Russell James COOK

| 21/05/2020

Russell James COOK APM

AKA Russ

Late of ?

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class # 022 – 033

NSW Police Cadet # 0916

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 7593

Rank: Commenced Training as Police Cadet on Monday, 12 February 1951 ( 16 years, 6 mths, 30 days old )

Probationary Constable- appointed 13 July 1953 ( 19 year old )

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed 13 July 1964

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 24 September 1968

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 18 November 1976

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Inspector – appointed 31 December 1982

Chief Inspector – appointed ? ? 1985

Superintendent – appointed 12 November 1986

Chief Superintendent – appointed 27 July 1988

Assistant Commissioner – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = Assistant Commissioner

Stations: ?, Cowra ( Det )( July 1959 – Oct. 1968 ), Western District ( 1964 ), BCI – Bureau of Crime Intelligence ( 1980s ), ?, Internal Affairs – Sydney ( Det Insp 1980s ), Superintendent – Goulburn District ( 1986 ), District Commander – Newcastle ( 1988 ), Regional Commander – North ( 1991 ) ( A/Comm ), North West Region – Retirement

Service: From 12 February 1951 to 22 June 1994 = 43 years, 4 months, 10 days Service

Awards: National Medal – granted 2 November 1988 ( Supt )

Australian Police Medal ( APM ) – granted 11 June 1990 ( C/Supt )

Born: Friday 13 July 1934

Died on: Saturday 16 May 2020

Age: 85 years, 10 months, 3 days old

Cause: Cancer – type?

Event location: ?

Event date: ?

Funeral date: Monday 25 May 2020 @ 11am

Live Stream Link: https://v2.streaming.funeralsuite.com.au/e/tsLELl0X
Access PIN: 5436

Funeral location: ? ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 20 – 30 persons at a Funeral due to the Cornona19 Virus Pandemic – this will be a Private Funeral )

Future Wake location: ? TBA ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 10 persons only at ‘Gatherings’, there won’t be an immediate Wake )

Future Wake date: ( Due to current Govt. restrictions on ‘Gatherings’ due to Corona19 Virus Pandemic, some families may wish to have a Memorial Service / Wake with friends and family at a later date )

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( May 2020 )

RUSS is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

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Russell James COOK APM - Front Row, 4th from left — Russell James COOK APM – Front Row, 4th from left

Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995),

Friday 9 April 1993, page 5

Police chief suspended after cannabis ‘cover-up’

SYDNEY: NSW’s third most senior policeman has been suspended amid allegations of a cover-up of drug theft by police.

The Minister for Police, Terry Griffiths, announced yesterday that Assistant Commissioner Col Cole had been suspended after allegations that four constables at Frenchs Forrest, on Sydney’s north shore, had stolen small quantities of cannabis from drug exhibits for their own use.

Three of the four constables, a sergeant and an inspector, had also been suspended on full pay and would face disciplinary charges including misconduct, disobedience and neglect of duties.

Similar action against a fourth constable was being considered.

“It will not be swept under the rug, be assured of that,” Mr Griffiths said.

Mr Cole, the commander of the branch of professional responsibility and effective head of police internal affairs, is one of nine Assistant Commissioners in NSW, the third rank after Deputy Commissioner Lance Stirton and Commissioner Tony Lauer.

Mr Griffiths, who last week described the failure by Mr Cole and other senior officers to properly inform Mr Lauer, himself and the Independent Commission Against Corruption of the incident as a “cover-up”, was speaking after a meeting of the Police Board in Sydney.

He said the evidence was uncovered during a State Crimes Commission inquiry into the shooting of Constable Andrew Bourke by an unknown assailant at Frenchs Forest police station last year.

“The board has decided to suspend the assistant commissioner / commander professional responsibility from his post until he is able to respond to [ the board’s ] concerns,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Russell Cook, the incumbent commander of the north region, had been appointed acting commander of professional responsibility.

Mr Griffiths said the board had directed Mr Lauer to make further inquiries in relation to the Crime Commission findings on other senior officers.

“Given the sensitive nature of these allegations and the need to ensure natural justice is granted to the officers concerned, I’ll be making no further comment on this matter to day.”

The ICAC heard yesterday that Mr Cole’s to meet two men with criminal links over lunch was “most imprudent”.

The ICAC is investigating the propriety of a meeting between Mr Cole, the president of the NSW Police Association, Tony Day, criminal identity Tom Domican and nightclub owner Louis Bayeh, at Sydney’s Southern Cross Hotel last December 23.

Counsel Assisting the ICAC, Peter Neil, said it was a serious error of judgement by Mr Cole to agree to meet Domican. He emphasised, however, there was no suggestion that Mr Cole acted corruptly in any way.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126981079

Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995),

Thursday 27 May 1993, page 5

Daly ‘not just corrupt but corrupting, too’

SYDNEY: A senior NSW police detective had influenced young officers under his command to behave corruptly, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard yesterday.

A police prosecutor, who can only be identified as Sergeant A from the North Region, said he believed a then Detective Senior Sergeant, Ron Daly, had influenced his subordinates to produce false evidence, but acknowledged he had no evidence to support his belief.

Sergeant A told the ICAC he had had fears for his safety and for that of his family after he had submitted a report claiming three officers had fabricated the confession of a man arrested for an alleged break and enter offence in 1991.

He said his fears had been of Mr Daly.

Earlier this week Mr Daly repeatedly denied he had been a corrupt officer, or that it had been his voice on a taped telephone conversation in which two men, one of them the notorious criminal Arthur “Neddy” Smith, discussed bribing police to have an investigation dropped.

Sergeant A has previously claimed he was harassed and sent to a training unit as punishment after he submitted the report in February last year to his senior officer, Chief Inspector Colin Wedderburn.

He said he feared that his chief inspector and his assistant commissioner, Russ Cook, had conspired to pervert the course of justice by burying the report.

He said yesterday he now believed his concerns regarding Mr Cook were wrong, but he still had reservations about Inspector Wedderburn.

Inspector Wedderburn has denied “burying” the evidence documents said to have been attached to the sergeant’s report.

Sergeant A said Inspector Wedderburn had told him, “I’ll have to think about tactics. These kids [junior officers] have been stood over by Daly.”

He said Inspector Wedderburn had told him during a later discussion, “You’ll never get him [Daly]… you’ll only get the young kids.”

Inspector Wedderburn has denied making either comment.

Asked yesterday if he believed Mr Daly had been corrupt, Sergeant A said, “I thought he was leading the kids [junior officers] down the wrong path, and if that’s corruption, yes.”

Commissioner Ian Temby, QC, then asked, “He wasn’t just a corrupt officer, he was a corrupting officer?”

“Absolutely,” replied Sergeant A.

A colleague of Sergeant A‘s has told the ICAC that evidence briefs supplied by officers under Mr Daly’s command had regularly been “too good to believe”.

27 May 1993 – Daly ‘not just corrupt but corrupting, too’ – Trove

Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995),

Wednesday 31 August 1983, page 10

Hearing on wife-murder charge told of missing-person inquiry

Inspector recalls 1960 in Cowra

From SIMON KAYE, in Cowra

A 67-year-old man who allegedly murdered his first wife more than 23 years ago appeared in Cowra Petty Sessions yesterday for the resumption of committal proceedings.

Mr Alfred Colin Chambers, retired farmer, of Kibbler Street, Cowra, is charged with having murdered Mrs lsa Muriel Chambers on or about June 1, 1960, at Holmwood, NSW.

During the proceedings, which were first heard from July 5 to 8 and were resumed on Monday, police have alleged that Mr Chambers murdered his wife and buried her on his property, ‘Glenville‘, at Holmwood.

The charge followed the discovery in July, 1981, of a human skull and arm bone in a paddock at ‘Glenville‘. After the discovery, by the property’s then owner, Mr Keith Kimmorley, police searched the immediate area and found more bones, pieces of clothing and shoes.

Detective Inspector Russell James Cook, internal-affairs branch, Sydney, told the court yesterday that he had been stationed at Cowra as a detective from July, 1959, to October, 1968.

In October, 1960, Mr Chambers had come to the station and reported his 39-year-old wife as missing.

Mr Chambers had said his wife had left him on Wednesday, June 1, after he had driven her into town. They had parked outside Cowra post office about 9.30am on June 1 and he had arranged to meet her about noon, but she had not returned to the car.

