It is with great sadness that we share with the public that Police Dog Rumble this afternoon tragically succumbed to his illness.
Rumble was as tough as they come, but this battle was too much.
It is a tragedy Rumble was unable to enjoy retirement with his handler Mat Muletta and family, which is how we wanted his story to turn out.
He will be cremated and his ashes interred at the Maylands Police Complex, with a plaque.
Rumble was one of 40 dogs working for WA Police. All of them are loved and cherished by us, but you would have to say that Rumble was certainly special.
He made an exceptional contribution to policing in Western Australia and keeping the community safe. You could say he was loved by the public and loathed by the crooks.
Since 2011 he was involved in 620 arrests and in over 200 of those, Rumble single-handedly tracked and located the offenders.
Since July this year he had a part in 74 arrests and was directly responsible for 18 of those.
Rumble united the WA community throughout his battle and the WA Police was humbled by the overwhelming response to his illness. Today is an extremely sad day, on which we wish ‘Our Boy’ Rumble goodbye.
Sincere condolences to the Muletta Family and Mounted and Canine Operations.
Thank you to all the staff at the Murdoch Veterinary Hospital who worked tirelessly in this difficult time.
Roy Anthony HAMMOND
| 02/11/2015
Roy Anthony HAMMOND
late of Wentworth Falls, NSW
New South Wales Police Force
Academy Class: 120
Regd. # 13862
Rank: Commenced Training at Redfern Police Academy on Monday 4 August 1969 ( aged 23 years, 3 months 0 days )
Probationary Constable – appointed 15 September 1969 ( aged 23 years, 4 months, 11 days )
Senior Constable – appointed 15 September 1978
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 21 July 1985
Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed ? ? ?
Final Rank: Sergeant – retired
Stations: ?, Taree HWP 1970 & 80’s, Sydney ( Inner City Cycles 1970’s ), Katoomba ( 1990’s – retirement )
Service: From 4 August 1969to 24 January 2000 = 30 years, 5 months, 20 days Service
Age upon Retirement: 53 years, 8 months, 20 days
Years in Retirement: 15 years, 9 months, 2 days
Awards: National Medal – granted 10 September 1986 ( Sgt 3/c )
1st Clasp to National Medal – granted 8 November 1995
National Police Service Medal – Diligent & Ethical Service – posthumously awarded August 2016
Born: Saturday 4 May 1946
Died on: Monday 26 October 2015 at Katoomba Hospital
Cause: Cancer
Age: 69 years, 5 months, 22 days
Funeral date: Thursday 29 October 2015 @ 10am
Funeral location: All Saints Anglican Cathedral, 3 Church Street, BATHURST
Loved husband of Shirley, very proud father and father-in-law of Jamie and Kristeen, Adam and Debbie.
Adored poppy of Zachariah, Noah and Solomon.
Loved brother and brother-in-law of Lee and Greg Medway and Diann and Kerry Creighton.
RIDING THOSE HIGHWAYS AGAIN
Relatives and friends of Roy are advised that his funeral will be held at All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral, Church Street, Bathurst on THURSDAY, 29th OCTOBER, 2015 commencing at 10.00am.
Following the service the cortege will leave for the Maranatha Lawn Cemetery, Bathurst.
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Love and miss you dearly, may you rest in peace Roy. Xo
~
Debbie Hammond
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
You will never be forgotten dad, you’re the best farther anyone could wish for. I’m so lucky to call you dad! You will be missed and you’re legacy will live on.
2 years since you left us Roy and still miss and love you and always will. Love Diann
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
October 28, 2017
2 years since you left us Roy and still miss and love you and always will.
Love Diann
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
June 1, 2017
Adam Hammond
November 1, 2016
Roy you will never be forgotten miss you and love you. Your sister Diann
Diann Creighton, Dundas
November 24, 2015
Dear Shirley and family, I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Roy, he was a part of my life in 1969 when we were a part of Class 120, I have very fond memories of Roy during that period of my life. I am so sorry for your loss, he will always be remembered by all of us..
Dennis Blewitt, Lugarno, New South Wales
November 23, 2015
Dear Shirley and Family.
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your husband and family. Roy was one of the first fellows I meet in our Initial Training Course, No 120. I then worked Roy with over many years at Taree. I have some fond memories of Roy. Rest in Peace.
Dave WOOLNOUGH.
Dave WOOLNOUGH, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales
November 23, 2015
Dear Shirley and Family,we send our condolences to you on the sad and premature passing of Roy.
I have fond memories of Roy from our early days in the Force. He was a good man.Rest in Peace Roy.
Garry and Pauline
Garry Donnelly, Mollymook Beach, New South Wales
November 23, 2015
Dear Shirley and family, please accept my condolences at your sad loss. My memories of working with Roy will always bring a smile to my face. He will always be remembered. Peter MacDonald
November 23, 2015
I am so sorry to hear of the premature passing of Roy. Although we never caught up after passing out at Redfern in September, 1969, I vividly remember Roy as larger than life character.
