Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

OLD DIGGER
KILLED
Fatal Accident on Old
Sydney Road
HIT BY PANEL VAN
Pte Frank Richardson, aged 51, at No. 5 Guard of the 12th Garrison Battalion, stationed at Mungabareena was killed instntly last night when a motor panel van driven by Mr.  William Henry Pickett, caterer, of Wilson street, Albury, struck him on the old Sydney road, now the coursing ground. Information received by the police was to the effect  that  Richardson was proceeding in the direction of the camp about 7.15 p.m. and was walking along the roadway. Mr. Pickett was returning from the Weir and in the van were his two  daughters and his son-in-law, Charles Devenny. Shortly after the headlights of the vehicle picked up the figure of Richardson, the driver swerved to avoid him, but the soldier is  stated to have staggered directly into its path and was struck by the radiator and dragged a short distance. At the request of the driver, the police were communicated with and Constable Bigg arrived several minutes later. The body was conveyed to the Albury district hospital morgue by the ambulance, where Dr. D. H. Mitchell pronounced life extinct.  There was an injury to the head and one of the dead man's feet was badly crushed. Pte. Richardson commenced duty with the Garrison Battalion just under seven weeks ago. His  next-of-kin is Royden Francis Richardson, of Brighton, Victoria. 

A verdict of accidental death was returned at Albury yesterday at the inquest on Francis Henrv Richardson of the 12th Garrison Battalion, at Mungabareena, near Albury, who was  knocked down and killed by a motor van driven by William Henry Pickett near the Albury coursing ground on September 1. Evidence in dicated that Richardson walked across the road into the path of the van.
Deceased, who gave his age on enlistment as 58 years, was aged 73 years.