He had said that before the disappearance he and his wife had argued about their son, Robert, because she had wanted him to serve a mechanic’s apprenticeship while he, Mr Chambers, had wanted him to farm.

Mr Chambers had said that he had not thought his wife had had much money when she left because her bankbooks had remained at home.

Inspector Cook said he had later made inquiries at Cowra Commonwealth Bank about Mrs Chambers’ account. He had observed only one entry ( a child-endowment payment ), made after June 1, in the account. No withdrawals had been recorded after June 1, he said.

He and another officer had inspected the ‘Glenville‘ property at this stage, and while there Inspector Cook had spoken to Robert Chambers, who had then been about 15.

Mr Chambers, according to Inspector Cook, had told Robert he had taken his wife to the Holmwood railway station, and not the Cowra township, before she disappeared.

In November, 1960, at Cowra police station, Mr Chambers, when told this by Inspector Cook had said his son must have been mistaken. Mr Chambers had said that he had told his son, as he had all others, that he had taken his wife to Cowra before her disappearance.

Inspector Cook also had told Mr Chambers that he had spoken to a friend of Mrs Chambers, Mrs Evelyn Blair. Mrs Blair had told Inspector Cook that she had arranged with Mrs Chambers to visit the Cowra theatre on the afternoon of June 1.

[ Mrs Blair told the court on Monday that she had asked Mrs Chambers on the weekend before June 1 to drive her to Cowra on the afternoon of June 1 so that they could watch a film of Princess Margaret’s wedding at the theatre. How ever, Mrs Chambers had not shown up and Mrs Blair had never seen her again. ]

Inspector Cook said he had also told Mr Chambers he had checked at the airport and railway stations in the area to find whether any of their staff had seen Mrs Chambers. None of them had, he had said.

He had told Mr Chambers he was not satisfied with his explanation and had suggested that Mr Chambers had murdered his wife and buried her on his property. Mr Chambers had denied this, adding that he had nothing further to add to his explanation.

Inspector Cook said he had taken a statement from Mr Chambers in 1961 and had initiated a missing-person file in relation to Mrs Chambers. And in 1962 he had circulated a number of information forms, also pertaining to Mrs Chambers, for publication in the NSW Police Gazette.

The court was told yesterday that Mrs Chambers’ missing-person file had not been seen since 1980. An extensive search of Sydney files had been made last July, but it had not been found.

Inspector Cook said yesterday, in reply to questioning by Mr Chambers’ counsel, Mr Peter Coleman, QC. that his police notebooks pertaining to the case had been destroyed about 1965.

He said he had put the notebooks aside for safekeeping when the “normal clean-up” was made at Cowra police station, but they had been mistakenly regarded by another officer as unwanted and had been burnt.

Inspector Cook said it had been regular practice to destroy unwanted records periodically.

He also said that the occurrence pad, in which he would have noted the time and date of his interview with Mr Chambers at the police station, had mistakenly been destroyed.

He agreed with Mr Coleman that he would not therefore have seen his notebooks for at least 18 years. He had last seen his “comprehensive report” on the case, contained in the missing person file, about 1975.

He said he had compiled his notes for the present proceedings in February this year, and he agreed with Mr Coleman that he had not had any official records to which to refer.

Inspector Cook‘s evidence brought the prosecution case to a close. Mr Smith, SM, adjourned the proceedings to 10am tomorrow, when addresses will be made by Mr Coleman and the prosecutor, Sergeant John Taylor.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116426322

Clint Francis MILAZZO

| 21/05/2020

Clint Francis MILAZZO

AKA ?

Late of Ambarvale, NSW

Husband to Tanya MILAZZO ( a now Serving Member of NSWPF )

NSW Goulburn Police Academy Class # NIL

New South Wales Police Force – Applicant

Regd. # NIL

Rank: Police Applicant

Final Rank = Police Applicant

Stations: NIL

Service: From 0 0 0 to 0 0 0 = 0 years Service

Awards: Nil

Born: Tuesday 21 November 1978

Died on: Monday 3 March 2003

Age: 24 years, 10 months, 9 days

Cause: Assault – Injuries sustained from:

Event location: outside Ettamogah Hotel, Kellicar Rd, Campbelltown, NSW

Event date: Sunday 23 February 2003

Funeral date: ? March 2003

Funeral location: ?

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Camden Valley Way, Leppington, NSW

Grave GPS location: -33.956797909865394, 150.83623992775154

Grave Location:

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( May 2020 )

Mr Milazzo with children Harrison and Isobelle

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

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Crime Stoppers NSW

19 May 2020

???????? UNSOLVED CASE ????????

Clint Milazzo was assaulted outside the Ettamogah Hotel on Kellicar Road in Campbelltown on February 23, 2003.

Mr Milazzo, 24, was drinking with a friend and left the hotel at closing time. He and his friend were assaulted while standing in the undercover car park waiting for a taxi near the hotel.

According to investigators, Mr Milazzo was punched in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.

He suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Liverpool Hospital where he underwent several operations.

His health continued to deteriorate and he died on March 3, 2003 from severe head injuries he suffered during the attack.

Mr Milazzo was an applicant to enter the NSW Police College in Goulburn shortly before his death. His widow is a NSW Police officer.

A coronial inquest in 2005 returned an open finding and recommended a $100,000 reward be offered to help police find the person or persons responsible for the attack on Mr Milazzo.

Mr Milazzo’s case is still under the responsibility of Campbelltown detectives, who have conducted extensive inquiries but have exhausted all leads.

If the case goes to the Unsolved Homicide Unit then it could be reopened in the future under the new framework.

Detective Superintendent Cook said the reviews would “strengthen relationships with victim families through regular and informed communication”.

“It also allows the Unsolved Homicide Unit to initiate re-investigations while all other cases continue to be reviewed,” he said.

“We are committed to ensuring the most effective and efficient allocation of resources in order to maximise our capability to provide justice for victims and answers to their families.”

Seventeen cases are already being investigated under the new framework. No further detail on the cases has been provided.

The Unsolved Homicide Unit was formed in 2004 to centralise the bulk of the state’s unsolved murders and unexplained disappearances.

The unit has seen 30 cases solved and five more are before the court.

posts/4532092293483129?comment_id=4532263360132689&notif_id=1589886700610996&notif_t=feed_comment&ref=notif

Anybody who has any information about Mr Milazzo’s murder is urged to contact Campbelltown Police or report information using the methods shown below.

If you have any information about this case, please report online at www.nsw.crimestoppers.com.au or call us on 1800 333 000 (24/7).

You can remain confidential.

https://www.wollondillyadvertiser.com.au/story/5410925/parents-of-murdered-teen-welcome-reopening-of-cold-cases/

Do you have information that can help police with this case?

Any information you have about this is worth giving to police, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.

You can provide information to police via any of the methods below:

Call Crime Stoppers any time on 1800 333 000
Report information to Crime Stoppers any time via this site’s secure online form
Visit or call your local Police Station

Any information provided will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Your help may give police the clue they need to close this case and provide some comfort for the families of victims.

How to claim your reward

Contact Crime Stoppers or your local Police Station.
Identify yourself and indicate you have information about a crime and that you wish to claim a reward.
You will then be put in contact with a police officer involved in the investigation of that case.

14 years on, police are still searching for Clint Milazzo’s murderer

Kirstie Chlopicki, Macarthur Chronicle Campbelltown

March 10, 2017 4:52pm

FOURTEEN years after the killing of police recruit Clint Milazzo outside a Campbelltown pub, police have again appealed for help to find his murderer.

The 24-year-old had left Ettamogah Hotel, then at Macarthur Square, on February 23, 2003, when he was attacked while waiting for a taxi.

Mr Milazzo suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Liverpool Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit where he eventually died on March 3.

The Ambarvale man was an applicant to enter the NSW Police College in Goulburn shortly before his death.

Police are hoping a $100,000 reward will encourage witnesses of the incident to come forward.

Reward posted for police killer

POLICEWOMAN Tanya Milazzo is hoping a $100,000 reward will unlock critical information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of her husband‘s killer.

Clint Milazzo was celebrating his acceptance as a recruit to the NSW Police Academy when he was punched to the ground outside the Ettamogah Hotel in Campbelltown, on February 23, 2003. He suffered severe head injuries and died on March 3.

The 24-year-old father had been looking forward to his wife completing her police training and joining him in their chosen career.

“I know that there are people out there who know who was responsible for my husband’s death,” Picton-based Constable Milazzo said.