To Roy’s family, please accept my condolences and may time heal his passing.
November 22, 2015
Dear Shirley and Family. Please accept our condolences. In loving memory of a wonderful and beautiful person, Roy Anthony Hammond. Our Prayers are with you all.
Roy. We did make a difference. We will meet again My Dear Friend. Rest in Peace now.
We love you and will miss you always. Neil & Maureen.
NEIL GODDARD, BANGOR, New South Wales
November 3, 2015
You will always be my beautiful big brother. My life will be less now you are not here, but you will be in my heart forever. Your lovely sister Diann.
Diann Creighton, DUNDAS, New South Wales
October 29, 2015
Please accept my condolences and know that Our Heavenly Father promises I reside in the high and holy place, But also with those crushed and lowly in spirit, To revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of those being crushed. Isaiah 57:15
October 28, 2015
Love and miss you dearly, may you rest in peace Roy. Xo
Debbie Hammond
October 28, 2015
You will never be forgotten dad, you’re the best farther anyone could wish for. I’m so lucky to call you dad! You will be missed and you’re legacy will live on.
It is with a very heavy heart I advise that Ian “Birky” Birkbeck has passed away after a brave fight against cancer. Ian had ridden as part of the official Qps Wall to Wall party since 2011 and missed this year due to illness.. He was a true friend and an absolute gentleman. He will be missed by everyone.. RIP Birky .. Bradyn Murphy QPS
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Barry Thomas PASSLOW
| 02/11/2015
Barry Thomas PASSLOW
aka Baz aka Busy Baz
Police Academy Class 122
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # 14109
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 26 March 1970
Constable – appointed 26 March 1971
Constable 1st Class – appointed 26 March 1975
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 6 January 1986
Sergeant 2nd Class – retired
Stations: ?, Liverpool ( March 1970 – ), Griffith ( 1970’s ), Bankstown Traffic Office,
AUSTRALIAN GRAND MASTER PADDLING CHAMPIONS 2010, 2011 & 2012 BARRY THOMAS PASSLOW KNEELING ROW – SECOND FROM LEFT.
LIONS CLUB MEMBER BARRY THOMAS PASSLOW (l) WITH PAST PRESIDENT ASHLEY STEPHENSON – 2009
BARRY THOMAS PASSLOW ANZAC Day – 2011
Balranald NSW. Anzac Day, Easter 2011, march & service. Paz the ‘Bagman’. BARRY THOMAS PASSLOW
Balranald NSW. Anzac Day, Easter 2011. Luncheon at Ex Services Club. Barry & Sandra Passlow
Balranald NSW. l-r Graham ‘Spag’ or ‘Slatters’ Comitti, John Redenbach, Barry Dean, Pat Morton, Barry Passlow, Lou Gilligan, Mick Pietsch, John Pugh, Daryl Deckert, Johnny Russell, Mick Kean. (AWOL is Col Pugh) BARRY THOMAS PASSLOW
Kyalite NSW. Dawn service Anzac Day, Easter 2011. l-r standing – Graham ‘Spag’ Comitti, Pat Morton, Mick Pietsch, Daryl Deckert, Barry Passlow, Lou Gilligan, Colin Pugh, John Russell, Barry Dean, Mick Kean. kneeling – Billy Moore, John Pugh. BARRY THOMAS PASSLOW
B
[alert_yellow]BARRY is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow] *NEED MORE INFO
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Funeral location: ?
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FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
I have been informed that retired Sergeant Barry Passlow, former Wollongong police, passed away today.
Further details to follow.
Barry was a member of Bomaderry Lions Club, Nowra Waterdragons club ( Dragon boats ),
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Bull Terrier Attack On Heart Patient
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday September 17, 1991
By SANDRA HARVEY
A bull terrier dog charged and attacked a 63-year-old man as he was strolling along a South Coast beach on Monday afternoon.
The attack occurred just one day after baby Joshua Williams was mauled to death by his family’s pet bull terrier in the backyard of their North Richmond home.
In the latest attack, Mr Leonard Crane was forced to use his walking stick to fend off the dog which charged at him from 40 metres on Collingwood Beach at Jervis Bay shortly before 5.30pm.
Sergeant Barry Passlow from Nowra police said Mr Crane was not injured by the dog but was extremely distressed by the attack.
“He had recently undergone heart surgery and his doctors had said: ‘no stress’. This was just what he didn’t need,” Sergeant Passlow said.
The white bull terrier was one of two unleashed dogs which arrived on the beach with a man and a woman as Mr Crane was taking a stroll.
Sergeant Passlow said the woman called the dog off Mr Crane, but she and the man with her refused to give Mr Crane their names.
Sergeant Passlow said the dogs were supposed to be restrained on leashes and police were making inquiries to try to find the owners.
The Federal Government is expected to announce within three weeks a ban on the import of dangerous dogs.
