Police Deaths in NSW - 1788 to 1996 (6)

In Remembrance of those Police Officers who gave their life

In Remembrance of those Police Officers who gave their life

ADIE, William Cochrane
Probationary Constable
11 October, 1908.
Constable Adie was a Mounted Constable attached to the Stuart Town Police Station. On 10 October, 1908 he left town intending to make a patrol of the town and surrounds. By the following day he had not returned as expected, and Senior Constable McConville set out to find him. After being informed that an unattended troop horse had been seen in the bush, Senior Constable McConville investigated and found the unfortunate Constable Adie seriously injured. It appeared that the young Constable had been thrown from his horse the previous day, and had lain seriously injured throughout the night. He died whilst being taken back to town for medical attention.

The Constable was born in 1883 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 17 December, 1907. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Stuart Town.

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SMITH, Thomas
Senior Constable
19 April, 1910.
The Senior Constable was attached to the Euston Police Station, and was a Mounted Trooper. On the 18 April, 1910 he made a patrol to the Police paddock, and whilst returning his troop horse began to buck. The horse then bolted, and Senior Constable Smith was thrown violently against a tree, sustaining severe internal injuries. Knowing he would not be found before it became dark, he began to walk towards town. When he had traveled a short distance he was found by some men who helped him into Euston in a barrow. A doctor arrived from Balranald that night and, after examining the injured, made arrangements to have him taken to hospital. Unfortunately the vehicle conveying the injured Constable to hospital broke down and he passed away.

The Senior Constable was born in 1871 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 11 February, 1897. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Euston.

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MacDONNELL, James
Sergeant 2nd Class
26 December, 1911.
The Sergeant was the Officer in Charge of the Warren Police Station. About 7.30pm on 26 December, 1911, the Sergeant attended a street disturbance in the township involving an intoxicated man by the name of Neale. The Sergeant arrested the man, and whilst walking toward the Police Station the man produced a revolver and shot Sergeant MacDonnell through the heart. The offender was very quickly overcome by Constable Mitchell, assisted by a number of local men. Unfortunately the Sergeants wounds proved to be fatal.

The Sergeant was born in 1854 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 6 March, 1878. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Warren.

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HICKEY, Edwin Stuart
Sergeant 2nd Class
2 May, 1913.
The Sergeant was shot to death at St Ives whilst trying to arrest the offender Brown on warrants. On the day of his death, the Sergeant and Constable Barclay attended the offender's home and whilst inside the dwelling, told Brown he was under arrest. He began to resist violently before drawing a revolver and shooting Sergeant Hickey three times. The offender made good his escape, however was arrested a short time latter by Constable Barclay. The Sergeant's wounds unfortunately proved to be server and he died a short time later at the Royal North Shore Hospital. The offender's son was also shot in the arm during the incident.

The Sergeant was born in 1861 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 29 October, 1881. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Pymble.

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BOWEN, William
Sergeant 1st Class
2 March, 1916.
The Sergeant suffered serious internal injuries when he was assaulted after detaining a mentally ill man in January, 1916, The Sergeant had been called to the Dungog Hospital in relation to a violent and disturbed man. He arrested the man and took him to the local Police Station. Shortly after their arrival at the Station the man again went berserk, kicking the Sergeant and attacking him with a chair. The Sergeant was taken to the hospital for treatment, and was eventually admitted to St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, where he passed away.

The Sergeant was born in 1859 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 14 January, 1887. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Dungog.

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DUNCAN, George Joseph
Constable
26 September, 1916.
The Constable was shot at the Tottenham Police Station by offenders Kennedy and Franz. The offenders were members of the "Industrial Workers of the World" organisation during World War 1, and were incensed at the Constable's arrest of one of their number the previous day. Whilst the Constable was sitting in the Station typing, the offenders crept up to a small window behind him, aimed their rifles and shot him at close range. He died a few minutes later. Both offenders were arrested and hanged at Bathurst Gaol.

The Constable was born in 1891 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 4 April, 1913. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Tottenham.

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DOBBIE, Ramsay
Sergeant 2st Class
11 December, 1917.
The Sergeant suffered serious internal injuries whilst trying to apprehend the offender McClennan at Ulmarra. The Sergeant had been called to a complaint of Unseemly Words involving an intoxicated male. As the Sergeant approached the offender, whom he found sitting in a sulky, the offender whipped the horses into a gallop. The Sergeant caught hold of the sulky, and climbed aboard, however the offender quickly jumped clear. As the conveyance rounded a corner, it collided with a pole, throwing the Sergeant to the ground, causing severe internal injuries. He died a short time later.

The Sergeant was born in 1870 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 4 February, 1895. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Ulmarra.

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ROBERTSON, William
Detective Sergeant 2nd Class
19 October, 1918.
The Detective Sergeant was attached to the Sydney Metropolitan Detectives Office, and was in the Braidwood area on a special assignment. On the day prior to his death, the Sergeant left Braidwood with Sergeant Face and an Army Intelligence Officer, with the intention of executing a search warrant in the Upper Deva River area. When the party had travelled about thirty kilometres, Sergeant Robertson's horse took fright and began to buck. The Sergeant was thrown very heavily to the ground where he sustained sever internal spinal injuries. Due to a heavy storm, the party were unable to seek help, and the injured Sergeant's two companions sheltered him overnight before conveying him to Braidwood the following morning. He died a short time later.

The Detective Sergeant was born in 1865 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 16 October, 1890. At the time of his death, he was attached to the Sydney Metropolitan Detectives Office.

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HUSH, Joseph John
Constable 1st Class
6 November, 1919.
On the day of his death Constable Hush was with Constable Willmott at Roseville where they were making inquiries into a robbery. On completion of these enquiries the pair accepted a lift back to their station with a lorry driver. They had almost reached the Chatswood Police Station when a tyre on the vehicle blew out, causing it to overturn. Both Constables were trapped beneath the vehicle and seriously injured. Both were conveyed to the Royal North Shore Hospital where Constable Hush unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. Constable Willmott later recovered.

Constable Hush was born in 1880 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 9 January, 1908. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Chatswood.

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MITCHELL, Frederick William
Constable 1st Class
17 December, 1920.
On the Evening of the 17 December, 1920, Constable Mitchell, Constable Finch and Sergeant Mackie attended a dwelling near Bowral following a report of shots being fired. Upon their arrival they saw the body of a female lying on the floor of a front room. While Constable Finch remained at the front of the house, Constable Mitchell entered via the back door, followed by Sergeant Mackie. As Constable Mitchell crept along the hallway, two shots were fired at him from behind a curtain. In the ensuing gun battle, dozens of shots were exchanged between Police and the offender Le Barte. Police reinforcements were then called for, and the offender was arrested by Constable Eadie of Moss Vale. It was later found that the offender had murdered his wife prior to the arrival of Police.

The Constable was born in 1890 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 31 March, 1911. At the time of his death, he was stationed at Moss Vale.

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