“They have the information we need to bring the killer to justice. It’s very frustrating because we know who did it, they know who did it, but they won’t come forward.

“Hopefully, the prospect of picking up $100,000 will end the stalemate in the investigation.”

Detective Sergeant Bob Morley said the police inquiry was focusing on a suspect whose role emerged during a 10-day coronial inquest last year.

“We hope the reward will loosen someone’s lips, especially among the associates and acquaintances of the person we are looking at,” Sergeant Morley said.

Posting the $100,000 reward, Police Minister Carl Scully said: “Campbelltown detectives have conducted extensive enquiries but have exhausted all leads.

“It’s hoped this reward may persuade somebody with knowledge of Clint’s murder to come forward and provide police with information that could lead to an arrest and conviction.

“His wife and two young children deserve to know who was responsible for Clint’s death, and see justice done.”

During their initial inquiries, police said the unprovoked attack was carried out by a male Caucasian 20 to 25 years old, about 178 centimetres tall, with short-cropped hair.

Anybody with any information about the Milazzo murder should contact Campbelltown Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Reward posted for police killer

Gary Malcolm PAGE

| 21/05/2020

Gary Malcolm PAGE

AKA PAGEY, STORKY

Late of ?

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class # 090

NSW Police Cadet # 1657

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 11075

Rank: Commenced Training as Police Cadet on 20 February 1961 ( 15 years, 8 months, 19 days old )

Probationary Constable- appointed 1 June 1964 ( 19 years old )

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed 1 June 1969

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed 1 June 1973

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 13 September 1986*

*in the 1988 Stud Book it is recorded that he made Sgt on 13-9-86

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 1 July 1980*

*in the 1989 Stud Book it is recorded that he made Sgt on 1-7-80

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Inspector – appointed ? ? ?

Chief Inspector – appointed ? ? ?

Superintendent – appointed ? ? ?

Chief Superintendent – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = ?

Stations: ?, North Coast District ( 1969 ), ?, Hillston ( 1972 – Cst 1/c ), Nowra ( 1970s ), OIC – Wee Waa ( 1980s – ’90s ), ?

Service: From 20 February 1961 to ? ? ? = ? years Service

Awards: National Medal – granted 20 January 1981 ( Sgt 3/c )

1st Clasp to National Medal – granted 7 October 1991 ( Sgt 3/c )

2nd Clasp to National Medal – granted 8 March 1997 ( Sgt )

Born: Friday 1 June 1945

Died on: Monday 11 May 2020

Age: 74 years, 11 months, 10 days

Cause: Cancer – ? Type

Event location: ?

Event date: ?

Funeral date: ? ? ?

Funeral location: ? ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 20 – 30 persons at a Funeral due to the Cornona19 Virus Pandemic – this will be a Private Funeral )

Future Wake location: ? TBA ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 10 persons only at ‘Gatherings’, there won’t be an immediate Wake )

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( May 2020 )

A newspaper cutting of Gary Page, cropped from a group photo taken in the early seventies.

GARY is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSWFallenPolice/

I haven’t any further information on this man than what is recorded above.

Cal

Donald Alexander Shepherd ALCHIN

| 21/05/2020

Donald Alexander Shepherd ALCHIN

AKA Don

Late of 1 Dudley Ave, Roseville, NSW

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class # ? ? ?

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # ‘Q‘ 8623

For the purposes of this website ‘Q‘ represents those Police joining between 1 March 1862 ( commencement of NSWPF ) – 23 February 1915 ( Commencement of NSWPF current numbering system )

Rank: Commenced Training on ? ? ?

Probationary Constable- appointed 11 March 1907

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = Detective Sergeant

Stations: ?, C.I.B. – Surry Hills

Service: From ? pre March 1907 to 31 May 1931 = 24+ years Service

Awards: ?

Born: Sunday 2 November 1879

Died on: Sunday 31 May 1931

Age: 51

Cause: ?, ” Long Illness ” ?

Event location: Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW

Event date: ?

Funeral date: Monday 1 June 1931 @ 2pm

Funeral location: Christ Church, Lavender Bay, NSW

Funeral Parlour: MOTOR FUNERALS LIMITED, 76 Walker-street, North Sydney.

Teles., X5227, M6277.

Buried at: Northern Suburbs Cemetery, Plassey Rd & Delhi Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW

Grave location: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( April 2020 )

DONALD is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

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ALCHIN.—May 31, 1931, at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Donald Alexander Sheperd Alchin, beloved husband of Margaret and dear daddy of Bryan.

At rest.

ALCHIN. —The Relatives and Friends of Mrs. MARGARET ALCHIN and SON, BRYAN, of 1 Dudley-avenue, Roseville, are invited to attend the Funeral of her beloved HUSBAND and his FATHER, Donald Alexander Sheperd Alchin (late detective-sergeant); to leave Christ Church, Lavender Bay, THIS AFTERNOON, after a service commencing at 2 o’clock, for Church of England Cemetery, Northern Suburbs, per Motor Service.

Please leave floral tributes at Christ Church.

MOTOR FUNERALS LIMITED,

76 Walker-street,

North Sydney.

Teles., X5227, M6277.

[1-6-1931 SMH]

https://austcemindex.com/inscription?id=3507096

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954),

Monday 1 June 1931, page 10

SERGEANT D. ALCHIN.

Detective-sergeant Donald Alchin died at the Royal North Shore Hospital yesterday at the age of 52 years.

Detective-sergeant Alchin Joined the police force in 1907, and served a short period in uniform before being transferred to the plainclothes branch, and then to the Criminal Investigation Branch.

He was very successful as a detective, and played a leading part in solving a number of crimes, most important, perhaps, being his work in securing the clue which led to the arrest of an Italian gang at the Commercial Banking Company’s branch in Castlereagh-street a few years ago.

The gang was arrested red-handed on the premises.

Detective Alchin is survived by Mrs. Alchin and a young son.

The Interment will take place in the Northern Suburbs Cemetery this afternoon, after a service at Christ Church. Lavender Bay, commencing at 2 o’clock.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16782223

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 – 1954),

Tuesday 2 June 1931, page 9

100 POLICE HEAD CORTEGE FUNERAL OF DETECTIVE

One hundred policemen in uniform marched at the head of the funeral of the late Detective-Sergeant Alchin, through the streets of North Sydney yesterday, the cortege being nearly half a mile long.

The pall-bearers were Detective-Sergeants Ryan, Eaton, Garlick, Regan, Mackie and Wilson, and others present included Superintendent Mackay, C.I.B., Inspectors Pattinson ( representing the Commissioner of Police ), Scott, Mortimer and Prior, and ex-Inspector Young.

Rev. Frank Cash held a short service in Christ Church, Lavender Bay, before the funeral moved off, and at the graveside, at Northern Suburbs Cemetery, the Masonic funeral service was conducted by Wor. Bro. W. Whitehead. W.M.. Lodge Glebe, assisted by Bros. G. S. Jackson. P.M.. F. H. Williams. P.M.. W. Kilner. S.M., and W. Andrews, treasurer.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246248829

Burrowa News (NSW : 1874 – 1951),

Friday 5 June 1931, page 1

Too Clever for ” The King “

DETECTIVE SERGEANT ” DON ” ALCHIN DEAD

Recognised as a man who knew more about foreign criminals and their methods than anyone in the Criminal Investigation Branch, the police force lost one of its cleverest detectives by the death, after a long illness, of Det-Sergeant Donald Alchin.

If ‘Don’ Alchin had done nothing else of note in a career of over twenty years, he would have been entitled to the great reputation he had in the C.I.B. for his work in the sensational arrest of Lucci ( ” The King ” ) and his famous gang of Italian cracksmen.

Australia has never known a gang so daring, so cunning, and so successful in their operations, as the Italian of whom Lucci, son of an Italian police chief, was leader.

Using giant cutters and tools which opened safes as if they had been made of tin, the gang brought off coup after coup, outwitting detectives at every turn. Det.Sergeant Alchin was the man who finally got on their tracks, and after weeks of relentless search finally ran them to earth.

It was Alchin who learnt of their plans to rob a Castlereagh Street bank, and he was the leader of a posse of detectives who arrested the gang at revolver-point just as they were about to set to work on a strong-room confining thousands of pounds.

Alchin brought to book many foreign criminals, mainly Italians, and was an expert on coining cases.

