Mexborough and Swinton Times December 23, 1939

Imprisoned by Fall

Fight to Save Miners

Rescued After Eight Hours

Dearne Valley Colliery Mishap

Imprisoned for eight hours behind a fall of roof, two Great Houghton men (father and son) were rescued unhurt under dramatic circumstances at Dearne Valley Colliery last weekend. To get them out a rescue party had to hack a tunnel through the solid coal, being helped in the effort by the two men for whose lives at one time grave fears were entertained.

The rescue men were William Henry Hall (photo), miner, 20, Cross Street, great Houghton, and his trammer, Donald Hall (20), single, at the same address. William Henry Hall is secretary of the Great Houghton branch of the British Legion and his son has registered for military service.

Anxious Vigil

In the family also are the mother and two daughters who, while the rescue operations were in progress, kept anxious vigil for the bread-winners in their little home.

Neighbours had also heard of the circumstances and there was a tense atmosphere in the district. Hearts were lifted up in thankfulness when the manager Mr. John Worthington, drove up the street bringing the two men in his car. Relief was turned to extreme joy when the crowd saw the men smiling and realised that they were quite unhurt

Both treated the matter lightly and were plainly amazed to find that such a fuss was being made over the affair. The near approach of Christmas served only to increase the dramatic tension of the waiting period. Mrs. Hall wept tears of joy and her two daughters were no less affected.

The men were working in a bank end of the Rail’s district of the Shafton seam which at Dearne Valley is about five feet thick, when the gate end collapsed and completely shut them off from the outside world. There must have been hundreds of tons of stone in the fall as the officials decided that the best and quickest way to get to the men was to cut an entirely new tunnel through the coal from another stall. Some time elapsed before it was known that the men were safe and well.

Tapping Heard

There was a sigh of relief when tappings were heard and it was known that at least one of the men was alive. Efforts were redoubled and soon the rescuers were rewarded with responsive shouts from the other side. The sound of voices greatly encouraged the rescuers who worked feverishly in relays, cutting a way through by hand because it was impossible to use mechanical appliances in the restricted space. Altogether a tunnel five feet long was cut, Hall and his son helping by cutting nearly two yards from the other side.

The men were at the coal face for twelve hours, having started their shift at 8 a.m., and during the greater part of that time were imprisoned. The ventilation was good and the men suffered no harm except for the shock of the experience and the fact that they were getting a little hungry. For five hours they were without food or water. As one of their lamps had held out they were not entirely in the dark. How little it affected the men may be gathered from the fact that they went to work as usual the following morning.

Donald Hall must have passed under the gate-end, where the fall occurred, several times in the course of the shift.

Supervising the rescue operations were the under-manager, Mr. G. Skidmore, who never left the spot until the men were released, and Mr. A. Haigh, overman The employees speak in glowing terms of the fine work of their comrades and of the solicitude of the management

At Work Next Day

The two men were at work when a “Times” reporter called at the house, but Mrs. Hall assured him that they thought nothing of it, and were never in any real danger. She said that Donald happened to have taken some Christmas cake for his snap and during the long period of imprisonment remarked jocularly to hi- lather, “We have had the cake, if we have to stop here till Christmas.” At that time the men had no idea how long would elapse before they could be released.

Mr. William Henry Hall has worked at Dearne Valley Colliery since the Great War in which he served in the Tank Corps. He and his son are popular figures at Great Houghton.