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In
Remembrance of those Police Officers who gave their life
O'GRADY,
Miles
Constable
9 April, 1866.
On the morning of 9 April, 1866 Thomas Clarke and his gang
of bushrangers appeared at Deep Creek near the Gulph
Goldfields and spent the day robbing passing travellers.
At nearby Nerrigundah, 19 km west of Bodalla, Constable
Patrick Smythe was performing his duties alone. Sergeant
Nelson Hitch was absent at Braidwood Court and Constable
O'Grady was in bed seriously ill with 'colonial fever'
(probably cholera). When Clarke learned of the Police
situation at Nerrigundah he led his gang into the
township. Upon their arrival, they held up Walli's Hotel
and Pollock's Store. Mrs Pollock (wife of the local gold
buyer), however, threw the keys to the safe into the
street and the gang spent considerable time searching for
them in the darkness. News of the events reached
Constables Smythe and O'Grady at the Police Barracks, and
against the wishes of his colleague, Miles O'Grady arose
from his sick bed and dressed in his uniform. The two
Constables then set out to engage the bushrangers although
O'Grady was very ill, and was having difficulty walking.
As they approached Walli's Hotel, the Police spotted
the bushrangers and O'Grady fired, killing bushranger,
William Fletcher. In the ensuing gun battle, O'Grady was
shot in the side and as both Police fell back, the gang
ran to their horses and escaped. O'Grady was carried to
the Police Barricks where he died a few hours later in
great pain.
The
Constable was born in 1841 and joined the New South Wales
Police Force on 15 June, 1863. At the time of his death,
he was stationed at Nerrigundah.
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RAYMOND,
William
Constable
14 April, 1866
At the time of his death, Constable Raymond, Sgt John
Healy, and Constables Andrew Kilpatrick and Edward
Mitchell were escorting eleven prisoners to Darlinghurst
Gaol where they were to help with building works. When the
wagon in which they were travelling reached Bargo Brush,
the prisoners attacked their escort in an escape bid. In
the ensuing brawl, one of the prisoners named Crookwell
managed to seize a Police revolver. He fired at Sergeant
Healy, however the bullet struck Constable Raymond in the
face, killing him. The Constable's given name is sometimes
recorded as Edward.
The Constable was born in 1838 and joined the New South
Wales Police Force on 3 June, 1862. At the time of his
death, he was stationed in the Metropolitan District.
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CARROLL,
John
KENNAGH, Patrick
Special Constable
Special
Constable
McDONNELL,
Eneas
PHEGAN, John
Special
Constable
Special
Constable
9 January, 1867.
John Carroll (a Senior Warder at the Darlinghurst Gaol)
was the leader, and one of four men sworn in as Special
Constables to search for and capture the Clarke Gang of
bushrangers. The patrol consisted of Carroll, Patrick
Kennagh, Eneas McDonnell and John Phegan. All were well
armed with sophisticated Tranter Weapons and were posing
as surveyors in the Braidwood area. On the night of the
8/9 January, 1867 the four men were walking through an
area of very dense bush on Jinden Station, Braidwood.
There is little doubt that the party was ambushed by the
Clarke Gang, who were probably the most violent and
bloodthirsty gang of bushrangers in Australian history.
Witnesses apparently heard shooting during the night, but
did not investigate until the following day. In a clearing
in the bush McDonnell and Phegan were found shot to death,
their bodies riddled with bullets. About 800 metres
further Carroll and Kennagh were found, also shot to
death, probably after surrendering. Carroll was found
lying on his back, with a neatly folded handkerchief on
his chest with a one pound note pinned to it. A large sum
of money he was carrying in his pocket had not been
touched. Like Carroll, Kennagh and McDonnell were prison
warders, and Phegan had been chosen for the search
because, as a former associate of the Clarkes, he knew the
Braidwood area well. These murders represent the highest
number of Police ever killed in a single incident of this
type in Australian history. It is only surpassed by the
spearing of patrols of Native Mounted Police in Queensland
in the 1860's.
