KOPUAWHARA CLOUDBURST
MAHIA PENINSULA, HAWKES BAY
FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY 1938
During the night of Friday the 18 February 1938, a cloudburst turned the Kopuawhara Stream into a raging torrent. This normally gentle stream ran right beside the No. 4 Public Works Railway Construction Camp on the Mahia Peninsula, between Wairoa and Gisborne.
The torrent hit the single mens camp first and many lives were lost as the flood waters, bringing giant logs, rocks and bridge timbers, hurled into the camp destroying the tents and flimsy huts.
Many cases of heroism were noted with many camp members vainly trying to save their friends. In all 21 lost their lives, including a waitress from the camp cookhouse.
These names were taken from the Auckland Weekly News articles on the flooding.
AULD | William | 55 | Single | Napier |
BARBARICH | George | 32 | Single | Brother in Marton |
BARCLAY | David | 56 | Single | Auckland |
CLARK | Frederick I C | 31 | Single | Father - Gisborne |
DAVIS | George Henry | 49 | Married | Returned soldier |
DOUGLAS | R | 28 | Single | Gisborne |
DUNN | William | 64 | Married | Christchurch - Camp Sergeant |
FOUNTAIN | Frederick George | 25 | Single | Uncle at Te Puke |
FRY | Frank W | 51 | Married | Gisborne |
HALFORD | Ron E | 22 | Single | Family at Woodville |
HALL | Thomas | 35 | Single | Gisborne |
JOHNSTON | Robert | 40 | Single | Wairoa |
KELIHER | John | 51 | Single | Wellington |
MARTINAC | Ivan | 31 | Single | Uncle at Palmerston North |
McGIRVEN (McGIVEN) | Edward | 28 | Single | Gisborne |
PENDER | John | 40 | Married | Wife at 22a Halsey Dr, Mt Roskill, Auckland |
QUINN | Martha Miss | 22 | Single | Waitress - parents in Gisborne |
SLOAN | Hugh | - | Single | Recently arrived from Ireland |
SMITH | Ted E | 37 | Single | C/o J H Smith, Patutahi, Gisborne |
TRACEY | Tom | 44 | Married | Wife and child at Wairoa |
WAAKA | William | 25 | Single | Mohaka |
The following were some of the survivors that were mentioned in articles at the time;
BLAIR | R |
CAMERON | Harold Jnr (17) |
CAMERON | Harold Mrs |
CAMERON | Harold Snr |
CAMERON | Joan (5) |
CASTLES | Tom |
CRONIN | Jim |
GILBERD | R |
HAMPDEN | "Buff" |
HOGGARD | Mervyn |
McCORQUDALE | Hugh |
McLEAN | George |
NUGENT | Marion Miss |
TRAINOR | H |
WILSON | Florence Miss |
YEO | F |
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