“An airman was fatally injured and 28 other people were more or less seriously hurt when a fully-laden tram of the Fiducia type, travelling from Seatoun to the city, left the rails at the intersection of Coutts Street and Onepu Road, Kilbirnie, shortly after 7 o'clock on Saturday evening and overturned.

The dead man was:— , Leading Aircraftman James Edward Kerr, R.N.Z.A.F., whose parents reside at 197 Talbot Street, Geraldine. Leading Aircraftman Kerr, who was 27 years of age, died shortly after admission to Wellington Public Hospital from his injuries, a fractured base of the skull and laceration of the brain. “

[Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 139, 14 June 1943, Page 4]

“Leading Aircraftsman James Edward Kerr, who was killed in the tram accident in Wellington on Saturday was a son of Mr and Mrs J. Kerr of Talbot street, Geraldine, Educated at the Geraldine District High School, he served his time as a motor mechanic, and to gain further experience he joined the Public Works Department at Temuka, He was later engaged in Public Works Department undertakings in Fiji, where he remained for nearly a year. Returning to New Zealand, he resumed work at Temuka and then went to Rarotonga on further Public Works undertakings. After his return to New Zealand he applied for a position advertised by the R.N.Z.A.F., which he held at the time of his death. He was stationed at a North Island Air Force station. The funeral will take place at Geraldine tomorrow.”

[Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 15 June 1943, Page 2]