( The Police Band will be in attendance at the funeral which leaves his residence, Dudley Ave, Roseville, for the Northern Suburbs Cemetery this afternoon. )

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102376536

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246247062

Brian George BANISTER

| 21/05/2020

Brian George BANISTER

AKA Doggy

Late of ?

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class # ‘POSSIBLY’ 094

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 10575

Rank: Commenced Training on ? ? ?

Probationary Constable- appointed 25 February 1963

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed 25 March 1968

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed 25 March 1972

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed 30 June 1987

Final Rank = Detective Senior Sergeant

Stations: ?, Major Crime Squad – South West & Campbelltown, ?, Internal Affairs – South West Region – Retirement

Service: From ? pre Feb 1963? ? to 18 July 1997 = ? years Service

Awards: National Medal – granted 20 January 1981 ( Det Sgt )

1st Claps to National Medal – granted 17 March 1989 ( Det SnrSgt )

Commended, together with Alfred ( Tom ) Rangott, SenCon L. J. Huntington, Cst F.K. Whitton & ProCst G.R. White, for good team work and tenacity during a high speed chase in the Liverpool area resulting in the arrest of an offender charged with Robbery Whilst Armed in July 1969.

Born: Sunday 28 August 1938

Died on: Wednesday 6 May 2020

Age: 81 years 8 months 8 days

Cause: Cancer – Leukemia

Event location: ?

Event date: ?

Funeral date: ? ? ? ( already held )

Funeral location: ? ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 10 persons at a Funeral due to the Cornona19 Virus Pandemic – this will be a Private Funeral )

Future Wake location: ? TBA ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 2 persons only at ‘Gatherings’, there won’t be an immediate Wake )

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( April 2020 )

DOGGY is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

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Doggy’s wife – Betty, passed away in March 2020 – also from Cancer.

They are survived by a Son and Daughter.

What a great and cranky man. Had the pleasure of working with him. In order to get him to go for a pistol shoot a friend and I had to take him and then suck up to the guys to let him have another go on the same day. Cranky as he was we could always break through that veneer and make him laugh. Great investigator with no patience for fools. May he Rest In Peace.

Brian George BANISTER AKA Doggy - standing & holding a torch — Brian George BANISTER AKA Doggy – standing & holding a torch

Richard BODILLY

| 21/05/2020

Richard BODILLY

‘ BODILY ‘

‘ BODILEY ‘

‘ BODELLY ‘

AKA ?

Late of Scone, NSW

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # ???

Rank: Commenced Training on ? ? ?

Probationary Constable- appointed ? ? ?

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ??

Chief Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = Chief Constable

Stations: ?, Scone Police

Service: From ? ? ? to 7 May 1854 = ? years Service

Awards: ?

Born: ? ? 1820 – ’21? – Native of Penzance, Cornwall, England

Died on: Sunday 7 May 1854

Age: 33

Cause: Accidentally shot

Event location: near Scone, NSW

Event date: Sunday 7 May 1854

Funeral date: Monday 8 May 1854

Funeral location: ?

Funeral Parlour: ?

Stonemason: Cobby

Inscription: Sacred to the memory of Richard Bodily ( Note there is only 1 ‘L’ in the surname )( Gravestone has yet another spelling ” Bodiley “, A Native of Penzance in Cornwall, England. Chief Constable of Scone, who departed this life on the 7th May 1854 ” from the effects of a Pistol Shot accidentally received in the discharge of his duty “. Aged 33 years.

Buried at: St Luke’s Church of England, in the Churchyard, Scone, NSW

Grave location: 5th Row – starting from the fence

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( April 2020 )

RICHARD is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance * BUT SHOULD BE

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

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The chief constable was accidentally shot while escorting two prisoners to the Scone Police Station. As Chief Constable Bodilly and another constable were en route with their prisoners a pistol discharged, wounding the chief constable in the knee. Although he was conveyed to Scone for treatment, he succumbed to his wound and passed away on 7 May, 1854.

The coroner’s verdict following an inquest at Scone on 8 May, 1854 indicates that death was caused by the “accidental explosion of a pistol”. It appears he was succeeded at Scone by Chief Constable Hugh Brien Murray. The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River Advertiser of 10 May, 1854 reported the incident.

“ACCIDENT – A few days since one of the Muswell Brook constables was sent to the neighbourhood of Scone in search of two men, for whose apprehension warrants were issued. The chief and another constable of Scone also went in search, and apprehended the men, and whilst escorting them to the lockup, by some means or other the chief constable’s pistol went off, and the ball lodged in his knee and fractured the bones. He was conveyed to Scone, and attended by two doctors, who endeavoured to extract the ball, but could not do so.”

At the time of his death the chief constable was aged 33 years and was stationed at Scone.

He is not listed in the official New South Wales Police Honour Roll.

Source: Beyond Courage – 7 May 2020

The Widow, Mary Anne BODELLY ( Spelt with an ‘E’ instead of ‘I’, married Charles Day MURPHY ON 30 August 1855 at Scone, NSW.

Sydney Quarter Sessions

Monday 12 August 1850 page 2

Before the Chairman and Mr. David Allan, J.P.

The Crown Prosecutor conducted the following cases on behalf of the Crown.

John Day and Philip Kedley were indicted for assaulting Richard Bodilly, a constable, while engaged in the execution of his duty.

The Jury found the defendants guilty, with a recommendation to mercy, and they were sentenced to be each imprisoned and kept to hard labour in Sydney Gaol for the term of three calendar months.

12 Aug 1850 – SYDNEY QUARTER SESSIONS. – Trove

Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 – 1893),

Wednesday 10 August 1853, page 4

Government Gazette.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1853.

NOTICE – SCONE.

Notice is hereby given, that the Justices of the Peace acting in and for the police district of Scone, in Petty Sessions assembled, have this day (July 29th) appointed Mr. Richard Bodilly, chief constable, to be Inspector of Weights and Measures for the police district of Scone.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/671067

Account of sums received by the Colonial Treasurer, gratuity on leaving the Police Force.

Mary Ann Bodilly, widow of Chief Constable Bodilly, Police, Scone
105 pound

******

18 pound, 7 shillings, 3 pence paid on 26 June 1854 of the Estate of deceased – Richard Bodilly.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229753316

Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser

(NSW : 1843 – 1893),

Saturday 17 June 1854, page 3

STATEMENT of all Suns of Money received in aid of the Funds of the SCONE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, from the 9th June, 1853, to 9th June, 1854.

1853. £. s. d.

June 10.

Joseph Docker, Esq , J.P. 1. 0

W. Dangar, Esq., J.P 1 0

Mr. T. Dangar. 1 0

Mr. James Evans. 0 5

Mr. R. Bodilly. 0 10s

Mr. W. Sladden . 0 10

Mr. M. Collins. 0 5

Mr. J. Ashford . 0 5

Mr. R. Bell. 0 5

Mr. Israel Cottle. 0 5

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/690320

Sally Elizabeth URQUHART

| 21/05/2020

Sally Elizabeth URQUHART

AKA ?

Late of ?

Partner ( fiancée ) of Senior Constable Trad THORNTON ( Bamaga Police Stn )

Queensland Police Academy Squad # ? ? ?

Queensland Police Force

Regd. # 4014432

Rank: Commenced Training on 19 February 2001

Probationary Constable- appointed 4 September 2001

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = Constable

Stations: Metropolitan North Region – Hendra Police Stn ( 19 Feb 2001 – 13 Oct 2002 ), Cairns Police Stn ( 14 Oct 2002 – 10 March 2003 ), Aurukun Police Station ( 11 March 2003 – 21 August 2003 ), Bamaga Police Stn ( 18 months ) – Death

Service: From 19 February 2001 to 7 May 2005 = 4 years Service

Awards: No Find on Australian Honours

Born: ? ? ?

Died on: 7 May 2005

Age: 28

Cause: Passenger – Downed Aerotropics flight from Bamaga to Cairns, Qld

Event location: rugged mountain terrain 11kms northwest of Lockhart River Aboriginal Commission, Qld

Event date: 7 May 2005

Funeral date: ? ? ?

Funeral location: ?

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: ?

SALLY IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/QueenslandFallenPolice/

In Memory of Constable Sally Urquhart

Location: Column 3 - Left leg, Rear portion, Row 4 Sally Urquhart — Location: Column 3 – Left leg, Rear portion, Row 4

Constable Constable Sally Urquhart and Senior Constable Trad Thornton on the northernmost point of the Australian Mainland. — **Constable Sally Urquhart** and **Senior Constable Trad Thornton** on the northernmost point of the Australian Mainland.

