With the exception of the unfortunate passengers, no one saw more of the Thursday, December 28th, 1916, tram crash than Mr H. Hands, of Winson Green, Birmingham, who was staying for a little holiday with his brother-in-law and sister, Mr and Mrs Muir, of 94 Highbury Road, Luton. He rendered yeoman service to the victims.

His story of the incident included admirable tributes to the courage of Motorman Alfred Lloyd, the tram driver (pictured below), and Acting Chief Constable Walter James Hagley, who was one of the passengers on the tram.

"I saw the whole thing from beginning to end," said Mr Hands. "I was walking down the hill (Midland Road) as the tramcar passed me. I had intended if it stopped at Dudley Street getting on and riding down as far as the Royal Hotel, but as it passed me I noticed it was quite out of the driver's control. He was struggling with the steering gear.

"That was just at Dudley Street, and he was working with might and main to stop it, but he couldn't manage it. In my judgement he could not get the brakes to act, and so it went away, gathering speed as it went, until it crashed into the wall at the bottom.

"I saw the police officer pitch head first into the tram and the conductor strike the doorway with great force. Then as I got there the police officer crawled out, hit face streaming with blood and his arm hanging loose, and I thought it was certainly broken.

"The conductor staggered off with his face all over blood, and he was dazed. But as others were arriving I went for the inside of the tram. I first picked up the little boy, who was nearest the door, and handed him to two soldiers. Then I got the little girl out and handed her to someone, They were both badly hurt.

"Then the crowd got round to get the woman out. It was a job, too. She had to be lifted through the window and she was put in a transport waggon with the boy and taken to hospital.

"The driver was got out afterwards and that was a very difficult business. He was pinned under the steering gear and was quite unconscious. The police stretcher than came along and took him away.

"I picked up Mrs Wooding's purse, and I was told that there was £112 in it. There were a lot of notes lying about, but I don't think anyone troubled much about them at the time. They were thinking of the poor folks.

"There was a boy about 12 years old in the car, and he was cut about the leg. He was lifted into the transport waggon and went to hospital. I am quite sure of it, because I helped him out. He was in the way and had to be got out before the others.

"I should like to say that the driver was a very brave man. Nothing could be braver than the way he clung to the steering gear and tried to right things when he must have known it was too late. He could have run up the steps on to the top and he might have been safe, but he just kept on tugging at the gear until the crash came.

"I don't think he could be blamed at all. He stuck to it like a brick, and I have never seen anything braver in my life. I should certainly have heard him is he had shouted for help, but he did not, I am confident.

"Then there was the police officer. He crawled out of the car and, although he was so badly hurt, he started getting things all right, although he had only one hand. He was a very brave man, too, and did very well."

Another eyewitness, Mr John Wombell, of 50 Dudley Street, said: "I had just crossed the road when the car came down the hill. It was going at a tremendous speed, and I had hardly time to think or do anything before the car left the metals and leaped right on to the bank. Of course, I immediately cleared out of the way, and saw the car dash into the railings.

The crash was just like a gun going off. At that moment only myself and an artilleryman were on the spot. I immediately rushed to the back of the car, and saw Inspector Hagley standing there. He thought his arm was broken.

"I managed to get inside the car with the soldier, and we got out the children, first handing them to other persons who had run to the spot. It was a terrible scene, for the inside of the car was in chaos, and there was a lot of blood about from the injured passengers. One little girl lay with her coat over her head, and he face was black as if she had been choking.

"We got the woman out next, and then eased up the front of the car while the driver was picked out. It was naturally a nerve-trying and exciting time. I was covered with blood afterwards, and I saw that Mrs Wooding was terribly cut at the time."

[Driver Alfred Lloyd was 46 years old, a married man with six children whose home was at 7 Victoria Street, Luton.]

[The Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: December 30th, 1916]