Medical Aid By Planes; Man Hurt Near Hanmer

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 January 1949, Page 6

Medical Aid By Planes; Man Hurt Near Hanmer

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night (P.A.) —Ten minutes after a report was received at the Christchurch Central Police Station today that a man had been seriously injured in bush country about 40 miles from Hanmer Springs, an aircraft left the Air Force Station at Wigram with an air force doctor.

The injured man is Arthur J. Barclay, deer culler, employed by the Department of Internal Affairs. He received injuries when he came off the horse he was riding. One foot caught in the stirrup and he was dragged some distance and trampled on. The police received the report shortly after noon that the accident had happened about 8 a.m. They got in touch with Wigram, and a Tiger Moth aircraft, piloted by Flight Lieutenant J. P. O'Donnell, and with him Flight Lieutenant R. J. Croke, assistant medical officer at Wigram, left for Ada Station.

The aircraft landed in a paddock and Croke then had to ride about two miles over difficult country to reach the injured man. The horse the doctor rode was the one from which Barclay had fallen earlier in the day. Because of Barclay’s condition lie could not be brought to Christchurch by aircraft. After he had received medical attention he was placed under the care of a trained nurse, the wife of an employee at the station.

Tile aircraft returned to Wigram at 5.50 p.m. and at 7.30 p.m. a Harvard aircraft, piloted by Flying Officer L. Burch, left for Ada Station to drop a package containing penicillin. This aircraft returned to Wigram about 8.45 p.m. Tomorrow, if conditions permit, an Auster aircraft will be flown to Ada Station to bring the injured man to the Christchurch Public Hospital. If it is not possible to bring him out tomorrow the aircraft will be flown there on Sunday.