AN anniversary event to mark the centenary of a tragic accident at Bere Ferrers Railway Station on Sunday was described as ‘superb’ by the organiser.

The death of the New Zealand soldiers on September 24, 1917 is marked every year on Remembrance Sunday and this special commemoration was attended by His Excellency Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparea GNZM QSO KStJ, New Zealand High Commissioner, Brigadier Evan Williams, Head of New Zealand Defence Force, and Brigadier Simon Young CBE DL, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon as well as representatives of the Royal British Legion and descendants of the soldiers.

Eddie Ember, Royal British Legion event organiser NZ 2017, said the day had brought everyone together.

‘It was superb. The Royal British Legion were appreciative of the support that the villagers gave to us,’ he said. ‘We want to thank the VIPs who attended and for the attendance of the relatives and descendants of the ten New Zealand soldiers who were killed.’

The soldiers had been travelling to Salisbury Plain since 6am and had been told that rations would be issued at the scheduled first stop, Exeter, but as the train pulled into Bere Ferrers the driver braked in response to a signal. Soldiers in the rear two carriages, which due to the length of the train had not reached the platform, assumed it was Exeter so jumped out on to the down track. The Waterloo-to-Plymouth express was on time and due to the bend the track takes on entering Bere Ferrers, the driver had no time to slow down or to see the soldiers until it was too late.

Nine men were killed instantly and a tenth died the following day in Tavistock Hospital.

Pictures by James Bird. See this Thursday’s Times for more photos from the centenary event.