Adored and dearly loved Husband Colleen. Much loved Father and Father-in-law of Tracey & Carl, Grahame & Margie, Robert & Kristyn, Geoffrey and Tony & Tracey. Adored Pop of his 13 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
Aged 71 Years
The family and friends of JIM are warmly invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held in St. Alban’s Anglican Church, Henry Street, Quirindi commencing at 10.30am, Wednesday 2nd September 2015.
To Be Followed By Private Cremation Entrusted to the care of SHAUN HAMILTON FUNERALS
Shaun Hamilton 6746 2222.
Published in The Northern Daily Leader from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, 2015
Justyn had returned to the family home to help care for his younger brother who had a brain tumor but Justyn died 10 days after arriving.
His brother, Christopher, died from that brain tumor 9 weeks to the day, after Justyn had died.
May they both forever Rest In Peace
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Justyn’s parents would like to remind people about the very real danger of DVT, due to immobility, which the Coroner attributed directly Justyn’s job. Get away from that type writer, out of that seating position and exercise those legs.
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Newcastle Herald 2 March 2012
LIMOND, JUSTYN RAYMOND Passed away suddenly at North Rothbury 28th February, 2012 Aged 36 Years
Loved son of STEPHEN and ADELLA. Loving brother of CHRISTIAN, LACHLAN, BENNETT, BRONWYN, TED and SHAUNA. Loved partner of KATHY.
Family and Friends of JUSTYN, the LIMOND, PAGE and MILLER FAMILIES are warmly invited to attend his Funeral to be held in All Saints Anglican Church, Singleton, TUESDAY 6th March 2012 commencing at 11.30am followed by Private Family Burial. By request no flowers, donations may be left at the Church to aid the Singleton Cancer Appeal.
In the care of Chapmans Funerals Singleton 6572 1089 a.f.d.a.
* Despite the fact that the current aerial view of the cemetery with Google map does NOT show a row of graves, there is, in fact, a 5th row of graves and the ‘peace’ marker is the location that the boys graves are located at.
Beloved husband of Masami and father of Mia. Loving son of Pamela and Karl. Brother of Kerri-Anne, Margaret (deceased) and Colleen.
May he rest in peace.
Mass of Christian Burial for STEPHEN KARL ARKINS will be offered in
St. Agatha’s Church, Boundary Road, Pennant Hills on Tuesday October 20, 2015, at 12.00pm.
Saturday, 17 October 2015
My profound condolences. It was a pleasure to know him and an honour to serve with him. RIP mate, may there be a fair wind at your back for your journey into the home port.
~
Greg Berry,
Terrigal, New South Wales
* * *
Saturday, 17 October 2015
My deepest sympathy to Masami, Mia,Pamela ,Karl and family.
My prayers and Mass will be offered for you all in this sad loss.
Respectfully
Rosemary Hayes
Published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Oct. 17, 2015
Sergeant 2nd Class – 1984 ( Central Police Station )
Sergeant 1st Class – 9 August 1986
Chief Inspector – February 1989 ( Fairfield & Cabramatta )
Chief Inspector – Patrol Commander ( Cabramatta ) until Optional Retirement in April 1991
Stations: Central ( No. 1 Division ), Darlinghurst ( No. 3 Division ) to Liverpool ( 22 Division ) in November 1963, Merrylands ( 26 Division ), Cabramatta, Fairfield, Cabramatta ( 34 Division )
Service: From ? ? 1960? to ? April 1991 = 31? years of Service
Awards: Queen’s commendation for Brave Conduct – granted 19 October 1965 ( rescue of two people from their burning vehicles after a collision – whilst standing in fuel )
Commissioner’s Commendation – rescue – 1965 ( rescue of two people from their burning vehicles after a collision – whilst standing in fuel )
Peter Mitchell Award, a perpetual trophy, for selfless & brave conduct – 1965 ( as above )
George Lewis Trophy “for the most courageous act by a member of the NSW Police Force in 1965” ( as above )
Australian Defence Medal
Commissioner’s Commendation – for pursuing & arresting an armed prison escapee – 1971
Commissioner’s Commendation – pursuit and arrest of an offender of a fatal shooting at Cabramatta – 1977
National Medal – granted 11 December 1980
1st Clasp to National Medal – granted 7 November 1988
Australian National police Service Medal
Born: 25 June 1935
Died on: 22 September 2011
Cause: Dementia
Age: 76
Funeral date: Wednesday 28 September 2011 @ 10.30am
Funeral location: SOUTH CHAPEL, ROOKWOOD CREMATORIUM, ROOKWOOD
Buried at: Cremated
1976 Bill Espie standing next to Father Smith celebrating his 50 years of ordination – Charlie Perkins on far left next to Mrs Smith – Noel Hampton and David Woodford on far right
Memorial location 1: NSW Police Academy, Goulburn
Memorial 1 description: Framed picture & literature in relation to Bill’s Service
Memorial date: 29 October 2015 @ 1pm
Former Det Sgt Peter Croucher & Former Sgt Sue Bytheway
Memorial location 2: Hartley St School Museum, 39 Hartley St, Alice Springs, N.T.
