130-MILE DASH
DOCTOR ANSWERS CALL INJURY TO LASCAR DARWIN, Dec. 28. A dramatic dash of 130 miles in a patrol boat was made by Dr. W. B. Kirkland, chief officer of the Northern Territory Medical Service, in response to an urgent appeal by a freighter for assistance for a Lascar member oi the crew.
The call came by radio from the freighter, which was then in the ionely Arafura Sea, north of Darwin. It was stated that the Lascar had fallen and had fractured his ribs and one arm.
Dr. Kirkland left in the patrol vessel Kuru. After a nine hours’ dash at 14 knots the boat met the freighter north of Cape Don. The freighter was rolling heavily and was without lights in the monsoonal tropic sea. At great risk Dr. Kirkland made a perilous boarding from one of the freighter’s lifeboats.
Using the vessel’s saloon as an operating theatre and assisted by the captain and first mate, Dr. Kirkland performed an immediate operation on the injured, seaman. The freighter then proceeded on its course, taking the Lascar with her, although the Kuru had been fully prepared to bring him to Darwin.
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Bibliographic details
Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20141, 10 January 1940, Page 2
Word Count
193130-MILE DASH Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20141, 10 January 1940, Page 2
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