Constable Sally Urquhart registered number 4014432 was a Queensland Police Officer from the 19thFebruary 2001 until the 7th May 2005.

Constable Sally Urquhart was on-board an Aerotropics flight from Bamaga bound for Cairns when it crashed into dense rainforest and rugged mountain terrain 11kms northwest of Lockhart River Aboriginal Commission, killing all fifteen occupants on the 7thMay 2005. This tragic loss has affected the whole community in the Far North, in particular the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community of Bamaga and Injinoo.

Constable Sally Urquhart had been stationed at Bamaga Police station, with her fiancé Senior Constable Trad Thornton for the past 18months.

Sally was the eldest of three children born to Shane and Elizabeth Urquhart. She grew up as the daughter of School teachers and subsequently lived throughout Queensland. Sally was a young lady born for success, she was school captain at both primary and high school; a model student.

In the words of her father,“ She touched the hearts of everyone she met from childhood to present, in the many parts of Queensland where we have lived ”.

After finishing school she went on to complete a double degree at the University of Queensland in Law and Science, winning the University prize for Family Law.

Whilst at uni, Sally shared accommodation with a police officer, Plain Clothes Detective Peta Ross and it was during this time that Sally set her sights on joining the Queensland Police.

Sally and her dog ' Prince ' — Sally and her dog ‘ Prince ‘

After graduating from university, Sally commenced recruit training at the Queensland Police Academy at Oxley on the 19thFebruary 2001 and graduated on the 4th September2001.

Her first posting was to the Metropolitan North Region where she was stationed at Hendra. Even at this early stage in her Career Sally was showing signs of great potential. Her service history indicates that she excelled in all aspects of general duties and worked well in a team environment.

It was here that she met her finance, Senior Constable Trad Thornton. Trad was working in the Public Safety Response Team, (PSRT), at the time.

Sally was posted to Cairns Station on the 14th October2002, where she performed general duties in Team 4. Her Supervisor / Team Leader identified early that Sally was an officer who was prepared to accept any responsibility or task and displayed a high work ethic. She was well suited to general duties policing and excelled at all aspects of her work.

Sally’s professionalism and understanding towards all members of the public went beyond that of her duty as a Police Officer. She was always willing to assist members of the community and was commended by the then Assistant Commissioner Allan Roberts for her efforts.

Trad was transferred to Cairns a short time later and after 4 months, the pair were identified as suitable officers to work in the Aboriginal community in the Cape York Peninsular and were transferred to Aurukun Station where they policed from the 11th March until the 21st August 2003.

Aurukun is a station that has recently increased from 4 to 7 staff, with a population of approximately 1200. Most of the work involves policing aboriginal community which in itself is a huge task, the sacrifices that officers make to go there are enormous, however the life experiences are priceless.

Sally excelled in her work and she was involved with all levels of the community. Sally’s personality and demeanour ensured that she was readily accepted by the community. Sally had a presence about her that brought calm to situations that verged on mayhem and conflict. Whilst stationed at Aurukun her rapport with the community members was one of respect, trust and honesty.

These qualities and her dedication to duty ensured that The Queensland Police were respected, in a sometimes difficult environment. Sally’s attitude to work and her diligent and tenacious nature ensured that she was going to achieve whatever she desired.

Sergeant Andrew Clarkson ( current Officer in charge of Aurukun ) remembers Sally dealing with confronting and daunting situations that required great courage and composure. He remarks that Sally excelled in these situations, and it was reassuring to know that she was with you.

Sgt CLARKSON remembers her personality, her smile and her innate ability to say the right words at any given time making the rigors of policing Aurukun enjoyable. “ I will always remember the day that I was promoted to Officer in Charge, Aurukun not for the promotion, but for the way that Sally rushed over to me when she heard the news, gave me a hug and a kiss and then made a fuss over it all ”.

Sally was a selfless person who ensured that others would always come first. She was a dedicated police officer who values ensured that justice was served. When I heard of the tragedy, I pondered as to why could one who’s light shines so strong and bright be taken from us.

Policing within any Cape Community within the Far Northern Region is a daunting experience for police officers to say the least. Officers within these communities develop the ability to foresee behavioural changes within the community. Officers are exposed to a myriad of situations and events that test their abilities. To be tenacious, resourceful and professional at all times is sometimes a feat within itself.

Since the implementation of Alcohol Management Plans (AMP’s) communities have undergone a dramatic metamorphosis. With the lifting of the ‘veil’ of alcohol, policing within the communities has changed tact from the much talked about reactive policing style to a more proactive community based approach. This change has been embraced by the community and supported by both elders and councils.

Policing for female officers is compounded further by local culture and tradition. Male’s in these communities are reluctant to deal with female officers. From my observations all the females that I have worked with at Aurukun have been able to establish a rapport and gain respect within the communities, that some male officers have failed to achieve. These officers have utilised their various skills and instincts to finesse and diffuse potentially volatile situations.

The ability to arbitrate, negotiate and resolve situations are attributes that police utilise everyday. Working within remote and isolate communities ensures that these skills are honed and developed to there absolute potential. The ability to endear oneself to a community and make a difference was never more evident, with the tragic loss of Sally. Elders and councillors from the community stopped me to talk to me about Sally and how ‘ good a person she was ’. Silas Wolmby an elder and traditional landholder of Aurukun stated to me that “ she made him smile, and he knew that she would always do the right thing. ”

From Aurukun she was transferred to Bamaga Police station. This area consists of 5 police. Sally was one of two female officers in Bamaga. The second being Senior Constable Joanne Bailey, the following comments are from Jo.

Sally was nothing more than a champion. She would undertake any task with such enthusiasm, whether it be major criminal investigations such as rape and indecent dealings to minor jobs that are required to efficiently run a small station. Sally was instrumental in organising court days and her organisational and leadership skills were way above her policing years.

Besides her policing skills, Sally had an amazing quality of ‘ brightening up the room ’. She was always genuinely happy to see you at any time and nothing was a bother. Her laughter could be heard across the houses, which would straight away make you smile.

Trad and Sally made many friends in Bamaga. Since they were engaged in June 2004, she shared her excitement with her closest friends. Her wedding plans were all sorted out, again she was organised down to the jelly beans on the table!

But it was not to be, and like many people from the Far North the 7th May 2005 will remain as the worst day they have ever experienced. But things are getting easier, and as a good friend of ours said recently, we are truly more blessed to have known Sally, even if it was only for a short time. She is sadly missed.

Sally's graduation day - pictured with squad mates Constable Krissie Warriner and Constable Mardi Watts — Sally’s graduation day – pictured with squad mates Constable Krissie Warriner and Constable Mardi Watts

The Journal for Women and Policing

Pages 12 – 14

https://acwap.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Issue16.pdf

Fresh blow to air crash victims’ families

by Vanessa Marsh and Vanda Carson

18th Sep 2018 9:15 AM

THE owners and operators of a commercial plane involved in one of Australia’s worst air disasters have launched legal action that could stop the victims’ families ever getting answers.

Two pilots and 13 passengers were killed in the May 2005 Lockhart River tragedy when an Aerotropics commercial flight crashed into a ridge line and exploded in flames, killing all on board during a flight from Bamaga.

In the latest roadblock for victims’ families, owners of the doomed aircraft have launched an appeal in a bid to block a wrongful-death lawsuit in the US state of Missouri, just weeks after the victims’ families won a legal battle to allow the case to go to trial in July next year.

Brisbane man Shane Urquhart lost his policewoman daughter Sally in the crash and said the long-running legal hurdles were “frustrating” and “ludicrous”.

“We’re talking about human lives here, ordinary people and they were all good people going about their daily business,” he said.

“There’s no such thing as closure, there’s no closure when you lose someone but there may be justice but that certainly hasn’t happened here.”

The horror crash was the worst air disasters in Queensland in more than four decades and claimed the lives of a leading scientist, a popular policewoman, three key members of a football team, and a 25-year-old mother of six.

The families allege in the Missouri court action that the aircraft had several defects and that the crash was “the direct and proximate result” of one of more of those defects.

The alleged defects include claims the plane did not contain an effective ground proximity warning system, it was not equipped with autopilot and flight instruments were either hard to read, confusing, or not in proper view.

