1900. At the time of his death he was probably stationed at Louth.
Sergeant Williams was a member of the police force for over 25 years, and was just due for six months long service leave. He was a second class sergeant for nearly eleven years. He had also served at Cobar and Louth. He is survived by Mrs. Williams, three daughters and one son.
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Recorder ( Port Pirie, S.A. ) Monday 30 August 1926 page 1 of 4
FATAL CAPSIZE.
Police Sergeant Killed.
SYDNEY, Sunday. ( 29 Aug. )
Sergeant Edgar Williams, of the Coolah police, was killed instantly in a car capsize yesterday, three miles from Coolah, near Mudgee.
Williams and Frederick Haynes were (returning) turning from the Dunedoo Court in a car driven by Harold Fraser, 25, when for some unknown reason the car turned over, and Williams was pinned underneath and crushed to death. He leaves a widow and four children. Haynes was unhurt, while Fraser was Injured in the back
There is some confusion in relation to the correct date of death.
Newspaper articles have him being killed on Saturday 28 August 1926 but his grave stone states the date of death as 29 August 1927. ???
Further investigations continuing as to the correct date of death – July 2014.
