SYDNEY’S SENIOR SIGNALMAN.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10885, 25 February 1914, Page 3

SYDNEY’S SENIOR SIGNALMAN.

Alf. Gibsou. senior signalman at Sydney, talking of big ecus, said that tiie biggest he ever saw was when the Mongolia went out one Saturday, alone, and was swamped by throe huge green waves, one after another, just as she was passing she Heads. That vrai the most sensational thing fie ever witnessed, and he considers it established the Mongolia’s reputation ao a thoroughly seaworthy vessel So:-.’ ail time.

•But while there are majestic views of furious sea at South Head, there are also tragedies, and the signalmaster sees more of them than does anybody else. Every person who walks to the edge of the cliffs is under the gaze of the man on watch, and Aif. has experienced terrible sensations, as he has, powerless, watched men fling themselves into the sea. Once he saw a young fel low take a running jump over the highest point, close to the station, where there is a drop of 270 ft. ami he explained t'uit he felt as though his head was lifting off as the man leaped to his death. On another occasion lie saw a man go to the edge of the cliff, throw his bat and bis coat over, and stand as though about to plunge after them. Alf went down to him. “Stand baokl’’ shrieked the niiu. “if you approach me I’ll jump. ’’ It was aa awkward position, but be took the man at his word, and coaxed him away. That man, so ;i far as Alf knows, is still alive. 'Altogether, he has been the unwill’ug witness of dozens of suioidse, and he says that it is the kind of experience which would unnerve the_strungest man. Be has had so many experiences that he could talk for a week and etill leave a lot unsaid. One which he has tot told before befel him a few weeks ego. The barqnentine Alexa was entering the beads, and was carried in a squall so close to the rocks that he feared she would be dashed to pieces. Alf fired two rockets—distress signals for the lifeboats—and he bad the third ready. Something went wrong and the rooket burst in the socket. The socket, which was made of brass, was splintered as -though it was a paper bag, and the explosion blew the galvanised iron side of the platform a foot out of position. If the explosion had been towards Alf the results would have been serious. “I wouldn’t have needed a holiday,A’ he added.