Lawyers for the plane’s owners and operators who are being sued by 61 family members of the crash victims, the majority of whom live in Queensland, launched an appeal on September 6 against last months’ Brisbane Supreme Court ruling allowing the Missouri case to go ahead.

The appeal argues the Supreme Court ought to rule that the Missouri action is “vexatious and oppressive” and that “nothing relevant” could be gained in the overseas action over and above what could be gained in Australia.

The families are pursuing legal action in Missouri where they claim the aircraft was delivered, inspected and placed into operation.

The 61 family members are expected to fly to Missouri to give evidence or testify via video link.

In Missouri, a jury will determine the amount of damages awarded instead of a judge and there are no orders for costs as there are in Australia.

However it’s not yet clear whether the US case will run according to Queensland or Missouri law.

Toowoomba lawyer Pat Nunan has been representing the victims’ families for more than a decade and said the delays were difficult.

“It’s terrible and it’s had a great impact on the families of the victims,” he said.

“Litigation is one of the great stressors of all time and it has been horrendous for them.”

He said the families were desperate for answers.

“We’re trying to get their day in court to determine what actually did go wrong and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

“It’s like a hot dagger into a wound every time something comes up in these cases.”

Brisbane man Shane Urquhart lost his policewoman daughter Sally in the crash and said the long-running legal hurdles were “frustrating” and “ludicrous”.

“We’re talking about human lives here, ordinary people and they were all good people going about their daily business,” he said.

“There’s no such thing as closure, there’s no closure when you lose someone but there may be justice but that certainly hasn’t happened here.”

The appeal returns to the Court of Appeal tomorrow.

Fresh blow to air crash victims’ families | Morning Bulletin

‘I’ll never forget the words’: Father reveals the chilling phone call he received moments after plane crash which killed his daughter and 14 others on board in mysterious circumstances

Sahar Mourad

4/10/2018

A father has revealed the chilling phone call he received moments after the horror plane crash which killed his daughter and 14 others on board.

The crash, considered one of Australia’s worst aviation disasters, led to the deaths of 15 people in 2005 after a plane struck a ridge in the Lockhart River, Queensland.

Grieving families of the passengers are still asking for answers after a Coroner’s Inquest and Senate inquiry failed to conclusively reveal what caused the crash.

Constable Shane Urquhart, whose daughter Sally was one of the passengers on the plane, has revealed the haunting words he heard immediately after the crash.

‘The phone rang and when I answered, it was Sally’s fiance Trad and I’ll never forget the words…He just very, very quietly said ”Shane, Sally’s plane is missing”,’ he told A Current Affair.

Since the devastating incident, loved ones have been looking for answers to what happened on the plane which caused it to crash.

Mr Urquhart said there’s ‘no such thing as closure’ and all the families’ victims deserve answers.

‘They don’t deserve or didn’t deserve what happened to them.’

The policewoman was due to marry Trad four months after the incident, but instead her fiancée and family were left with the heartbreaking task of burying her.

An inquiry into the crash found 19 different factors led to the fatal collision, with the main one being pilot error.

But Mr Urquhart does not accept this, saying the inquest took the easy decision to blame someone who is not around to defend themselves.

‘In aviation accidents where everybody has not survived, who are they going to blame? The pilots, because no-one is available to tell the story and it’s very, very easy to do that,’ he told the network.

The victims’ families lawyer Patrick Noona alleged there was something already wrong with the aircraft, revealing they would be taking legal action against the plane’s owners in the United States.

The insurers are fighting to stop the legal proceedings but nothing will occur until the case appears in the Brisbane Supreme Court next month.

If the families win then a wrongful death lawsuit will be heard in Missouri next year.

Mr Urquhart said his daughter would be cheering on the families saying, ‘don’t let the bastards win’.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/ill-never-forget-the-words-father-reveals-the-chilling-phone-call-he-received-moments-after-plane-crash-which-killed-his-daughter-and-14-others-on-board-in-mysterious-circumstances/ar-BBNVHOV?fullscreen=true#image=4

Lockhart River air disaster

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lockhart River air disaster occurred on 7 May 2005, when Aero-Tropics Air Services Flight 675 crashed while on approach to land at Lockhart River Airport in Queensland, Australia, on a ridge known as South Pap 6 nautical miles (11 km) north-west of the airport.^[2] All fifteen on board died as the aircraft was completely destroyed by impact forces and subsequent fire. The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner commuter aircraft, registered VH-TFU,^[3] was owned by Transair Ltd and operated by Aero-Tropics. The flight was scheduled from Bamaga on Cape York to the regional centre of Cairns, with a stopover in Lockhart River. It was the worst air crash in Australia in 36 years since MacRobertson Miller Airlines Flight 1750 on 31 December 1968.^[4]

Investigation

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The Queensland Coroner’s Inquest in 2007, found that, despite evidence that there were a number of issues leading up to the crash, pilot error was the prime cause. Families of those who lost their lives in the disaster have been highly critical of the Coroner’s findings and the deficiencies in the operations of the regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and the poor company structure and practices of Transair Ltd.

The investigation was aided by flight information from the aircraft’s flight data recorder. As the cockpit voice recorder was unserviceable, and had been for some time, the conversations occurring between the flight crew will never be known.

Senate inquiry

As a result of intense lobbying by the father of one of the victims, Constable Sally Urquhart, and others, the Australian Senate’s Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee resolved to conduct an inquiry into the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, its operations and other matters. The Inquiry was convened on 2–3 July 2008 at Parliament House, Canberra. As well as Mr Shane Urquhart’s submission, there were sixty others which were considered by the Inquiry. The vast majority of the submissions were highly critical of most aspects of CASA’s operations.^[who?] Several people and organisations, including Mr Urquhart, supported their submissions in person at the Inquiry. In September 2008, the Committee Chair, Senator Glenn Sterle, released the report of the inquiry to the Transport Minister Mr Anthony Albanese and the public.

The recommendations from the report are:

1. That the Australian Government strengthens CASA’s governance framework and administrative capability by:

a. introducing a small board of up to five members to provide enhanced oversight and strategic direction for CASA; and

b. undertaking a review of CASA’s funding arrangements to ensure CASA is equipped to deal with new regulatory challenges.

2. In accordance with the findings of the Hawke Taskforce, that CASA’s Regulatory Reform Program be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible to provide certainty to industry and to ensure CASA and industry are ready to address future safety challenges.

3. That the Australian National Audit Office audit CASA’s implementation and administration of its Safety Management Systems approach.

Further incidents

Following the Lockhart River crash, Transair in Australia went into liquidation in late 2006.^[5] Aerotropics also no longer operates because the Civil Aviation Safety Authority cancelled its Air Operator Certificate due to ongoing safety breaches. Transair continued to operate its PNG business until 31 August 2010 when the company’s Cessna Citation ran off the runway on landing at Misima Island near Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea. The previous owner of Transair in Australia, Les Wright, died along with three others in the ensuing inferno. There was one survivor.

Notes

Accident history for {{{1}}} at Aviation Safety Network
“Aviation Occurrence Report 200501977 Final”. Australian Transport Safety Bureau. 4 April 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
“CASA Aircraft Register (VH-TFU)”. Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Ten Worst Air Crashes in Australia since 1968. Retrieved 2011-09-11

Hans Mick (17 August 2007). “Lockhart River plane crash findings handed down”. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 January 2014.

References

Sydney Morning Herald
Finding of Inquest: Inquest into the Aircraft Crash at Lockhart River. Office of the State Coroner 17 August 2007 Brisbane, Queensland
Senate Committee Report: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport. “Administration of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and related matters” September 2008

Lockhart River air disaster – Wikipedia

Respect Aussie Police & Emergency Services

May 8, 2016

Remembrance post Constable Sally Urquhart

10 years on we remember those lost in the Lockhart River Plane Crash

May 7, 2005, saw 13 passengers and 2 crew board an Aerotropics flight in Bamaga bound for Cairns.

Constable Sally Urquhart was one of those passengers heading to Townsville Police Academy for work and farewelled her fiancé at the Bamaga Airport.

Whilst enroute, their Metroliner crashed on ‘South Pap’ on the Iron Range about 11km from Lockhart River airstrip at about 11.44am.

Police commenced Operation Delta Devlin with Inspector Russell Rhodes as the Forward Commander for the Crash Investigation and recovery.
nspector Rhodes is now in his 4th decade of policing and he cited this job as his most demanding job as a Forward Commander as it was an extremely demanding search and recovery effort over a seven day period.