Special
Constable McDonnell was born in 1817, Special Constable
Carroll in 1829, Special Constable Phegan in 1837, and
Special Constable Kennagh in 1841.
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EFFE,
William
Constable
24 January, 1867
On 16 January, 1867 Constable Effe was performing gold
escort duty on a coach travelling between Bendemeer and
Tamworth. It is thought that the shaking of the coach
caused a rifle to accidentally discharge, shooting the
Constable. The wounded Constable was left in a shepherd's
hut while the coach continued to Tamworth to obtain
medical assistance. Dr Scott of Tamworth provided
assistance for Constable Effe, however the wound was to
prove fatal, and he died the following day.
The Constable was born in 1834 and joined the New South
Wales Police Force on 11 August, 1857.
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MADDEN, Thomas
Trooper
30 April, 1867.
On the 29 April, 1867 a party of eight police, led by Sgt
Walter Casey, camped at Pulpit Hill (near present day
Katoomba) with sixteen prisoners they were escorting to
Darlinghurst Gaol. At midnight, Constable Madden took his
turn to watch over the lockup in which the prisoners were
housed. When he was relieved at 2am by Constable Hitchcox,
Constable Madden went to check the prisoners. When he
opened the door of the lockup, the prisoners, who had
apparently been waiting for their chance to escape, rushed
the Constable. Sergeant Casey, who realised what was
occurring, began firing at the prisoners. Unfortunately,
of the five shots fired by the Sergeant, three
accidentally struck Constable Madden, inflicting fatal
wounds. Two prisoners were also wounded.
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CAMPBELL,
Hugh
Constable
7 April, 1868.
On 7 April, 1868 Constable Campbell was riding from Mudgee
to Green Swamp in search of an offender who had attacked
Naughton's Public House at Green Swamp the previous
evening. The Constable had spent most of the night
searching for the offender. He was a Foot Policeman, and
was not an accomplished rider, however at the time there
were no Mounted Troopers at the Police Barricks to pursue
the offender. While riding at a fast canter the Constable
fell from his horse. He died of his injuries.
The
Constable was born in 1823 and joined the New South Wales
Police Force in July 1855. At the time of his death, he
was probably stationed at Mudgee.
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McCABE,
John
Senior Constable
1 November, 1868
On 6 October, 1868 Constable McCabe was searching an area
near the Queensland border for bushrangers Frank Pearson
(Captain Starlight), and Charles Rutherford. He was accompanied
by Constable Hugh McManus of the Queensland
Police Force. During their patrol, the Police stopped for
supplies at Shearer's Inn, Enngonia (about 100 kilometres
from Bourke). While they were so engaged, two riders
appeared and entered the inn. Almost immediately, Pearson
yelled "Bail up!" with the obvious intention of
robbing those present. The two Police, who had taken their
weapons into the inn, turned and fired at the two
offenders. Constable McCabe, who had dropped to one knee
and fired, was shot in the chest, however he managed to
fire several times, hitting Pearson in the wrist and right
arm. The two bushrangers than ran from the inn and
escaped. After rallying for almost a month, Constable
McCabe died as a result of both his wounds and the
resultant infection.
The
Senior Constable was born in 1828 and joined the New South
Wales Police Force on 23 February, 1863. At the time of
his death, he was stationed at Biree.
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BYRNE, Thomas
Constable
8 May, 1869
On Saturday 8 May, 1869 Constables Byrne and Beck
launched the Police boat on the flooded Cowpasture River
near Camden. The mail coach from Campbelltown, waiting
on the far side of the river, had been unable to cross.
The two Constables rowed across and collected the mail
and a number of passengers before attempting to return.
Nearing the bank of the river on the return journey, the
boat suddenly overturned, casting the occupants into the
water. Constable Byrne, unable to swim, weakened by
rowing on the flooded river, and heavily clothed with
cape about his neck, sank beneath the surface and
drowned.
The
Constable was born in 1841 and joined the New South
Wales Police Force on 25 February, 1864. At the time of
his death, he was stationed at Camden.
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Page
Design © Ian Hunter.
Content © Danny Webster - Beyond Courage
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