Memorial 2 description: Plaque
Memorial date: 29 July 2017
BILL is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance * NOT JOB RELATED
Bill Espie reading his Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct.
Former Police Commissioner Ken Moroney
Former Detective Sergeant Peter Croucher
WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2011
CREMATION CEREMONY FOR RETIRED CHIEF INSPECTOR WILLIAM ‘BILL’ LEONARD ESPIE. Born 250635 – 220911
SERVICE AT THE SOUTH CHAPEL, ROOKWOOD CREMATORIUM, ROOKWOOD, 10.30AM.
POLICE FUNERAL.
RETIRED POLICE COMMISSIONER KEN MORONEY GIVING THE EULOGY.
Bastion of culture and community October 15, 2011 .
Bill Espie was one of several talented Aboriginal men born in the Northern Territory in the mid- to late 1930s who went on to make, each in his own way, his mark on Australia and to contribute to the progress of his people. Espie was the first, destined for an exemplary police career in which he became the highest-ranking police officer of Aboriginal descent in all the Australian police forces. He was followed by Charlie Perkins, who became a famous activist; Professor Gordon Briscoe, an academic and activist for his people; the artist John Moriarty; Vince Copley, chairman of Indigenous Cricket; and Brian Butler, in Aboriginal aged care.
William Leonard Espie was born in Alice Springs on June 25, 1935, one of seven children to a mixed-race Arunta woman, Edith Espie, who was part of the stolen generation, and Victor Cook, a European who had moved from South Australia to work in Alice Springs as a labourer.
Espie’s sister Ellen said the family lived in a good house in Alice Springs and their parents did their best for them. Like Perkins and Briscoe and several others, Espie came under the benign influence of an Anglican priest, Father Percy Smith, who arranged for the boys to go to St Francis House at Semaphore in Adelaide, an indigenous boys’ home.
Espie, known then as Buckshot by the boys, went to school in Port Adelaide and showed himself to be an outstanding tennis player, facing at one time Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall. He completed his Intermediate Certificate, then trained as a maintenance fitter.
In 1955, he joined the Australian Army, became a sapper in the engineers and was appointed a field engineer. He served at Maralinga during the atomic testing. Along the way, he married Irene Zachary and served in the army until 1961. At 26, Espie decided to go to Sydney. He entered the NSW Police Force as a recruit and did his training at the Redfern academy, where he was noted as ”a good all-rounder”.
He became a probationary constable on September 18, 1961. Assigned for 12 months to Darlinghurst, he experienced a profound culture shock – the place could have not been more different from Alice Springs – but he managed the situation and was then transferred to Liverpool.
During the following 16 years, he was to serve there, at Merrylands and Cabramatta.
Espie quickly came to notice for his discipline and attitude to his work. Former police commissioner Ken Moroney said: ”It was in these early formative days of his career that Bill deservedly earned the respect not only of his senior officers and peers but, as important, of the community in which he worked. Long before the words ‘community-based policing’ became the fashion of the day, Bill Espie’s life skills and worldly experiences had seen him well versed in the importance of effectively communicating with people at all levels. What you saw was what you got and there were no in-betweens. You knew exactly that he meant what he said and he said what he meant.”
What Espie did in practical terms did not escape official notice either. In March 1965, he went to the scene of a collision and found both vehicles burning fiercely. Without hesitation, he went in and rescued a trapped man from each of the burning cars. For that, he earned a Commissioner’s Commendation and the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct.
Commissioner Norman Allen also awarded him the Peter Mitchell Award, a perpetual trophy, to recognise his selfless and brave conduct. On top of that, he received the George Lewis Trophy ”for the most courageous act by a member of the NSW Police Force in 1965”.
In 1971, he received another Commissioner’s Commendation for pursuing and arresting an armed prison escapee.
A further Commissioner’s Commendation came in 1977 when he received a report of a man leaving a crime scene following a fatal shooting at Cabramatta. He was able to secure the crime scene and pursue the man, whom he arrested. The man was charged with murder and prosecuted.
In December 1980, Espie was awarded the National Medal for service and was later awarded the First Clasp of the National Medal.
Transferred to Central Police Station in the city, he became a sergeant second class in 1984 and sergeant first class in 1986. Arranging a transfer back to Fairfield, he continued performing well and, in February 1989, became a chief inspector. He served as patrol commander at Cabramatta until his retirement in April 1991.
Bill Espie is survived by his long-term partner, Maureen Ola, brothers Robert and Linton, sisters Ellen and Peg, his children Marita, William junior, Bettina and John, 11 grandchildren, great grand-daughter Sienna and nephews and nieces.
Bill Espie: Police hero from Alice Springs
By JOHN P McD SMITH
Bill Espie, born in Alice Springs in 1935, holds the unique distinction of being the highest-ranking Aboriginal police officer in any Australian police force.
