SURF BATHING TRAGEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12376, 9 February 1911, Page 5

SURF BATHING TRAGEDY.

. Four surf bathers —three men and a boy —were drowned under most distressing circumstances at Coogee,;beach, Sydney, shortly after noon on Saturday, January 28. But for two strong, plucky men —Harold Baker, the swimmer, and Jim Clarken, the footballer —the surf would have claimed 13 victims.. '' Baker and Clarken were* lying on tbe sand having a chat when the unhappy moment came. The night before Baker had planted a danger flag near a particularly perilous spot. In a line with the flag was a channel running out to sea, ploughed by storm waters emptying on to the beacb. The unfortunate 13, mostly all girls, were perilously near the danger point, and Baker noticed them. Calling upon darken, the pair went down to warn the bathers. But scarcely had they started when the whole of the surfing party slipped into the channel. As the girls felt themselves going they shrieked and screamed for help, the men joining with hoarse cries. All was instantly confusion. The majority of those on the beach were v paralysed and dumb with the horror of the thing. There was no time to think of disrobing. Baker just plunged headlong into the surf, clothes and all. Soon he was moving rapidly towards the distressed, surfers with great, powerful overarm strokes. Then he was seen to rise On the top of a Wave and grab something. A cloud of spray obscured the view for a moment. Tho next showed him making back for the shore, supporting the limp form of a. girl, strongly and safely beyond all question. He brought her into .shallow water, and the crowd then got her ashore. Batter saved the first girl m less time than it takes to relate the incident. Then he dashed back to assist the rest, tearing liis clothes off on the way, and leaving them m deep water. The remaining 12 surfers were m the direst pligh£ Their strength was fast leaving them, and the sea was rough. The waves beat them about mercileesJV, and clouds, of spray" confused them. Tn the midst of their confusion, Baker reappeared among them.* There was instantly a chorus of "Save me!" from the girls. Ono girl shouted distractedly, "Mother,' mother !" Some of the men were calling on their God. All wore helpless, hopeless. The one calm mind was Baker's. Three of the girls immediately sprang upon Baker, and gripped him round the neck. The whole four went under, and there wa* a terrible submarine struggle. Baker thought it was all up with the lot df them. But he'had saved his strength, and by a -supreme effort wrenched himself free, and gathered the three girlß m his arms before they had a chance to clutch him again. It was a successful bid for three lives, for at the critical moment Clarken reached Baker with the life-line. But even then the splendid effort nearly miscarried, because the crowd on the beach started to haul the ■line m too' soon. However, Clarken managed to struggle on with it, and Baker gallantly Tield on to the three girls. In this manner they were saved. One brave girl was left behind while the three were taken ashore. "I will come back for you," said Baker. "Just try and be cool, and take things calmly till I get back." The girl had seen the other lives saved, and she felt sure that the rescuer would keep his word. So m spite of spray and breakers she used her last strength to keep herself afloat, 200 yards away from the shore, though she was m the midst of drowned and drowning men. Baker kept his promise to the distressed girl. For the third time he set out to cover the 200 yards. Now and again a wave would swallow him up, and it was thought that he had gone. But on top of the water, as under it, he swam along just the same, and kept his pace.^ Each disappearance was followed by hia reappearance, tearing through the Water, arm over arm, towards the helpless drowning girl. He reached her when the limit of her strength had come. "Save rae!" she gasped,' and then "O Mother!" Baker got her on'hiß back, and swam with her to the shore, amid the plaudits of the crowd. Clarken also did praiseworthy work, and was instrumental m saving a number of lives. With one girl he had a trying experienced He swam out to her assistance, and she got him m a vice-like grip. All the theoretical rules for getting from tho clutch of a drowning person was tried" m vain. The girl could not be shaken off, and seemed bent on dragging darken to the bottom of the sea AYith her. The predicament of the rescuer was acute. 'He hated to do it. But m order to save her he had to administer something m the nature of a knock-out blow. He was then ablo to bring the girl safely into shore. Tho preference given to the girls resulted m the death of three men and a boy. When Baker was bringing m the last girl he passed the bodies of two dead men. A third man he found staggering on a shallow ledge near the dangerous channel, but safe for the time being.. This man he counselled to take things quietly, and promised to come back for him. But the unfortunate follow was without strength, and must have slipped.in. About this man there was an unfortunate misunderstanding. Those on the beach assured Baker that ho had got ashore safely. The rescuer therefore tried to resuscitate the body of a man which had been washed up. The work was futile, because the man was dead. Meanwhile the other man, who might possibly have been saved, was drowned. The boy was particularly unfortunate. Ho was noticed struggling on tho edge of the surf by Baker. %yho swam out, and brought him a bit. inshore. There he left him for a few minutes-to rescue one of the girls. On Baker's return the lad had disappeared. It was afterwards discovered that another man,was drowned. The heroic conduct of Messrs Baker and Clarken had aroused -great admiration m Sydney, and steps were at pnee taken to suitably recognise their splendid services. A monster athletic carnival, organised by Mr Hugh Ward, the actor-manager, was, to havo been held on Friday evening last, and this was expected to realiso at least £1000. Mr Ward headed the fund with a donation of £50.