The Surfs Toll

Evening Star, Issue 19796, 21 February 1928, Page 5

The Surfs Toll

Young Man Drowned at St. Clair

Other Tragedies Narrowly Averted

Brave Rescue Work

To add to its already lengthy toll, the surf at, St. Clair claimed another victim last evening, a lad ot eighteen years being washed-out to tea and drowned. Several others, including a young lady and a rescuer, narrowly escaped with their lives. The name of the boy drowned was

ton, who, after holding Miss Green for a number of minutes, was himself somewhat exhausted. Eventually the young lady, Fulton, and Sparrow got safely ashore.

A search was made along the shore last night, but there was no trace of Dick’s body. This morning an object was noticed' floating in the water a few lin ml red yards out from the shore, and glasses and a telescope were turned on it in case it was the body being washed ashore. Later in the morning members of the Life Saving Club went out, but found that the object was a clump of seaweed. When the senior members of the club returned from the municipal baths about 8 oclock last night a, canoe was taken out beyond the breakers, but the search was unavailing.

Thomas Dick, son of Mr Roheit Dick, Rockhampton Court, Caversham.

The young lady who was rescued in the nick of time was Miss Mamie Green; of llofilyn, and first aid had to be rendered before she was fit to go home. Samuel Cameron, of 104 Maryhill terrace, Mornington, who attempted to bring the girl in, also had to have respiratory measures applied before he was able to leave for home. Another young man named J. S. Fulton, who swam out to the girl and bravely held her up in the dangerous current till a man came out with a belt to the rescue, was also in a bad way when he at last was able to half struggle and ho half assisted ashore.

When Cameron was ultimately dragged into safety after his abortive attempt to rescue the girl be was in a bad way. First aid was applied, and be was atferwards sent home in his own car. Miss Green had also to be treated with artificial respiration, after which she recovered sufficiently to go to her home.

Monday seems an ill-fated night in tho surf at St. Clair._ It was exactly three weeks ago last night that tho boy Hcslip was drowned. Monday evening is the time allotted to the St. Clair Club for its weekly practice at tho Municipal Baths, and consequently last night many of tho senior members of the club were not on the beach at the time of the tragedy. There were very few in the water at the time, and tho few members of the life-saving club who wore in the club’s shed wore either wholly or partly dressed. It ivas about 7 o’clock that the tragedy occurred. It was not a bright evening, the tide was going out, and there was a strong undertow and a current flowing in tho direction ol St. Kilda. Miss Green was the first to ho noticed in trouble, and it was not until after she had been rescued with great difficulty and nearly fatal results to her rescuers that tho plight of the young man Dick was discovered. Mr T. E. Sagar, ivho was watching from the top of the Hydro buildings, could seo that the bather was in dire distress, and gave the alarm. It was then announced that he had disappeared. Attempts were made to locate him, but bo could not bo found. When Miss Green was first observed to be in trouble Cameron, who was bathing, swam to her to attempt a rescue. However, he was soon caught by the current and the undertow, necessitating a fight for his own life. The lifeline had been got out, and a young man named Wyllie, an Alhambra iootballer, donned the lifebelt. Ho swam out, and succeeded in taking Cameron from Fulton, who had noticed the man actually under the water. It was with great difficulty that Cameron was brought back to shore, where he collapsed in the shallow water. Then Fulton, after delivering Cameron to Wyllie, bravely swam further out to tho girl, and, successfully reaching her, ho held her up till Ainslee Sparrow, who had donned tho belt, came out with the lifeline and relieved Fulton of his burden. Sparrow brought the young lady in, and at the same time had to give a little assistance to Ful-

Tho young man Fulton, who undoubtedly saved tho young lady’s life by holding her up till Sparrow arrived with tho lifeline, was not seriously affected, though he was shaken and chilled. He unobtrusively slipped away after the occurrence,, his identity not being known till this morning. The accidents occurred, as they very often do, away from tho usual bathing place. They took place almost in front of the surf club’s shed and to the left of the recognised bathing place. It seems from inquiries made this morning that Cameron and Dick were mates, and it is surmised that they both went out to assist the girl, that Dick got into trouble himself and was carried out, and that Cameron was rescued only with difficulty.

Fulton, who works at the Royal Scots shoo shop in Moray place, and who did not seem any the worse this morning for his gruelling experience, states that the girl had not lost her wits when he arrived, but was floating. The young fellow Dick who was drowned was employed at Hudson’s biscuit factory. Many qualified life-savers, a prominent member of tho St. Clair Lifesaving Club told a reporter, were in their homes not far from the beach at tho time of the tragedy, and, had they been communicated with, would have been down to the,beach in quick time. His suggestion is that a large bell, capable of making a noise that would bo heard for a considerable distance, should be erected on the beach. It would quickly bring many life-savers to tho spot. As they were going later to tho Municipal Baths lust night, most of the prominent members of the club did not go down to the beach, but even if they had been away there were plenty of qualified men in the neighborhood. It has been suggested that _ a discarded fire bell might ho obtained. It would hardly bo fair, our informant added, to ask the club to pay for such a bell to safeguard the lives of the members of tho public. It should be provided by the City Council, the Domnin Board, or some other body which looks after the interests of the general public.