In March 1965 he attended a two vehicle collision with both vehicles on fire.
He rescued a man from each burning car, putting his own life at distinct risk.
For this act of bravery Bill was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct as well as the Commissioner’s Commendation.
1965 Newspaper clipping reporting on Bill Espie’s heroic act to save two men for which he was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct
Bill’s mother Edie Espie was one of a group of Aboriginal women in Alice Springs who wanted their children to have a better chance in life.
Others like her were Hetti Perkins, Dido Cooper, Tilly Tilmouth, Melva Palmer and Millie Woodford who accepted assistance from Father Percy Smith to help further the education of their children at St Francis’ House in Adelaide.
All these mothers had one thing in common, and that was their determination to do the best for their children. They were strong women.
Bill Espie’s nickname was “Buckshot” or “The Wasp”. All the Aboriginal boys who lived at St Francis’ House had nicknames.
Peter Tilmouth was called “Truck” because every Saturday he would go with the local greengrocer doing deliveries in his truck.
David Woodford was known as “Woody”.
This is Bill Espie’s account of his life. He passed away on September 22, 2011.
John P McD Smith
1976 Bill Espie standing next to Father Smith celebrating his 50 years of ordination – Charlie Perkins on far left next to Mrs Smith – Noel Hampton and David Woodford on far right
This story involves three components, St Francis House, Father Smith and Mrs Smith and me.
The identity of “me” is not important as “me” could well have been any number of young Aboriginal children who grew up in Alice Springs in the thirties.
My Aboriginal mother, through no fault of her own, could not have raised me in the way that she would have wished, due mainly to economic and social barriers.
Fancy phrases of course, but simply meaning being poor and not being fully accepted in the community.
My mother had a choice; bring me up herself in an environment which offered no more than a twenty percent chance of being successful, or to let me grow up under the watchful eye of Father Smith who was the first resident Anglican priest in Alice Springs in 1933.
No doubt at great pain my loving mother chose the latter.
After spending a few years at St John’s Hostel in Alice Springs, I travelled with five other young Aboriginal boys to St Francis’ House a Semaphore.
This was to be my home for the next seven or eight years, again for most of the time under the care of Father and Mrs Smith.
It was to become my fortress, my haven against an outside community who did not fully accept persons of Aboriginal descent.
It was also to become a place where friendships would flourish, ambitions take shape and my character develop. It was a place where I would gain an education so that I may at least obtain future employment.
Looking back one would ask, how? How could a big rambling one-hundred-year-old house containing some twenty or so young Aboriginals, who came from far and wide, possibly help me in achieving my goals?
I expect the logical answer would have been: “I really don’t know.”
Perhaps calling this beautiful old house “St Francis’ House” might help in some way, but we all know that names alone will not press the magic button. The next obvious question was of course: “Well, what was it then that made this house so successful?” A place where I would achieve some of my ambitions.
The accolades must of course go in the main to Father and Mrs Smith who brought about the concept of St Francis’ House by an overwhelming desire to help young Aboriginal children take their place amongst the general community with pride and qualifications to reach attainable goals both in the present and future.
Their private lives were non-existent due of course to their dedication in what they were doing was justified and correct. It was this dedication and commitment that made St Francis’ House a success.
Of course there were other factors that must be considered when judging the overall effectiveness of St Francis’ House.
Those factors were “the boys”, the occupants or to be more explicit the Aboriginal boys themselves.
The same boys who slept three, four, five in a room; and if it was a ghost story night or someone had imagined seeing the ghost of Captain Hart (the original owner) wandering the halls prior to bedtime, then it was six to a bed – not unreasonable I would think!
These same boys depended on each other for guidance, support, company; but most of all I think each and every one craved for that family environment, and because of the actions of Father and Mrs Smith it was achieved.
The individual personalities of each of the boys also contributed towards the overall aura of the house. Their continuing effort to “fit in” within the community and their sense of humour in day to day activities made life unique and gave the house a “soul”.
Even though the function of this house has long since gone one would still hope the “soul” still haunts the corridors, hallways and rooms we affectionately remember as St Francis House … who knows?
Group of boys ready in Alice Springs in 1944 – Bill Espie, John Palmer (Back), Noel Hampton, Charles Perkins, Malcolm Cooper (standing in front or Mrs Smith), Mrs Isabel Smith, Father Percy Smith
John P McD Smith picks up the story.
1950s Aboriginal Football Team Alice Springs: Bill Espie in back row 4th from left
After completing his Intermediate Certificate at Le Fevre Boys High School Bill Espie trained as a maintenance fitter. For a short time he returned to Alice Springs to be with his family, but he soon realised that there wasn’t much of an employment future for him there.
In 1955 he joined the Australian Army and was appointed a field engineer.
He served at Maralinga. The world was opening up to him.
After his marriage to Irene Zachary, Bill decided to go to Sydney where he was accepted into the NSW Police Force.
