[Bailey, John, 2001, The White Divers of Broome, Pan Macmillan, Sydney, pages 220-221]

13 Webber

According to the official accounts of that day's events,[2] Webber took only two minutes to come up to the surface after a dive of 45 minutes in 19 fathoms. If that account is correct, Webber was asking for trouble. Other, handwritten notes[3] (which although unsigned were undoubtedly written by Reid) say that Fred Gruenert then offered to take Webber to a place where he was sure there was shell. Webber agreed, and the Eurus sailed for twenty minutes. Webber took to the water in 19 fathoms and was immediately successful. After an hour he had collected thirteen pairs. In coming to the surface, Webber only took one stop at 4 fathoms, and then only for one minute. After he was pulled aboard he complained of a pain in his left shoulder. Reid then said to him, 'Bill, if you take my advice you won't go down no more.' Webber replied, 'I know my own business best, I ought to be underwater instead of on the deck.' He then entered the water again. Before he went down, Reid asked him what stages he was going to take. Webber said that he would please himself, and when Reid got the signals, he was to obey orders.

Webber was down an hour this time. On the way to the surface, Reid took him to 10 fathoms, but Webber signalled to be taken straight up. Reid moved him to 4 fathoms, but Webber refused to be held. By closing down the air escape valve on his suit, he floated to the surface.

Once on board, Webber, still in his canvas suit, clambered onto the cabin roof and lit a cigarette. He ordered the crew to move the boat into position to drift back along the same course. The crew had begun to work the sails when Webber, in a soft voice, said that he didn't know, he might finish for the day. He called for Reid to get him out of the suit. Then Webber grabbed his left leg and collapsed backwards onto the roof.

Reid and Gruenert undressed the stricken diver, took him into the cabin and placed him on the bunk. No amount of shaking would wake him. The two men discussed what to do. They were two days sailing time from Broome, and Webber was in a deep coma and barely breathing. They decided to make a dash for Broome where they could place Webber under the care of Dr Suzuki at the Japanese hospital.

After two hours Webber awoke, but his speech was thick and his focus of vision seemed to be in the far distance. Reid suggested he go down again in order to relieve the bends, but Webber refused, saying that he would blow himself to the surface. At about ten o'clock he started complaining about the cold in his arms and legs. He began shivering and he had lost movement in his right hand. His face was deathly white and he didn't seem to know where he was. Then he fell into a semiconscious state.

Reid wrote in his notes: 'He never spoke all night, left leg and arm went as cold as ice, remained quiet all night till morning. Asked for drink, gave him three spoons of tea, let him rest two or three hours, started to sink. About 3 pm that day turned livid. Asked: "Bill, think of me and get me out of this".'[4]

Reid also wrote that at 5.29 pm on 7 June 1912 he called Gruenert to the cabin. Gruenert knelt down and held his hand against Webber's mouth. There was no breath. The lugger was several nautical miles west of Latouche.

After another day's sailing the Eurus reached Broome at 12.30 pm on 8 June 1912.

This was the official version of the death of Webber. It was the version which allowed Huggins to write to Hunt that: 'It would appear from the evidence that the man himself was entirely to blame for the accident.'[5]

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[2] Australian Archives, Canberra, file A1 1913/15429

[3] Papers of Mr. H. L. Richardson, Battye Library, Perth, cat. 1935 A/23, MN377.

[4] Richardson.

[5] Australian Archives, Canberra, file A1 1913/15429

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