Boy Safe After Two Nights In The Open

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 21

Boy Safe After Two Nights In The Open

Wet, cold, and hungry, lan Robertson, the 15-year-old boy scout who had been missing in the Mount Oxford district for about 40 hours and had spent two miserable nights in the open, was found stumbling along a gully near Big Ben, not far from the foot of Mount Oxford,. by a search party at 9.30 a.m. yesterday. The boy, who lives at 69 Elizabeth street, Riccarton, was taken to the Oxford Police Station, where he was given a warm bath and put to bed. He was in fairly

good physical condition.

“When we reached the boy he was very weak, and was soaking wet and blue with the cold,” said a member of the rescue party which found him. The party had flasks of hot tea and soup and some food.

A party consisting of Constable L. J. Petersen, with the police dog Buck, and Messrs I. Bracock, J. Loffhagen and B. Monk, all of Oxford, B. Campbell, of 26 Weston road, B. Gatehouse, of 55 Wharenui road, members of the Deans Rover [Scout Crew, and N. Kingsford, of 18 Flag crescent, Bryndwr, of the Gordon Rover Scout Crew, left Oxford at 7.30 am.

They were members of a party of 13 men which went into the Coopers Creek area and then split up. Two groups headed up a creek towards Big Ben. Four went up one side of the bush-clad valley, and three went up the other side. They were making their way into the hills when Robertson was seen walking down the gully on his way out. Lees Valley Search

A second party of about 23 members of the Search and Rescue Organisation, under the direction of Mr W. E. Hannah, of Christchurch, went into the area from the middle bridge of the Lees Valley at 9 am. They broke up into smaller groups, and made their way in the direction of the searchers working towards them from Coopers Creek. A base radio station was set up at the middle bridge.

Some members of the search parties carried rifles, and arrangements were made that if the boy was found three shots would be fired, and this was to be acknowledged by two shots. It was very cold early in the morning, but when the fog lifted and the sun came through visibility was perfect. Rain which had fallen at intervals throughout the night had stopped. Robertson appeared to be suffering from shock when found, and his feet were blistered and very sore. His first inquiry was whether his companion, Robert McSporran, aged 15, of 131 Avonhead road. Upper Riccarton, had been found. Ordeal Described

Sitting up in bed drinking a cup of tea provided by Mrs G. V. Strong, wife of the Oxford constable, who was in charge of the search, Robertson described his movements since he was separated from his companion. He was a little vague about some of the details.

Robertson and McSporran set out from Coopers Creek ait 11.45 a.m. on Saturday to climb Mount Oxford. They climbed the slope and stopped for lunch at 1 pm. During the afternoon Robertson's

watch stopped, and he had no idea of the time. He estimated they reached the bottom of Mount Oxford about 4 pun.

After travelling some distance the boys separated, and they arranged to meet at a certain spot on the river. Robertson lost his way and was overtaken by darkness. He stumbled along for a time, and at one stage, he said, he had "passed out.” During Saturday night he heard someone whistling as if trying to locate him, but he could not get to him as the person was over a ridge. He decided to make camp for the night, but was unable to erect the pup tent he carried because his hands were frozen with the cold.

Throughout Sunday he tried to make his way out, but late in the afternoon he realised that he had completely lost his sense of direction and was not getting anywhere. About 5 pm. on Sunday, the boy said, he fell down some rocks, and was apparently unconscious for a time. He was very exhausted and slept for many hours on Sunday night. He was awakened at intervals by the cold. “It was one of the longest nights I have ever spent,” he said It rained during the night. When the last star was in the sky. the boy said, he set out once more. He was so weak he had to abandon his pack. During his wanderings he lost all sense of time.

He tried to conserve his food, and had some jelly on Saturday night and chocolate cake on Sunday night. Examined by Doctor

Robertson was examined by Dr. H. T. Knight, who said he was in a fairly satisfactory physical condition, but would have to rest in bed for a while.

A large party of rover scouts came from Christchurch to assist in the search. Members of the Deans Rover Crew left Christchurch about 5. am. and members of the Gordon Crew about 1.30 am.

Constable Strong received a telephone call shortly after 10 am. to say that the boy had been-found. He got in touch with Burnham Military Camp, which notified the radio

station set up at the middle bridge in Lees Valley. The Central Police Station was notified by telephone, and arrangements were made for the boy’s parents to be told. Airwork (New Zealand), Ltd., at the Christchurch airport, offered the use of a helicopter free of charge, and arrangements were made for Mr I. Logan, a forest ranger, to act as a spotter, but the boy was found before the hel<eopter left. Constable Strong thanked all those who had assisted in the search. It was a busy time for him. He did not get to bed until after midnight, and then was up again before 6 a.m. Yesterday afternoon Robertson was brought baek to Christchurch by Constable Petersen.