South Yorkshire Times October 3rd 1942
Mr. J. A. Hall’s Broadcast on Barnburgh Disaster
Mere words cannot describe the hardships undertaken by the rescuers. I can only say that the men engaged in the operation were heroes all and worked like men possessed.” With this unqualified tribute Mr. J. A. Hall, J.P., Yorkshire Miners’ President, concluded a description on the radio on Tuesday night of one of the most amazing episodes in the history of British mining – the gallant rescue of men entombed at Barnburgh Colliery after a colossal earth movement on Friday, April 24th of this year;
It was a most successful postscript feature, and Mr. Hall’s narrative must have gripped all listeners, in all circles mining and otherwise. It has been acclaimed as a timely revelation of the hardships and risks involved in a constant war by the miner against mighty natural obstacles.
Mr. Hall first spoke of an occurrence, not previously experienced in British mining – a huge movement of strata resembling a miniature earthquake. The effect of this movement was felt over a radius of something like 15 miles. The movement was felt as far as Greenwich and Liverpool. At a rough calculation some 15 acres of strata was immediately affected, and the weight of the rock movement was estimated at two to three million tons.
Mr. Hall told how in a district known as the old South West they battled against tremendous odds for six or seven hours, ultimately to reach a point where conditions made it impossible to proceed, the floor and roof having met to within a distance of a few inches. Prior to the accident this roadway would be 5ft. 6 ins. high.
New Line of Action
Mr. Hall went on to speak of hurried consultations, resulting in a new line of action being taken. They proceeded to another level only to find conditions similar, after traversing this roadway some 1,500 yards. Orders were given for all available space to be preserved for stock room with a view to the widening of the road towards where it was thought the entombed men might be. They proceeded to cut a hole two feet square, an undertaking which permitted only one man to work at the point of penetration. Others were engaged in a human chain throwing debris back During the whole of this time they experienced intense heat, gas, dust and poor ventilation due to the dislocation of the air system. Roadways 12 feet high and six feet wide had become practically closed. In the first 30 hours the results achieved were very discouraging, obstacle after obstacle having to be overcome. Men were allowed to work on 15 minutes at a stretch. “At this period,” said Mr. Hall “the hope that our colleagues might be found alive diminished, and only by sheer will-power and determination did we overcome the many and formidable obstacles in our path. At several points only a few inches separated the roof from the floor and it was at one of these that we found the first body, the poor fellow having been crushed by the meeting of the floor and roof. The heat had now become almost unbearable and conditions so difficult that we had no alternative but to use compressed air. At this stage the position appeared hopeless, never have men striven harder or worked more desperately to rescue their comrades. The scene was heartbreaking.”
On the Sunday morning they found the first tub. It was empty. Proceeding into the workings they tried tapping and to their intense joy and amazement answering taps were heard. They shouted and there was an answering call. They then received the joyful tidings that at least eight of the entombed men were still alive.
Mr. Hall relays how the rescued men told of hearing tapping from two other gates on the Saturday night. They had actually had a conversation with a boy who had become in search of water. This boy had been able to penetrate where full grown met could not.
Huddled Together
“Every moment was now precious,” said Mr. Hall, “and every man in the rescue party rose to the occasion.” Towards the end of Sunday night, they found five more men huddled together in an unbelievably small area. These were found by rescuers who had penetrated an aperture 18 inches high. Particularly poignant was Mr. Hall’s description of the rescue of the deputy. Winder, so badly hurt than an improvised stretcher of brattice cloth had to be made and used. Undismayed, buoyed up with unquenchable hope they continued their efforts to rescue two others, but they were dead. The roadway cut through by the rescuers measured a total distance of 825 yards.