Moree’s very own hero, Jimmy Bateman, has once again been recognised for his bravery in helping save a truck driver who ran off the road in his explosive-laden truck at Charleville, Queensland in 2014.
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Mr Bateman was awarded the Royal Humane Society of Australasia gold medal for bravery at an award ceremony at Brisbane City Hall on Friday, July 21.
The Royal Humane Society of Australasia is an Australian charity dedicated to the recognition of those who risk their own lives in saving or attempting to save the lives of others.
Of the 40 award-recipients at the society’s annual bravery awards presentation, Mr Bateman was the only one to receive the gold medal.
A number of other people involved in rescuing the truck driver on that fateful night in 2014, including firefighters, police and ambulance officers, were also recognised with silver and bronze medals.
Mr Bateman said he got a letter in the mail a month earlier asking him to attend the award ceremony, but had no idea what he was receiving.
“I was pretty rapt on the day,” he said.
“It was pretty good getting the gold one.
“It’s quite a big deal because what happened that night was unexplainable. It was just full-on.”
Mr Bateman’s life changed forever on the night of September 5, 2014 when he came across a B-double truck, carrying over 52 tonnes of highly explosive chemical, which had crashed off the Angellala Creek Bridge on the Mitchell Highway and burst into flames.
Mr Bateman was the second truck driver to arrive on the scene.
He and the other truck driver, Timothy Bunyen, chose to stay and administer first aid to the injured truck driver, who had managed to get out of the truck's cabin and crawl up onto the bridge.
Not long after four Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) firefighters arrived, the burning truck exploded.
A second explosion and shockwave quickly followed, causing extensive damage to the surrounding area.
Mr Bateman, Mr Bunyen, the injured truck driver and the four firefighters sustained significant injuries, being only 30 metres from the exploding vehicle.
Amazingly, all survived the explosion – the biggest ever explosion in peacetime Australia, which was felt up to 80km away.
Mr Bateman, who was thrown 70 feet, was most seriously injured.
As a result, he lost the tip of his ring finger, his middle finger was amputated and his index finger on his left hand was shattered.
He fractured a bone in his neck, damaged tendons in his knees and ankles, suffered burns and grazes, and both eardrums were blown.
He now only has 40 per cent of his hearing, and is no longer able to drive trucks.
It has been a long, and expensive, road to recovery for Mr Bateman, however he said getting recognised for what he went through that night helps to soften the blow.
This isn’t the first bravery award Mr Bateman has received.
Earlier this year he received a silver bravery medal in Charleville and last year he was awarded Australia’s second highest medal for peacetime bravery – a Star of Courage.
He has also been honoured by the Queensland Police Commissioner, the Queensland Fire Commissioner and the Charleville Shire.
Jimmy’s daughter Angela said the whole family are very proud of him.
“t's been very hard watching dad’s long recovery; we are very lucky and grateful to still have him with us today,” she said.
“He will never be 100 per cent again but seeing him getting recognised for his bravery means so much to the family. We are very proud of him.”
