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- [S2] Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 13 Oct 1928 Page 17 FIVE DROWNED.
FIVE DROWNED
CAR'S PLUNGE.
INTO CLYDE RIVER.
Clergyman's Terrible
Ordeal.
BATEMAN'S BAY, Friday
A motor car, driven by the Rev. J. Benson,
of Bodalla, and in which were travelling his
wife and four little children, plunged into
the Clyde River at Bateman's Bay early this
morning, The car immediately turned over,
trapping the occupants, and though Mr. Ben-
son escaped by wrenching open the side door,
his wife and family were drowned.
The names of those drowned wore:-Mrs.
J. Benson; Mary Benson, aged 9 years; Mar-
garet Benson, aged 7 years; James Benson,
aged 4 years; and Barnabas Benson, aged 15
months.
The Rev. Mr. Benson is an Anglican min-
ister, and has been stationed in the Bodalla
parish for four years.
The family were returning from a camping
expedition. They left Nowra at 6 o'clock on
Thursday night, and, travelling during the
night, they reached the northern side of Clyde
River about 3 o'clock this morning. The
car overran the punt landing stage and plunged
into deep water.
All the children were sleeping in the rear
part of the ear, and the side curtains had
been placed in position to protect them from
the night air. Mrs. Benson was seated beside
her husband.
ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE.
After a desperate effort Mr. Benson suc-
ceeded in forcing open the door on his side
of the car, and he stepped on to the running
board. He grasped his wife's arm, and en-
deavoured to drag her from the car, but his
efforts were frustrated when the inrush of
water from the strongly flowing tide caused
the car to overturn.
Mr. Benson then rose to the surface, and
shortly afterwards dived again. He kept up
his heroic struggle to reach his family
trapped beneath the icy waters, until his
strength was almost exhausted, and then,
realising that his single-handed efforts were
in vain, he struggled to the shore.
Tarrying for a few moments until he had
partly recovered from his terrifying experi-
ence, Mr. Benson made his way to a house
nearby, and awakened the occupants. Return-
ing to the river, Mr. Benson heard the punt
approaching from the southern shore and
soon afterwards the punt-man, Mr. Frederick
Jones, and Mr. Frederick Ladmore, a baker,
of Bateman's Bay reached him.
Efforts were made to locate the car, but it
was some time before they were successful
Although the men dived several times they
could not reach any of the bodies. It was
then decided to await daylight.
Dragging operations later in the day re-
sulted In the recovery of the bodies of three
of the children, but those of Mrs. Benson
and the body of the baby have not yet been
found.
Mr. Benson, when interviewed by the police
later in the day, showed obvious signs of the
terrible ordeal through which he had passed.
He stated that on the journey down the coast
he had seen many red lights at intervals along
the road, placed there by the Main Roads
Board for the guidance of motorists. When
nearing the river he saw the warning beacon,
but, thinking it was merely another sign,
similar to those he had already passed, he
only slowed down. The next moment the car
lurched down a steep incline and plunged
into the water.
The bodies of the three children were re-
moved to the Church of England at Bate-
man's Bay. Diver W. Wray is to continue a
search for the other bodies.
- [S3024] NSW Death Index, NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages, BENSON BERTHA 19236/1928 THOMAS WMARY E MORUYA.
- [S71] Mudgee Guardian, Mon 24 Sep 1917 Page 4 BENSON.—WESTON.
BENSON—WESTON.
The Church of the Resurrection,
Gilgandra, was the scene of a very
pretty ceremony, when the Rev.
James Benson, of Sofala, and for-
merly of the Brotherhood of the
Good Shepherd, and Miss Bertha
Weston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Weston, of Gilgandra,
went to the hymeneal altar. The
chancel screen and church were
nicey decorated for the occasion
with pink and white, while the al-
tar was amass of arum lilies. The
bride, who entered the church on
the arm of her father, was daintily costumed in white voile, and
carried a shower bouquet. The
bridesmaid, Miss Lily Weston
(sister), wore a pretty costume of
white voile and pink. Mr. John
Weston, in the absence of the Rev.
K. L. M'Keown, who was prevent-
ed by the altered train arrange-
ments from arriving in time, was
best man. The ceremony, which
was commenced at 9 o'clock, was
performed by the Rev. John Har-
dy, Principal of the Brotherhood
of the Good Shepherd, the Rev.
Caddick-Adams presiding at the
organ. The wedding was followed
by a nuptial communion. A wed-
ding breakfast was afterwards
held at the residence of the bride's
parents. The happy couple left
at 1.3o p.m., per motor car, for
Dubbo, where they joined the train
for Bathurst, where they stayed
that night, proceeding home to So-
fala next day. The bride, whose
going-away dress was navy crepe-
de-chine with hat to match, was
the recipient of a number of valu-
able presents, including cheques.
- [S3022] NSW Marriage Index, NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages, 8773/1917 BENSON JAMES WESTON BERTHA GILGANDRA.
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GeniAus' Family Site
- 1928
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