A distress call was made to emergency services, from a cliff face at Eagles Claw Nature Reserve, Yule Street, Eden, at 10pm on April 24.

The caller said an 18-year-old male had fallen approximately 50 metres down the cliff, landing close to the water’s edge. 

Making things even more grave was the incoming tide, giving rescuers a one-hour window to retrieve the youth from the base of the cliff. 

Far South Coast LAC Senior Constable David Bates said two friends went to the injured teenager's aid, however, became stuck on a ledge six metres from the top of the cliff face.

“They were unable to get themselves up," Senior Constable Bates said.

"One of these contacted police. 

"NSW Fire and Rescue, SES and NSW Water Police, and NSW Ambulance were activated,” he said.

Among the many heroes involved in the drama is an Eden war veteran, and a mobile phone.

The NSW Ambulance Helicopter was alerted but was unable to assist because of the weather, so all eyes fell on the SES. 

Eight officers from both the Eden and Bega SES units converged on the scene, with Nev Cowgill the operation’s SES team leader that night. 

“I’m trained and qualified in vertical rescue operations,” Mr Cowgill said, “so I was the one who went over the cliff edge to get the kids.”

Attached to an abseiling line operated by the team above, Mr Cowgill reached the pair of friends first, located a third of the way down. 

“The young fellow was fairly calm, but the girl was traumatised,” Mr Cowgill said.

"I rigged a makeshift harness, which I attached to the girl. I then maneuvered her on to my back, and carried her to the top.” 

After delivering the girl, Mr Cowgill went back down to retrieve the boy.

“I attached him to a harness, but he was able to help himself a bit, half crawling up the cliff face with me,” Mr Cowgill said. 

“When he was safe, I received a stretcher from our SES vehicle, which I attached to my harness. 

"I descended to the base of the cliff, where I found the fallen youngster.”

It was the birthday boy himself who, just moments before had been celebrating his 18th birthday. 

Now he was in the dark and cold, fighting to stay conscious, with multiple serious injuries including a smashed femur, broken pelvis and cheekbone.

“The ambulance guys gave me some inhalant pain killer to help him,” Mr Cowgill said. 

“But I had to keep stopping on the way up to make sure he was ok. He was in a bad way.”

The youth was taken to Bega Hospital where he remains in a serious condition. 

Mr Cowgill said the rescue operation was a "huge team" effort.

“I just worked automatically, and did what had to be done,” he humbly said. 

Their mobile phone was also acknowledged as a vital part of the rescue team. 

“If those young people hadn’t had a phone with them, they could have been stuck on that cliff all night,” Mr Cowgill said.

“And things could have been disastrous.” 

"We could have very easily lost three young lives that night."

It is believed the three teenagers had stopped the car in which they were travelling by the side of the dirt track to go to the toilet.

The youth got out of the car and stepped into the bushes, not realising he was so close to the cliff face, and then stumbled.

After a 3am debrief, most of the emergency team went home to bed, but not Mr Cowgill. 

“Nev was one of the chief organizers for the Anzac eve overnight vigil and dawn service,” SES unit commander, Lisa Williams, said.

“So after the rescue, he went straight back again to the Eden memorial.” 

“I served in the Malay insurgency in the 1950s and 60s,” Mr Cowgill said.

“So I just grabbed a shower, got dressed, and went back for the 5am dawn service. 

"I’m not the kind of person that can sleep in the daytime, anyway.”