Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Saturday 10 November 1928

Imprisoned Miner.
Release Hoped For Early This Morning.
Thurnscoe Man’s Ordeal.

Strenuous and unabating efforts were made rescue parties in the Hicklcton Main Pit yesterday to effect the release of Harry Camm, a single young miner, whose home is at 11, Dane Street. Thurnscoe East.

Shortly before noon Camm, while at work at the coal face, was cut off by a heavy fall of roof and entombed. Rescue parties were immediately organised and put into action. The work was attended with considerable risk, but men, with Mr J. Minnikin, general manager, and Mr. J. H. Greensmith and others attacked difficult task of removing huge pile of debris with great determination.

From reports which came to the surface during afternoon it appeared that he had not been buried by the fall, and was apparently not hurt, at least not seriously, as it was said he was able to communicate voice and rapping with members of the rescue parties.

The latter had tackle heavy toil and hour after hour sped by there was no relaxation of the efforts to save the entombed man.

Rescue Party’s Task

The fall occurred in the West District of the Barnsley Bed, and it was believed that Camm, instead of jumping into the gob, jumped into the stall and was thus imprisoned. The work of reaching him was necessarily slow, because of the great amount of dirt which fell. It was estimated that the rescue party would have to fill 1,000 tubs to make the necessary exit, and the protracted nature of the toil was increased by the inability of more than one rescuer to work at the spot at the same time

Camm had a space some six yards by four.

Inquiries at the colliery late last night, elicited the information that it was believed that Camm was in no danger, unless the unexpected happened and that it was hoped he would be released in the early hours of this morning.

In consequence of the accident the afternoon shift did not work at the colliery yesterday.