"Digger’s" Fortitude.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10742, 13 November 1928, Page 9

" Digger’s " Fortitude.

BLOWN UP IN EXPLOSION

SURGEON’S DIFFICULT TASK

SYDNEY October 26.

An. interesting story of a man’s fortitude, in the fac© of what appeared certain death was brought to Sydney this week by the steamer St. Albans from the East. The man in the case, a returned soldier, who was engaged on the construction of a new lighthouse on Bailey Island, Barrier Reef, Queensland, is John Jeffcote. He was blown up by a delayed charge of dynamite. It threw him high m the air. broke many bones, tore away part of his-face, including one of his eyes, while a stone half as large of a cricket ball was driven through one of his -shoulder blades, and others pierced various portions of bis body. There was no one on the .island witli- the slightest medical knowledge, and Jeffcote forcibly starved and suffering indescribable pain, lay in. a rough but for three 'lays without any help. The camp did not boast even an _ antiseptic. From this position of isolation 4jut above the sea, his mates signalled frantically to every passing vessel. No fewer than five ships passed by without apparently noticing then* signals. They had given up hope. of assistance, but Jeffcote kept on snnlincr and urged them to keep the signals flying. His grit was awarded when tlie St. Albans under Captain S. L. Diamond, read the message and sent a boat ashore. The island is surrounded by rocKy cliffs 45ft high at tb.e .best spot ror landing and Dr. Jattner, a young Melbourne University graduate, on bis first trip to sea, bad to be hauled from the boat to the rocky plateau before he could reach Jeffcote. By the time trie medical man arrived Jeffcote was in a very low condition /His wounds were becoming septic, and Dr. Juttner worked on him for 21 hours straight off before he got him into decent shape, lhen with the assistance of a retired nurse who .was a passenger, he performed a series of, operations whichi led undoubtedlv 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, Jeftecte was fctitf smiling, and has an excellent chance of reeoveiirig.