Kalgoorlie Western Argus 28 January 1908, page 20
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
A Singular Experience
Struck by Lightning – William Smith – Woodcutter
There are probably few men who have been struck by lightning and have survived to tell the tale. One of them, if there are any others, is William Smith, from Kalgoorlie, who is depicted here as he appeared after his extraordinary experience.
Before coming to Western Australia, nearly four years ago, Smith was employed at Isis Down Station in Queensland. Early in the afternoon of December 18th, 1902, he was engaged in putting up a fence and had picked up a rusty chain about 5 ft. long to take a hook off it. The weather was sultry, and there was a dry thunderstorm at the time. Suddenly there came a vivid lightning flash, and Smith knows no more till some five hours later when he regained consciousness. and crawled painfully to his home half a mile away.
He was there attended by Dr Uhr, of Longreach, who found that he had been badly burnt over the heart, down the left thigh, and down the right leg to the boot. He was taken to the Isrisford Hospital, where he was treated by Dr Hills until convalescent. Smith has kept the clothes he was wearing at the time of the occurrence, as a memento of his marvellous escape, and he has them now in Kalgoorlie. They are ordinary moleskin pants, flannel shirt, hat, and boots, and the photograph shows them exactly as the lightning left them.
Moya Sharp
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