FALL OVER CLIFFS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21281, 7 September 1932, Page 6

FALL OVER CLIFFS

BOY FATALLY INJURED 1 '"".*-51 DROP OF A HUNDRED FEET PERILOUS RESCUE AT BONDI Missing his foothold on the cliffs at Bondi, Sydney, a few days ago, a youth crashed over the edge, and hurtled to the rocks, 100 feet below. His body rebounded from the cliff face, and fell into a crevice. For more than three hours he lay on the rocks, swept by the rain and boisterous winds, before he was discovered, and rescued. The rescuers were faced with a perilous task in bearing the youth to safety up the precipitous cliff. So steep was the climb that at every step the youth was in danger of rolling off the stretcher and carrying - his rescuers down to the rocks below. The boy, Bede Francis Smith, aged 16, subsequently died. The yard of Smith's home runs back to the cliffs, and the boy and his companions often clambered down the rocks to the sea. They had found a rough and dangerous path, and to facilitate the climb down, had stretched a length of rope from one crevice to another to serve as a handrail across the most dangerous section. The boy was seen by bis parent? at noon, and it is assumed that he then set out to negotiate the steep climb down the cliffs. „It is believed, from the position in which his body was found, that he missed his footing, lost his grip on the rope, and toppled down the rocks. At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, William Albert Johnson called to see Smith. He could not find him, so walked down the back of the cliffs, where they were accustomed to spend their leisure hours. He was horrified to see his companion lying in a deep crevice between two rocks, 100 feefc below. He immediately raised the alarm. Constables Grebert and Barnes, of the Bondi police, hurried to the scene. Burdened with a stretcher and ropes, they

climbed down to the unfortunate youth, who was unconscious. Numerous volunteers accompanied them. With considerable difficulty they lifted him from the rocks, placed him on the stretcher, and covered him with a rug, as he was bitterly cold from his long exposure. The ascent with the injured lad was fraught with danger. At times the rescuers had to crawl on their hands and knees. The stretcher-bearer in front was bent double for practically all the journey, and the man at the other end had to carry his end of the stretcher high atiove his head. The ropes were requisitioned at times to negotiate the most difficult parts of the rough and arduous climb. The injured boy frequently nearly rolled off the stretcher during the precipitous ascent. Ultimately the rescue party reached the top. They were practically exhausted. It had taken them about three-quarters of an hour to cover the 300 yards to safety. Smith was placed in an ambulance and hurried to a hospital. He was admitted suffering from a fractured right thigh, fractured skull, head injuries and shock. He died a few hours later.