WARDEN SAVES BRIDE, KILLED BY LIONESS
Eddy Norris
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SALISBURY, Rhodesia (UPI) A game warden in Wankie National Park, fighting with bare hands to protect his bride of 12 days, was fatally mauled Tuesday by a lioness who leaped into their cabin through an open window. The warden, Len Harvey. 50. died from his injuries shortly after the attack. His diversion of the lioness, who first attacked Mrs Harvey, enabled her to flee the cabin without suffering serious injury. She summoned two rangers living nearby, and they also were mauled by the lioness before One of them shot and killed the animal. One of the rangers, Colin Mathews, related the bloody incident from a hospital where he and the other ranger, Willem De Beer, and Mrs Harvey were being treated for their wounds. "Goodness knows what made it (the lioness) do it. but it jumped through the window of the Harvey's hut and started attacking Mrs Harvey," Mathews said Wednesday. "Harvey awoke to her screams and shielded her with his own body. Mrs Harvey ran screaming over to our hut shouting, 'Lion in the house! Lion in the house!" Harvey and the game rangers resided in the Shapipan base camp in the park, 300 miles west of Salisbury. He and Mrs Harvey were married March 23. Mathews said he and De Beer, who is Mathews' stepfather, started generators to illuminate the camp, took two rifles from a storage hut and ran to Harvey's cabin. "Willem stuck his head inside the window, and the lioness swiped him across the face with her claws," Mathews said. "He fired a shot into the room, Although blood was pouring down his face and he couldn't see properly. The lioness then jumped out of the room on to Willem and mauled him. "I couldn't get a shot away without hitting Willem, too, so I tried to get around for a side shot. But I tripped and dropped my rifle." He said when he attempted to retrieve the weapon, the lioness turned on him. "I was terrified when I saw the animal coming toward me," Mathews said. "I shoved my right hand into its mouth and grabbed the bottom jaw. I kept thinking. 'I wonder why it doesn't bite down and sever my hand.' "I kept pushing the mouth away from me. All this time the lioness was snarling and ripping Its claws into my leg and buttock. Finally Willem was able to struggle to his feet, find my gun and get off three shots. Two hit the lioness, and one slammed into my wrist which was keeping the animal at bay" The lioness fell dead. Mathews said he and De Beer helped each other stagger back to their cabin. In the meantime, Mrs De Beer had driven to the park's main camp to give the alarm. A Rhodesian air force helicopter ferried the injured to the hospital. A Rhodesian government statement said De Beer was in serious condition. Mathews and Mrs Harvey were reported as satisfactory Source. http://news.google.com/newspapers nid=2506&dat=19720406&id=7ZNJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VQwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=700,899043 Charlie and Pamela Aust made this photograph available to ORAFs and as a result I went surfing and found the above article.
I hope it is the same Willie de Beer as the article. I seem to believe her was awarded a medal for his bravery in this article. I also found that many web sites refer to Kevin Thomas' book 'Shadows in an African Twilight'. and state it is excellent. Thanks to Charlie and Pamela for sharing this photograph with ORAFs. To read the complete article visit http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=258777&comments=1 Kind Regards |
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