He trained at the Redfern academy becoming a probationary constable in 1961. During his career Bill served at Darlinghurst, Liverpool, Merrylands and Cabramatta.
He became an effective communicator as a police officer and was very good at dealing with different types of people and situations.
After rescuing the two men Bill merely said: “There wasn’t time to think, I just had to get the men out.” They were saved from a firey death.
His commendations, which also included the Peter Mitchell Award, in 1971 Bill received another Commissioner’s Commendation for pursuing and arresting an armed escapee.
Towards the end of his career Bill was awarded the National Medal for meritorious service to which later was added the First Clasp.
By 1986 Bill was a sergeant first class. Then in 1989 he became a Chief Inspector and served as patrol commander at Cabramatta until his retirement.
Chief Inspector Bill Espie
He deeply appreciated the chance he was given in life, which was manifested by his exemplary service. Much of his memorabilia is on perpetual display at the NSW Police Academy at Goulburn. He passed away in September 2011.
John P McD Smith is the son of Father Percy Smith (1903-82), first resident Anglican priest in Alice Springs in 1933. John has written his father’s biography, “The Flower in the Desert.”]
Posted: April 5, 2019 at 8:48 am
4 Comments (starting with the most recent)
NB: If you want to reply to a previous comment, start your comment with this notation: @n where n is the number of the comment you want to reply to.
Dwayne
Posted April 11, 2019 at 9:20 am
Enjoyed this story and the footy team photo is great. Would love to know who some of the other players are – if anyone around town knows.
James T Smerk
Posted April 5, 2019 at 4:12 pm
What a bloke. A life well lived.
Nathan
Posted April 5, 2019 at 9:51 am
Bill lived a life of service to the community. I think his own words are very strong: “My mother had a choice; bring me up herself in an environment which offered no more than a twenty percent chance of being successful, or to let me grow up under the watchful eye of Father Smith.”
Inspiration
Posted April 5, 2019 at 9:49 am
What a great story, Father Smith did a lot for the local Indigenous people here in the Alice.
My brother was one who went to Adelaide, Peter Tilmouth.
All the boys taken, all became great mates.
The Espie family was well respected here in the Alice and what an honour to have this man Bill Espie recognised, letting others know of his achievements. A story worth mentioning.
Constable William Leonard Espiewas awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct and Departmentally commended for initiative and courage displayed in effecting the rescue of two men from motor vehicles which had collided at Cabramatta on the 18th March, 1965. Both vehicles were burning fiercely and one was in immediate danger of exploding when the Constable, standing in burning petrol, succeeded in extricating the two men from their respective vehicles. Within seconds of the rescue one vehicle became a blazing inferno.
Bill Espie was born in Alice Springs. He was in the Army for six years and remained in Sydney upon completing his service. He joined the Police Force in 1961.
Interviewed by Shirley McLeod 5th September 2005
Shirley McLeod: Good morning Bill. Bill Espie: Good morning Shirley.
Thank you very much for giving us your valuable time.
Bill Espie: My pleasure.
Shirley McLeod: First of all I’d like to ask you, what’s your full name?
Bill Espie: My full name is William Leonard Espie, E-S-P-I-E.
Shirley McLeod: And what suburb do you live in?
Bill Espie: I live in Croydon.
Shirley McLeod: Croydon, right. I’ll just go a little bit into your early life. I see here that you were born in Alice Springs, were you?
Bill Espie: Yeah I was, yes. I was born, strange as it may seem, in a tent outside the Alice Springs hospital back in 1935.
Shirley McLeod: And what were your parents doing there?
Bill Espie: Mum was a general hand, a cook, she had many jobs. When she grew up there as a young girl, there was about a hundred people in Alice Springs and that was about it. So — my father was a grader driver in the bush.
Shirley McLeod: Right. Now, you went to Alice Springs Primary School and then you went to La Favure Tech College, that’s in Alice Springs is it?
Bill Espie: No, the Tech College is in Adelaide. The schooling in Alice Springs was very limited when I was growing up. You only had a primary school, no high school.
Shirley McLeod: And what, you would have gone to it at the age of 15 or 14?
Bill Espie: 15, 16… 15.
Shirley McLeod: And what did you do at Tech?
Bill Espie: It was a different type of Tech as they know now. It was just a high school but they called it a Technical College.
Shirley McLeod: Well we had some in Sydney, Technical College. We had North Sydney Technical, Boys Technical High School I think it was called.
Bill Espie: Usually you had to get your intermediate at those schools.
Shirley McLeod: Yes. So you did that in Adelaide?
Bill Espie: Did that in Adelaide.
Shirley McLeod: And you stayed there and you got the equivalent to your intermediate certificate?
Bill Espie: Yes.
Shirley McLeod: And what did you do after that?
Bill Espie: Well then I went back to Alice, worked as a fitter in the Department of Roads for four years prior to joining the Army.
Shirley McLeod: And where did you join up in the Army?
