AS dusk fell over the village of Bere Ferrers on Monday, parishioners and dignitaries gathered at the war memorial to honour ten New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives in a tragedy at Bere Ferrers station exactly 84 years ago.

On September 24 1917 a contingent of soldiers from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, having just arrived in this country, were on route by train from Plymouth to Salisbury Plain for training.

President of the Bere Alston branch of the Royal British Legion, Stan Sherrell, said the soldiers had been told the first stop would be at Exeter where food and drink would be provided, so when the train made an unscheduled stop at Bere Ferrers station troops began leaving the train. In New Zealand they were used to jumping down onto the track, but this was to cause the death of ten men who were hit by the Waterloo express coming the other way.

Nine soldiers died instantly and the tenth the following day in Tavistock Hospital.

Local residents went into mourning after the event; memorial services were held and a tablet put up in the church with the initials and surnames of those killed.

Each year the soldiers have been remembered alongside local men who were killed in the two world wars, but whereas the full names of local people were read out the Christian names of the visiting soldiers was not known. Feeling this was wrong, Mr Sherrell wrote to the War Graves Commission and obtained their full details a couple of years ago.

When Legion member Phil Archer became chairman of Bere Ferrers Parish Council two years ago he had the idea of placing the names on a scroll on the war memorials in Bere Ferrers and Bere Alston. 'I thought it would be good for people passing by to be able to see them. Children might ask their parents about them and learn what had happened' said Mr Archer who is now vice chairman of the council.

After the dedication by local rector, the Rev Nick Law, the scroll was unveiled by Mrs Frederica 'Queenie' Clemo and Mrs Violet Shanks, who lived in the parish and could remember the tragic event.

Members of the Royal British Legion were called to attention as the names of the soldiers were read by Mr Sherrell. There was a two minute silence followed by the Last Post played on bugle by local community policeman PC Ian Pirie. Standards were lowered and two wreaths were laid on the memorial — one of traditional poppies and the other depicting the New Zealand flag — and PC Pirie played the reveillé.

Those attending adjourned to St Andrew's Church for refreshments, to sign a book of remembrance and to view the exhibition of newspaper cuttings relating to the event.

Mrs Clemo, who is 95, said the local rector had been in her family's house at the time of the incident, having come to see her mother. 'A young man came rushing to the door and said there had been a terrible accident. Everyone was really upset.' She thought it was lovely that the names had been put on the war memorial.

The New Zealand High Commissioner was represented at the dedication by Ensign Rewi Thompson. He said: 'To be here with the names being called was very moving.'