A sad fatality occurred yesterday at the Kingsway chemical works of Messr B. Laporte Ltd, reported the Tuesday Telegraph (February 11, 1919).

It appears that Horace Wilson, aged 15½, who lived with his parents at 20 Ash Road, was employed by the firm, and between 10 and 11am he was in a gang of six - in charge of the foreman, Harry Minney, of 49 North Street, Luton - engaged in moving a truck of coke a distance of only six feet.

The men pushed at the back, and Wilson went to the front and placed his shoulder against one of the buffers. None of the others seem to have seen the mishap, as the truck was between, but it is surmised that the boy , at the critical moment when the buffer of the truck was meeting the stop buffer at the siding, must have slipped and fallen between.

He was crushed for a moment, with the result that his neck was probably broken, there being no fracture of the skull. He seemed to have been caught behind the ear. He was not pinioned, and he fell under the truck. Minney looked to see if the truck was right up, and saw the boy lying unconscious.

The men rushed to the boy's assistance and first aid was rendered by Albert Patten, Malvern Road, and others. Dr Rose was sent for, but could only state that the boy was dead.

At an inquest the following Wednesday, a jury returned a verdict of accidental death.