Whilst he had a very good team working with him, they were challenged by the tough terrain and weather conditions.

He said, “I do stress that it was never about us and no matter how hard it was going to be we were always going to do whatever it took to help those families.”

No one can prepare you for a sudden loss of a loved one. When it comes in tragic circumstances, it’s like a bolt from the blue that makes no sense at all.

Many of us in the QPS had the pleasure of working with Constable Sally Urquhart and treasure the time we had with her. She was an absolutely delightful young woman.

Beautiful inside and out, charismatic in nature, she was a little pocket rocket, smart as a whip, a dedicated police officer with so much potential to succeed. She was your typical girl next door and engaged to be married to a fellow officer later in 2005. Both were so excited to spend their lives together.

Constable Sally Urquhart was a much loved friend and colleague to many of us in the Queensland Police Service. Sal made our lives that much richer for just knowing her and she will always be remembered as a beautiful young woman, full of life and forever young.

Today ceremonies were held in Bamaga at the Airport and the Oxley Police Academy to mark the 10th anniversary of the plane crash.

Constable Sally Urquhart’s family were present at the Police Academy to hear the Commissioner of Police Ian Stewart and Mr John O’Gorman (Retired Police Inspector) pay tribute to Sally, honouring her service, at the 10th anniversary of her death.
In recognition of the shared tragedy of the plane crash, Sally’s nieces and nephews released 15 balloons for each of those who lost their lives 10 years ago at the Oxley Academy ceremony.

Our deepest sympathies go out to all the families and friends of those lost in the Lockhart River Plane crash 10 years ago.

They remain alive in our hearts and treasured memories will not be forgotten.
RIP Sally

Honouring victims of shocking fatal flight

CHRISTIE ANDERSON, Townsville Bulletin

May 7, 2015 8:21am

A DECADE ago today, two pilots and 13 passengers boarded an aeroplane in Bamaga bound for Cairns – but they would never complete the fateful journey.

Memorial services will be held around the state today to remember the 15 people killed in the Lockhart River air disaster 10 years ago.

On May 7, 2005, an Aerotropics flight with 15 people on board from Bamaga to Cairns crashed into South Pap Ridge, 11km northwest of the Lockhart River Aboriginal commission.

Trad Thornton will be one of dozens of family members remembering a loved one taken too soon.

Mr Thornton, now a police sergeant based in Brisbane, was a senior constable in 2005 when his fiancée Sally Urquhart was killed in one of the worst aeroplane crashes in Australia’s history.

Constable Urquhart, a 28-year-old police officer, based in Bamaga and celebrated for her strong sense of social justice, was on her way to Townsville for a constable development course when she died.

Sgt Thornton will attend a memorial service at Oxley Police Academy for Constable Urquhart, who was killed only weeks before she was due to marry the fellow officer.

“She was an absolutely amazing person and an exceptional police officer,” he said.

“It’s just one of those days that I suppose is going to be etched in my mind for the rest of my life like the day we were going to get married and the day we got engaged.

Sally Urquhart and fiance Trad Thornton. Sally Urquhart died when the TransAir passenger plane smashed into a hill in May 2005 on approach to the Far Northern community of Lockhart River, killing all 15 people aboard. — Sally Urquhart and fiancée Trad Thornton. Sally Urquhart died when the TransAir passenger plane smashed into a hill in May 2005 on approach to the Far Northern community of Lockhart River, killing all 15 people aboard.

“I’m very happy that she will be remembered but it is my opinion you don’t ever get over something like this but you learn to live with it.”

He said Constable Urquhart was such an exceptional police officer that after only three years in the service she had the Chief Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner travel more than 1000km to talk to her about her career progression.

“It was very impressive to see two high-ranking police fly 1000km to talk to someone about their police career,” he said. “She was very well educated with law and science degrees and she was very capable.

“She had the perfect personality to be a police officer.” Sgt Thornton now has a family and two young boys but he said he would never fully recover from losing his fiancée.

“In my mind I am able to separate the emotion from the plane crash and talk about the investigation but when it comes to Sally it’s a closed book,” he said.

“I see things and try and do things I think Sally would want me to do.

“Instead of wasting a day grieving and dwelling on the past I’m going to try and think about the good times.”

Father, Shane Urquhart said he would never fully recover from the tragedy.

“We live with it every day still, 10 years on – it’s always there,” he said. “There’s no such thing as closure.

“The memorial is about remembering Sally and thinking of the 14 other innocent people who were just going about their lives.”

.au/news/honouring-victims-of-shocking-fatal-flight/news-story/7ac2cd090f61f20854e8520b89d20960

A Call From Lockhart River

Monday 2 March 2009 1:00am

This program tells the poignant story of a popular young police officer widely described as one of the ‘best and brightest’ in the Queensland Force.

Sally Urquhart was one of 15 people killed four years ago when a plane crashed at Lockhart River in a remote region of Far North Queensland.

It was categorised as the worst airline disaster in Australia for nearly forty years.

At the time of her death Sally Urquhart was engaged to a police colleague also serving in the Far North. In a call to her mother just before the flight, Sally talked about the upcoming wedding and described her fear of getting on the plane. “I just hate it… it rattles” she said.

Sally’s father Shane is a primary school principal, with no expertise of any kind in aviation.

But when official investigations into the crash left questions unanswered, he set out on a single minded mission that took him to the most powerful forums in the land – with consequences for everyone in regional Australia and beyond.

Transcript

BOB ATKINSON, PRESENTER: Hello, my name is Bob Atkinson and I am the Commissioner for the Queensland Police Service. On Saturday the 7th of May 2005, an aircraft with 15 people on board, travelling from Bamaga crashed at Lockhart River. All 15 people were killed. One of those was Sally Urquhart, constable in the Queensland Police Service and the daughter of Shane and Elizabeth Urquhart. Sally was one of our brightest and best officers and sadly, her unlimited potential will now never be realised. This Australian Story is about her father Shane and his work to improve the safety of people travelling on regional airlines throughout Australia.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Being a musician myself, one of the ways that I thought would be a long term way of remembering Sally, was to have a piece of music composed in her honour. It’s called ‘Celebration for Sally’. The navy band in Sydney have it as part of their repertoire.

NATALIE URQUHART, SISTER: I definitely have a sense of Sally when I play that piece. Certain bits, like the bit at the start just reminds me of her being a police officer. You know, there’s the police whistle and all that, and I just straight away think of Sal in her uniform, and then the reflective part of it, you know, I can think of maybe my last moments that I spent with Sal, and that’s, they’re the hard bits to get through. Mum and dad don’t actually get the chance very much to come and watch me perform in the navy band. I think they got a huge buzz out of it. So um, I think it was probably a bit emotionally hard on mum. I think she might have had a few tears there.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: There’s just certain parts in it that really, I really love and I’ve told Natalie which parts they are. And every time they’re played I just, yeah, it’s my Sal.

(Excerpts from ABC News)

FEMALE REPORTER: Fifteen people died when a Transair Metro liner slammed into a rugged mountain in May 2005.

MALE REPORTER: Searches took until late in the afternoon to spot the wreckage. One of the passengers was Constable Sally Urquhart, a Bamaga police officer.

INVESTIGATOR: We’d like to know exactly what caused the accident.

FEMALE REPORTER 2: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has described yesterday’s tragedy as the country’s most significant loss since the 1960s.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: This was always an accident that was going to happen, not if and when, an accident that was always going to happen.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: And it was just amazing when he started how many people, like ex-pilots or pilots, got in contact with him to say, ‘Oh yeah, I know of this that happened, and I know of that that happened’.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: That caused me no end of grief, that caused me no end of angst in that I really needed to find out what the hell was going on here.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Sally was our eldest child, first born. I’m a school principal and I was in my first one teacher school when Sally was due to be born.

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: Sal was one of those people where she was always my rock. Like I’d, as most young fella’s do, get themselves in a bit trouble and that and Sal would be the first person I rang, every time.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: She was fairly set on law, got an honours degree in law, went off and did some articles with a law firm and decided very promptly that that wasn’t what she wanted to do.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: And she called us up and said ‘I don’t want to be a lawyer anymore, I can’t do it, I hate it’. And like she topped family law in her year and all I could think of was, five years down the drain, you know.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Touch was her big thing and she was being looked at to be part of the Australian mixed open team.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: At that particular stage with her touch, she had met a couple of girls that were in the police service and Shane said to Sal, ‘Have you ever thought of joining the police service?’

