" "This happening was purely accidental, but it may have been contributed to by the step," said the Coroner (Mr. W. G. L. Mellish) at the inquest yesterday afternoon upon Allen Cranleigh Foster, 40, soldier, who died in the Wellington Hospital on September. 15th.

The evidence was that on August 31 Foster and another, soldier were carrying a 20-gallon "rosey" of boiling tea from a cookhouse to a messroom at Trentham when Foster slipped on a step. He let go the handle and put his arm in the tea up to the shoulder. As he pulled it out he splashed more tea down his side. He was badly scalded. In evidence the other soldier carrying the "rosey" said he thought the step was dangerous. The Coroner found that death was caused by shock and toxaemia arising from severe and extensive scalds accidentally received."

[Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 81, 2 October 1943, Page 6]