Henri Bource (25 March 1934 – 4 September 1998) was a Dutch-Australian scuba diver, underwater filmmaker, musician and shark attack survivor who lived and worked in Australia.^[1][2][3][4] In his film Savage Shadows, he recreated the scene of a great white shark removing his left leg.^[5]

Early life

Bource was born in Rotterdam and emigrated to Australia as a teenager in 1954.^[6] He learned to use an aqualung with his father^[7] and trained as a graphic artist.^[6]

Shark attack

Bource was attacked by what is believed to have been a 2.4 metre long great white shark off Lady Julia Percy Island in Australia in November 1964. He was 29 years old at the time,^[8] and was living in Hawthorn East. He lost his left leg but survived the attack and went on to retell the story in his 1969 documentary film, Savage Shadows.^{[5][9][10][11]} He continued to dive, wearing a modified diving fin on the stump of his left leg.^[12] During the 1970s he made a short film for BHP and Esso called Reef of Steel^[13] and appeared in Island Treasure in 1981.^[14] He was interviewed at various times about his shark attack, including by Peter Luck in 1979.^[15]

Music career

Bource was a saxophonist and band leader of the Henri Bource Allstars.^[16] He also played with the Thunderbirds (1960–62), The Planets and The Johnny Donohue Quartet.^[17]

References