major g.thornton was in command of the leave train that left havre at 6.30am on 13th feb 1917,the train was at the level crossing at epinay when it was hit by trucks from supply train W25,a coupling broke and 36 trucks crashed into the leave train behind it,two first class carriages and one third class were completly destroyed,one officer[2/Lt e.f greenfield]and 26 men were killed,54 men were badly injured,most of the injured were put aboard a hospital train that had been standing nearby,personel from the 7th+15th hospital trains that arrived shortly after,helped in the rescue of men trapped in the wreckage,three men pinned under the debris were released after 5hrs,major e.s smith the railway transport officer at nearby serqueux took command of the scene,billeting arrangements for most of the 23 officers and 1151 men on board,were found in the nearby villages.
the bodies of the dead were taken by road at 1800hrs,to the 8th general hospital at rouen.
mack
