DIGGER'S FORTITUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 259, 1 November 1928, Page 24

DIGGER'S FORTITUDE.

BLOWN UP IN EXPLOSION.

ON ROCKY CENTRAL PLATEAU STJROEOVS DIFFICULT TASK. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 26.

An interest' ;. r story of a man's foititude in tho face of what appeared certain death was brought to Sydney this week by the steamer St. Albans from tho East.

Tho man in the case, a returned soldier, who was engaged on the construction of a new lighthouse on Bailey Inland, Barrier Reef, Queensland, is John Jcffcote. lie was blown up by a delayed charge of dynamite. It threw him high in the air, broke many bones, tore away part of his face, Including one of his eyes, while a stone half as large as a cricket ball was driven through one of his shoulderblades, and others pierced various portions of his body. There was no one on the island with the slightoat medical knowledge, and Jeffcote, forcibly starved and suffering indescribable pain, lay in a rough hut for three days without any help. The camp did not boast even an antiseptic.

From their position of isolation 45ft above the sea his mates signalled frantically to every passing vessel. No fewer than five ships passed by without apparently noticing their signals. They had given up hope of assistance, but Jcffcote himself kept on smiling and urged them to keep the signals flying. Hia grit was rewarded when the St. Albans, under Captain 8. L. Diamond, read the message and sent a boat ashore. The island is surrounded by rocky cliffs 45ft high at the best spot for landing, and Dr. Juttner, a young Melbourne University graduate, on his first trip to sea, had to be hauled from the boat to the rocky plateau before he could reach Jeffcote. By the time the medical man arrived Jeffcote was in a very low condition. His wounds were becoming septic, and Dr. Juttner worked* on him for 2} hours straight off before he got hi minto decent shape. Then, with the assistance of a retired nurse who was a passenger, ho performed a series of operations which led undoubtedly to the saving of Jeffcote's life. Though still in a serious condition when eventually landed at Brisbane, with the possibility of losing the sight of his other eye too, Jeffcote was still smiling, and has an excellent chance of recovering.