Lightning Strikes – The Death of Bertha Cook.
On Monday 4 February 1929, 25-year-old BerthaCook was doing her washing in her backyard, while her son Lloyd played nearby.Her husband Fred, a returned soldier and fruit grower, was working in the frontyard. The sky was overcast but did not look threatening. As thunderstruck abolt of lightning struck Bertha in the head. Lloyd was struck by the shockwavethat followed, but through his daze, managed to get into the front yard of theproperty and alert his father that something was wrong with Bertha.
Fred came into the backyard to find Bertha’sclothes ablaze. He put the fire out andtried to revive his wife, but she was dead. He then ran for medical help. Lightninghad struck her on the shoulder, her shoulder and legs were ‘charred tocinders,’ and her shoes were ‘torn from her feet like tissue paper.’
Researchedand written by Allen Tiller © 2025
'Latest News.', West Coast Recorder, (7February 1929), p. 2.
'WOMAN KILLED.', The Advertiser, (7February 1929), p. 13.; 'Woman Killed by Lightning.', The NarracoorteHerald, (15 Feb 1929), p. 4.