Bill Espie: I joined in Adelaide. So I went from — stayed in Adelaide for a couple of years and then I was fortunate enough to go to Maralinga where the atom bomb tests and came back to Sydney and stayed here for the rest of my six years.
Shirley McLeod: Right. What sort of work were you doing in the Army?
Bill Espie: I was in the engineers. So it’s like an Engineering Corp that I was in.
Shirley McLeod: All right, well we’ll get to the Police Force. Why did you decide to join Police Force?
Bill Espie: Again, it was just a change of direction. Six years in the army seemed to be long enough for me. And it wasn’t quite what I wanted so someone suggested to me why don’t you join the Police Force, well, I will. So I joined the police and never regretted it.
Shirley McLeod: Where did you join up?
Bill Espie: At Bourke Street in the City.
Shirley McLeod: Is that where the Mounted Police are now?
Bill Espie: Yes.
Shirley McLeod: I’ve been there a couple of times. And you did your training there didn’t you in those days?
Bill Espie:Yes, I done six weeks. I was lucky to get in actually because when I, when I came to the office, the sergeant that was behind said to me, ‘hop up on the scales.’ I was three pound light. And he says, ‘we can’t take you.’ And I said, ‘well I’m fit enough, I just left the Army.’ He said, ‘no you gotta have the right weight.’ but he said, ‘I’ll tell you what you do.’ He said, ‘come back and see me at 3 o’clock,’ this was obviously in the morning, it was in morning. ‘Come back and see me, but in the meantime go down to that fruit shop down in Bourke Street and eat 20 bananas.’ This is a true story. ‘Eat 20 of bananas,’ and he said, ‘then go to a tap and a drink as much water as you can until you start to be sick.’ I thought he was joking. He said, ‘do it if you want to join the Police Force.’ So I did, I ate 20 bananas, this was over about a two-hour period. Drank so much water out of this tap, I was bloated, looked like I was pregnant, went back and seen the sergeant and I tipped the scales at three and a quarter pound. He said, ‘you’re in.’
So — and the bananas (.. unclear ..) with me for a fortnight.
Shirley McLeod: Oh dear. So you did your training and Bourke Street.
Bill Espie:Bourke Street.
Shirley McLeod: And how long were you training there?
Bill Espie:Well in those days it was six weeks initial training and then one day a week for a year. So that’s the way they used to do it back in ‘61.
Shirley McLeod: And the initial training was also shooting?
Bill Espie:You’re shooting, and law…
Shirley McLeod: Hmm. And typing?
Bill Espie:And typing down at Harris Street in the Ultimo, typing. With your fingers underneath a cover that you couldn’t see and couldn’t cheat. But they didn’t want much, only wanted — can’t remember now — but it was some paltry amount of 20 words a minute or something like that.
Shirley McLeod: You’ve done your training, where was your first posting?
Bill Espie:Darlinghurst. I spent two years at Darlinghurst initially.
Shirley McLeod: Was that a culture shock to somebody from…?
Bill Espie:That was a, well I was going to say terrible culture shock, but it wasn’t, it was an interesting culture shock. Being smothered in Alice Springs in the quietness of the bush and then hitting Darlinghurst — when Darlinghurst was Darlinghurst — it was a shock but a nice one. For me it was interesting.
Shirley McLeod: Where was the Police station in Darlinghurst?
Bill Espie:Right opposite the Court of Sessions Court in Taylor Square.
Shirley McLeod: All right. Cabramatta. How did feel, the first time you came to Cabramatta, you’ve come from Fairfield anyway so you knew it fairly well. Cabramatta didn’t have such a bad name in those days did it?
Bill Espie:No, I think no. It had a, you know, it was just a normal suburb. Policing wise it was just a normal suburb. Because when I first came there were a lot of nationalities, English, Spanish you know. They had a big — in Aleck Street Cabramatta, they had a big migrant hostel where there was quite a number of nationalities living there.
Shirley McLeod: They were a mixed nationality then, were they? What year would that have been about ‘57?
Bill Espie:That was in ‘65, ‘63-‘65. There must have been 10, 12 nationalities living in the hostel. They had the old army huts for accommodation.
Shirley McLeod: Did you have problems there, did the police, were the police called in there very often?
Bill Espie:Strange as it may seem, no. No, it was well run. The people were intermingling with one another. Occasionally you’d get a fight caused by different nationalities, but very rare, very rare.
Shirley McLeod: But Cabramatta was, in later years became very much different and you were here working at the time that the south-east Asian migrants came in here.
Bill Espie:No I was here for… didn’t… in the last three years of my working with the police, that’s when they were here in Cabramatta. Say from — I didn’t take too much notice of it because I wasn’t, until I became the officer in charge, I wasn’t sort of really aware of the extent that we had. So that was in 19… say, 1987, ‘88. It was starting to become noticeable that it was gonna be an Asian suburb so to speak.
Shirley McLeod: How did that affect you?
