Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Drowning Mars
Family Birthday
Party
Francis John Nash, 28, of 'Greenbank,' Fyshwick, formerly of Boorowa, was drowned in the Molonglo River in front of his four  young children and brother-in-law on Tuesday night of last week.
Nash had gone for a swim with his children preparatory to attending the birthday party of one of them. He was swimming in a  hole about 20 feet deep when he suddeny disappeared. Mr. Kemp, who could not swim, ran to the house for assistance.
It was then about 7.30 p.m. Senior Constable W. Osborne dived into the waterhole, which contained several snags. The police  found Nash about 8.20 p.m.
Ambulance men applied automatic resuscitator equipment, which they kept in operation while the ambulance raced to Canberra  Hospital. At the hospital Nash was placed in an iron lung, but he failed to rally. Nash, a dairy hand, was to have celebrated his  own birthday last Saturday. He was unemployed and was staying with Mr. Kemp in a house on the property of Mr. G. R. Gouge. The deceased is survived by his wife, four children and two sisters, Mrs. Bob Miller (Canberra), Mrs. J. H. Carthew (Junee) and one brother Don, of Boorowa.

MOLONGLO RIVER DROWNING
FOUND ACCIDENTAL
A finding of accidental death by drowning was recorded by the Coroner, Mr. F. C. P. Keane, when he inquired yesterday into the death of Francis John Nash, of "Greenbank," Molonglo, on November 17. The body was found 10 feet from the Molonglo River  bank in 20 feet of water at 8.20 pm Laurence Mervyn Kemp, Nash's brother-in-law, said he had been playing happily with his  children a few minutes before the tragedy.
The children had thrown sand and mud on Nash, and he said he would go in for a short swim to wash it off and to cool down before returning home for a party. Nash told him to take the children ahead. Kemp said he was leaving with Nash's children  when the eldest daughter cried out "Daddy Daddy".
Kemp looked around and saw Nash submerging. Nash was trying to, say something but the water was half over his mouth.  When Nash disappeared, Kemp realised he was in trouble. He ran to his home, then drove to Mr. Gouger's house to call see police for assistance. Sergeant Luton said Senior Constable Osborne dived into the water in an, attempt, to Mciver the body, but  was hampered by darkness, debris on the river bed and the depth of the river. The body was eventually recovered with  grappling irons about an, hour after it disappeared. Artificial resuscitation on the river bank, in the ambulance and in the iron lung at the hospital failed to revive Nash. Sergeant Luton said there were no suspicious circumstances.