EAR BLOWN OFF

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1926, Page 4

EAR BLOWN OFF

YOUTH’S NARROAV ESCAPE

CHltlStcmTllCß. Jnlv 29

His left ear blown off by a shot which just graced the side of his head. I . Beckingsale, aged eighteen years, had a miraculous seen pc from death yesterday morning when a gun went off without warning in the hands of a fellow workman. Employed by Messrs E. Reece, Ltd., ironmongers, Beckingsale was working at the workshop ol the firm in Lichfield Street. Twenty feet away was Air' J. 'Nuttall. who had loaded, the gun with the intention of testing it before returning it to the man who had sent it to the workshop for repairs. • Nuttall was closing tlie gun after having inserted the cartridge ill ' the breach when, without warning, the report rang out. Beckingsale, who happened to be in the line of fire, received the full charge.' Blood streamed from the wound in his ear. and liis follow workmen saw in an instant that lie had been seriously injured.

He was conveyed bv ambulance to tlie Christchurch Hospital, where- he underwent an operation almost immediately.

“ it is a wonder lit- wasn’t killed,” said tlio manager of the firm. “He was frightfully hurt as it was.” It was explained that it was the practice to use live shells in the guns sent in for repairs when giving them the final tost. in the ordinary course of events, Nuttall would have fired the gun at a hrick wall near the workshop ; but owing no doubt to some, mechanical defect, it went off before the trigger was

pressed. Nuttall it is said was not pointing the gun in the direction of Beckingsale; but as he closed the breach the muzzle took a sudden turn and the charge exploded.