Bill Espie:I don’t think it really affected me that much because we, we didn’t get an over problem for the first couple of years. There were minor skirmishes, minor problems that could be solved there and then on the spot. Didn’t hit the news as much as it did when the drugs were involved in Cabramatta. So we hardly ever hit the newspapers for the first two or three years that I knew. And then all of a sudden it started to change. That’s when them drugs started to come in and I was lucky enough you know, I retired prior to that occurring.
I was at Cabramatta when we only had a little call box you know, a little seven by seven (feet) box.
Shirley McLeod: Where was that?
Bill Espie:There were four of us stationed.
Shirley McLeod: There was one at Fairfield like that before the police station was built. There was one here at Cabramatta too?
Bill Espie:Yes. Cos when I first came in ‘63, you might know — one the people you’ve interviewed, Baz Lawler — he was there a (.. unclear ..)..
I haven’t interviewed him yet, I’m going to.
Bill Espie:And, it was a little call box, seven by seven (feet). And when it rained you’d get wet, it would come in underneath the floorboards, you know. We were in that for about two or three years. But there was only four of us then, that was in ‘63 to about ’70, then the police started to come and things started to improve. The more police came the more improvements we had.
Shirley McLeod: Have you had, I suppose you’ve had some very funny incidents over your many years as a policeman. Can you remember anything specifically?
Bill Espie:Oh yes.
You don’t have to mention names if you don’t want to, just incidents.
Bill Espie:I think the funniest episode was I was on my way to work when I lived in Liverpool and coming to the intersection, this car was on my right and I noticed two people sitting in the car with ski masks on. And being very astute I thought, well that’s funny, it’s hot (laughs). So, they had, they were both holding what appeared to be shot guns and I stopped to give way to ‘em, because I couldn’t believe my eyes. This was about 10 to 3 (2:50pm) in the afternoon, going to work, afternoon shift. So they turned the corner and stopped a hundred yards up the road outside the Post Office and they both bounded out and sure enough, they both had shot guns. So, I had an old car, an old the Gemini that could hardly run and it was famous around the police and they all knew it was mine. So I stopped just behind this car containing the crooks, so to speak and I said, I’ll nab thee when you come out of the Post Office. But I had another bad habit of leaving my gun at home and I realised when I stopped my car and took position behind my car, I didn’t have a gun. So I said, I’m not going to be a fool, I’ll race across the street and ring for the police to come. By this time they’d come out of the Post Office with bags. So I got… raced back to my car, they had an old car as well and they couldn’t start it.
Shirley McLeod: You hadn’t fixed it?
Bill Espie:No, but they couldn’t start their car. Their car was an old bomb too. You know, real brainy armed robbers. So I said, I’ll have thee now. Then their car roared into life, so I got back into my car, I said, I’ll follow you. My car wouldn’t start because it was a bomb.
Shirley McLeod: Sounds like comic capers.Bill Espie:Comic capers. And finally it kicked over, their car kicked over, they put it into gear and somersaulted, you know how you jack-knife down the street? And here are these two crooks getting away from me, jack-knifing down the street. I’m in my car jack-knifing after them, we must have done it at no more than 10 kilometres an hour. And in the end my car just blew — just stopped. The engine blew it was so old. They went down the street getting away from me and when they got to the corner they put the old forefinger up into the sky towards me and turned the corner. I was more insulted by the actions of the finger than the robbing.
Bill Espie and Alf Gregory at Bill’s place in 1981
From Peter Croucher The original Cabramatta Police Station in 50s 60s early 70s. It was a call box in it’s time with barely enough room for three police. When I was stationed there in 1968, Sgt Bill Turner was the boss, Bill Espie, pictured above, had not long received the Police Medal for Bravery. If we were lucky to have an afternoon shift, the day shift would walk outside to let the others in. If it rained we’d sit on the bench desk with our feet on the chair so’s we could keep our feet dry from the rain water running across the floor. Peter C
Stations: ?,Canowindra to Liverpool ( 22 Division ) as a Sgt 3/c in March 1968, Feb. 1969 from 22 Division to Merrylands ( 26 Division ), Special Branch – 21 Division ( 1978 ), Investigative Branch – Internal Affairs
Service: From 1 May 1944to? = 42 years Service
Awards: Queen’s Police Medal QPM – granted 16 June 1979
4 Comments (starting with the most recent)
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Enjoyed this story and the footy team photo is great. Would love to know who some of the other players are – if anyone around town knows.
What a bloke. A life well lived.
Bill lived a life of service to the community. I think his own words are very strong: “My mother had a choice; bring me up herself in an environment which offered no more than a twenty percent chance of being successful, or to let me grow up under the watchful eye of Father Smith.”
What a great story, Father Smith did a lot for the local Indigenous people here in the Alice.
My brother was one who went to Adelaide, Peter Tilmouth.
All the boys taken, all became great mates.
The Espie family was well respected here in the Alice and what an honour to have this man Bill Espie recognised, letting others know of his achievements. A story worth mentioning.