Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The explosion of a boiler at a saw mill at Joanna, near Narracoorte,
was responsible for the death of two men on Wednesday evening.
Narracoorte, March 11.
To serve through the war and then be killed while making a casual call in a country town, was the experience of one of the victims of a terrible accident which occurred at Mr. J. J. Edwards's saw mills
at Joanna, 18 miles from Narracoorte, on Wednesday afternoon. The big end of a steam engine that drives the plant blew out.
Killed.
Mr. William Thomas Millard, sawyer, of Mount Gambier, aged 74.
Mr. John Mudge, aged about 32, farmer, of Bool Lagoon. 
An unusual feature of the tragedy is that Mr. Millard, who was  driving a horse  and gig, had just called in to enquire about the road, and Mr. Mudge had come for a load of timber. Both men received
the full force of the explosion.
Mr Millard's body was blown a distance of 70 ft. and was found  hanging on a fence, badly mutilated. He had been instantly killed. Mr. Mudge was blown 12 ft. among a heap of timber, and sustained serious injuries. He was taken to the Narracoorte Hospital, and was found to be suffering from a compound fracture of the skull and internal and external in juries. He  ied during the evening. The only  ther person present was Mr. C. E. Hennig, who was looking after the
plant. An inquest will probably be held.
Mr. Mudge, who was a returned soldier, and was severely wounded at the war, was a native of the district, and leaves a widow and two young children, the youngest being a baby a few weeks old.

The Late Mr. John Mudge.

Mr. John Madge, whose death occured under most tragic circumstances on Wednesday last in connection with the explosion of an engine at the Joanna saw-mills, was the third youngest son of the late Mr. John Mudge, of Bool Lagoon, a pioneer settler in the district. He was born at Narracoorte and lived most of his time in the district, being brought up on the land.
He served in the Great War for three and a half years being attached to the 48th Battalion, Infantry, as stretcher bearer and runner. He was severely wounded and was invalided to England from France,
where he saw most of his active service, and eventually returned to Australia. He married two yeare ago Miss Jessie Robertson, a native of Scotland, and leaves her a widow with two young children, the
youngest being a baby a few weeks old.
The funeral of the deceased took place on Friday afternoon, the cortege being a long one. About 25 returned soldiers marched
in front of the hearse. At the graveside there was a very large gathering of relatives and friends.