EPIC STRETCHER BEARING FEAT

Chronicle (Levin), 21 December 1946, Page 5

EPIC STRETCHER BEARING FEAT

-Press Association

ARDUOUS MOUNTAIN JOURNEY

By Telegraph-

CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 20. Slogging through treaeherous roc lcv country in a biting northerly wind timi stingiug rain before it and occasionally brought llurries of snow, eight nien per formeil an epic stretcher bearing feat in the back country beyond llannier, lo bring au injured comrade from Ada station to Queen Mary Hospital at Hanmer. Tlie injured man was Fred. eri-ck llaniptbn, single, emploved on St. -lames station. He had broken a leg sull'ered while breaking in horses on Ada station which lies beyond St. James. Oue of his charges had kicked him. The weather was not promising when the eight stretcher bearers set out from Ada station with their patieut at 8.30 a.m. yesterday. Oue man had gone ahead on horsebaA to arrange for a relief party to come out from Hanmer For there was a loiig grini trek ahead They had no defined road to travel on, only a pack track-access to Ada station. The road goes no further tliaa St. James. There was lialf 'au iuch ot snow 011 top of Eowlers Fass and tlu going was tougli indeed but loug before they reaclied there, tlie men were soaked to the skin. Hamilton w;k

afl'orded some protection by being w-rap]ied in an oiled silk tent. Some times the men were able to earry tlu stretcher four at a-time. Ou other occasions the going was ko rough that it took tlie whole eight to bear the Imrden. ' Fowlers I'ass is 4250 f'eet liig.'i aiul there was half an ineli of snow at the summit wlien the party arrived there with tlte worst of tho hazardous trip behind them. Before they roacheu tho summit of the pass the men made a brief stop at Stanlev River where u ti ro was lit. Apart from that there were 110 stops for meals, the partv carrying their own food and snatehing a bite as tliey travelled. At Fowlers hut on the Hanmer side of the bottom

of Fowlers I'ass, the worn-out party from Ada station found a relief party of IT men from Hanmer, including I)r R. F. Lanib of the staff of Queen Marv hospital, waiting them. The relief party carried Hampton on to St. James whore tho injured man who had been carried 25 miles by stretcher, wie placed in a niotor truck and driven an other 13 miles over a rough and steop. road seldom used by motor transport, to Hanmer Springs where he was admitted to Queen Marv hospital. This lnorning Hampton was brought . by ambulance from ITanmer to Christchurch, being admitted to the public hospital at 12.45 p,m, His condition is satisfactory.