Person:Charles Ellis (34)

(Medical):Motor Cycle Collides with Car Taking Georgetown Party to Dance

Running Board and Mudguard Torn Off by Force of Impact.

Colliding on his motor cycle with a loaded car near Laura on Saturday night, a young Pirie man was fatally injured. He was Charles Edward Leigh Ellis (21), of Pirie West. He died in hospital shortly after he was admitted. An inquest will be held next Monday. Mr Ellis left Pirie on his motor cycle early on Saturday afternoon to visit Laura. He left a dance hall there shortly before 9 p.m. and was travelling toward Gladstone when the accident occurred. He was travelling alone. The collision occurred a few minutes before 9 o'clock on a straight stretch of road about a mile and half to two miles south of Laura. The car involved was driven by M. Martin Leo McAuley, farmer, of Georgetown, who was accompanied by Miss M. Sanderson and Messrs. J.J.R. Kelly, K.J.Myatt, B.A. Hynes, and J.T. Freeman, all of Georgetown. Travelling from Georgetown, the car party was on its way to Laura to attend the dance. Shoe Found in Paddock The motor cyclist evidently struck the offside front mudguard of the car, tearing a hole in it. The offside running board and rear mudguard were torn off. Extensive damage was done to motor cycle, which stopped 10 to 12 ft. from the other vehicle. Mr Ellis, who was terribly injured, was flung about 30 ft. from the car. One of his shoes was found between 10 and 15 yds. away in a paddock. A doctor was called, and the unconscious victim was removed to Laura Hospital where he died at 9.55 shortly after admission. Occupants of the car escaped injury. A report was prepared by Sgt. W. V. Virgo of Gladstone and Mounted Constable A. McLean of Laura. It was submitted to Mr. R.G.Bristow-Smith (coroner) yesterday, and he decided to hold an inquest next Monday. Smelters Employee Deceased, was the elder son of Mrs. M.V.Ellis. widow, of The Terrace, Pirie West, had lived in Pirie all his life. He was single. He had been employed in the Smelters boiler shop for some time and was a popular young man. He was a member of Pririe Motor Cycle Club. Mrs A. Huckwell, Of Revell Street and Misses Faith and Monica Ellis are sisters. There is also a younger brother, Ken. The mother and Mrs Huckwell and her husband were communicated with late on Saturday night through Constable W.A.Brooks (Officer in charge of Pirie West Police Station) and left by car for Laura returning to Pirie yesterday. The funeral will be conducted in Pirie at 3pm today.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} E-Mail Jan Beamish.
2.   NP South Australia paper Unknown name.