Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Celia Innerarity (left) jokes with author Beverley East (centre). At right is Taitu Heron. - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

It has been 50 years since the Kendal crash in Manchester, and on the anniversary of the crash (September 1), noted author Beverley East launched her book on the tragedy, Reaper of Souls. The launch was held at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus.

Master of Ceremonies Fae Ellington joked that the gestation period may have been long and arduous, but that East had finally delivered a bouncing baby book. "Gal, yu have courage, yu have stamina. Kendal crash was no ordinary story," she said as the audience erupted in applause. It is true that the Kendal crash remains one of the biggest and most deadly crashes in Jamaica's history.

East revealed that the main characters in her book are fictitious two are loosely based on two of her relatives (East lost 14 members of her family in the crash). The stories that are portrayed, however, were taken from those of survivors whom she spent years interviewing. She admitted that she shed many tears while putting the book together. She said she didn't realise how difficult it would be to write it, but she never thought of stopping, especially as some persons told her it couldn't be done.

One revelation that definitely raised quite a few eyebrows was that after taking photos of the track, a figure appears in one of the printouts. To add to the 'duppy' feeling, the microphones kept fluctuating, and when it was time to play excerpts from a radio documentary done on the crash, the tape mysteriously would not play.

Crash site

Author of 'Reaper of Souls', Beverley East (left), signs a copy of the book for Prof. Barry Chevannes at the book's launch, at the UWI Undercroft, on Sunday.

Merrick Needham, who was programme director at RJR at the time of the accident, recalled his visit to the crash site. He remembered approximately two acres of mangled body parts and twisted metal. He grimly pointed out that the exact number of those who perished is still unknown, because the hooligans that boarded the train in Montego Bay were not part of the church group from St. Anne's Church. It was these hooligans who, it is said, caused the braking system to fail.

Excerpts of the book were later read by Prof. Carolyn Cooper and Fae Ellington, and to complete the evening, East signed copies of the book for eager readers, some of whom began reading before they left.

Allison Watson (left) and Marisa Forbes of Bridge Communications flash twin smiles, and why shouldn't they? Their company is doing the public relations for Beverley East's new book, 'Reaper of Souls', and the ladies were out at the launch on Saturday.