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: When Sally first went to the city station, she was doing the orientation visit and I think one of the senior officers might have said something like, ‘this is Trad Thornton, keep away from Trad Thornton’ or something like that. And I think that might have been like waving a red rag to a bull.

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: They didn’t have much in common, but they just clicked. They never argued, they never worried about stuff, they just did what they had to do and to them life was beautiful.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Most of the young police officers do need to do a bit of country service, Sally promptly transferred to Cairns.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: I was inspector in Cairns. Sally was smart as a whip. She was a very down to earth, practical and keen young copper, and a very effective young copper.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Trad put his hand up and said I’d like to go to Cairns too, so he ended up in Cairns as well, and they got engaged before they went up there. So they were going to be married in September 2005.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: And he and Sal went up to the Cape stations. She was a caring, compassionate person who genuinely loved other people. And I was more than proud to call Sally my friend, more than proud to call Sally my friend, and I still am.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: One of the issues about living in isolated communities, is the fact that the major way of moving is by air transport.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: I personally am terrified of aeroplanes, have been my whole life. If the young police had to come out of the communities for court, or for courses or any other reason, then it was by aircraft

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: She often used to say to me, ‘I wish I didn’t have to fly out’ and the night before it happened, she rang here. And the last thing she said to me was, ‘The only thing mum, is I hate getting on that plane’. She said, ‘I hate it’. She said, ‘It just rattles’. And I said, ‘You’ll be right, love’. I said ‘Think of happy thoughts when you get on there’. I said, ‘Think of your wedding’. That’s the last time I spoke to her.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Trad was still on duty up in the station at that particular time and he received the phone call from Lockhart River to say, ‘Where’s the plane? It hasn’t arrived’.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: Trad rang and I heard Shane say, ‘What’s the matter mate, what’s wrong?’ And Shane just got up and sort of thumped the bed. He said, ‘No’. And then he said to me, ‘They can’t find the plane’.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: My mobile phone rang and it was a policeman. He said, ‘Have you heard about that plane?’, I said, ‘Yeah’. He said, ‘Sally was on it’. And I said, ‘How much hope is there?’ He said, ‘In reality’ and he was very strong in what he said, but it meant none. He said, ‘We haven’t found the wreck, but we’re quite sure we’re looking for a plane wreck’.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Within a couple of hours, I think it was by 9:30 that night we actually arrived in Cairns.

(Excerpt from ABC News, May 8, 2005)

RESCUE WORKER: Parts of the wreckage and some of the undergrowth was still burning with smoke when we got there yesterday afternoon.

ABC REPORTER: It’s been confirmed that there were no survivors among the 15 people aboard the plane which crashed in remote North Queensland yesterday.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Yesterday we lost our beautiful daughter Sally forever. She was 28-years-old.

ABC REPORTER 2: The flight was a regular passenger service returning to Cairns from the Cape York community of Bamaga.

ABC REPORTER 3: Crash investigators have confirmed that the plane slammed, at speed, into a steep hill and burst into flames on impact.

ABC REPORTER 4: Vital black box recorders were recovered yesterday. They were damaged from the impact and subsequent fire but it’s hoped they’ll still be able to help determine what caused the crash.

(End of Excerpt)

(Excerpt from ABC News, May 11, 2005)

ABC REPORTER 5: Cairns at St Monica cathedral overflowed with family members, friends, police officers.

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson consoled Shane Urquhart, whose daughter Sally was due to marry fellow Bamaga police officer, Trad Thornton, later this year.

(End of Excerpt)

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: It’s all a bit of a blur when we did lose Sal but hearing my parents cry themselves to sleep was the most chilling thing that I’ve ever heard.

Mum, I can understand, but hearing my father cry himself to sleep was just, yeah. Not nice at all.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: The most difficult thing however was coming back to Brisbane and waiting for the process of victim identification and it was 23 days from the accident before we were able to have a funeral for our daughter.

(Excerpt of footage from Police video, May 30, 2005, Sally Urquhart’s funeral)

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: I think there was about 3,000 police at the funeral, the horses, 20 something motorcycles, the guard of honour, all escorted Sally along Anne Street to St John’s Cathedral.

BOB ATKINSON, COMMISSIONER, QUEENSLAND POLICE: Today, Sally, we pay tribute to you. We salute you.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: Bluey O’Gorman organised it. It’s pretty hard when you’ve got to sit there and pick your daughter’s casket. You sort of feel that, well, she’s my girl, I know her best.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: It was tough, and yet it was, it was an extreme honour for me to be able to take part in making sure that Sally’s send-off was special for her.

TRAD THORNTON, FIANCÃE: Just before she was about to board the plane, I gave her a hug, I kissed her and I told her I loved her. I was also able to say goodbye. It was a token goodbye, but it was a goodbye.

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: Trad’s lost his be all and end all. They were getting married, they were tight, they were going to be together for the rest of their lives.

And seeing that man get up there and speak was absolutely mind blowing.

TRAD THORNTON, FIANCÃE: As I walked towards the police truck, I turned to see my Sally for the last time. She was waving and smiling at me and I can’t ask for a better last image of Sally.

(End of Excerpt)

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: That was a huge day, and everything was just beautifully done. How Sal would have wanted it to be.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: For quite a few months I guess we were grieving and not taking particular notice of what was going on. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was investigating this particular crash.

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: The ATSB were very good to us. They let us know what they could. I think Shane had made up his mind he was getting involved anyway, he knew there was more to it than just the crash.

(Excerpt from ABC News, December 2005)

ABC REPORTER: Seven months on an interim report’s been released with few answers about what went wrong.

AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU SPOKESMAN: We have ruled out a mechanical failure of the engines.

ABC REPORTER: Now victims’ families are questioning a safety check which gave the aircraft the all-clear two months before the crash.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Was that audit carried out properly? The answer would be no, it wasn’t.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: At the particular time the company that was running the route from Cairns to Bamaga and back was a company called Aero Tropics. Aero Tropics was the name that was on the plane but they were actually responsible for the passenger lists and ticketing. The plane was actually owned and operated by a company called Lessbrook trading as Transair. Senator Jan McLucas from Cairns, she’d been doing a lot of investigating around Aero Tropics in particular and the operation up there.

(Excerpt of footage from Senate Estimates, October 2006)

KERRY O’BRIEN, QUEENSLAND SENATOR: I think Senator McLucas has got some questions that she wants to

JAN MCLUCAS, QUEENSLAND SENATOR: Yes. I want to ask some questions about CASA’s (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) oversight of Lessbrook trading as Transair Propriety Limited.

(End of Excerpt)

MARK DAVIS, FMR STAFFER TO SEN. JAN MCLUCAS: I was Senator Jan McLucas’s media adviser at the time of the accident. It very quickly became apparent that we should also be looking at the regulatory authority, CASA, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the way that it was monitoring the aviation industry in North Queensland. North Queensland has got a very, very bad aviation safety record.

(Excerpt continued)

JAN MCLUCAS, QUEENSLAND SENATOR: What I’d now like to know is what action was taken by CASA following the November 2001 audit, the August 2004 audit, the February 2005 audit and the February 2006 audit.

BRUCE BYRON, FMR CASA CEO: From my, looking at the records.

MARK DAVIS, FMR STAFFER TO SEN. JAN MCLUCAS: The information that was starting to come from us from people in the aviation industry was very disturbing.

BRUCE BYRON, FMR CASA CEO: Recorded activities, were not anywhere near the same scale.

JAN MCLUCAS, QUEENSLAND SENATOR: Mr Byron, you have said that to me. I am sorry, I need more than that.

BRUCE BYRON, FMR CASA CEO: Senator, you also asked me what we have done in relation to other audits that have been done recently.

JAN MCLUCAS, QUEENSLAND SENATOR: I want, I want the detail of what actions CASA took following each of the four audits and I think it is very reasonable thing to ask.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: I did some delving into other crashes in Australian history and found that exactly the same things had been occurring over a period of 10 years or so. There were incidents of aircraft landing on unauthorised airstrips, tyres blown on tarmacs, planes getting bogged on airstrips, hydraulic failures, landing-gear failures and questions about the validity of pilots’ endorsements. And the general commonality between all of these investigations seemed to be that CASA was involved somewhere, CASA was the oversight organisation, but these companies had deficiencies that weren’t rectified. And they continued to fly with these deficiencies. I really thought then that there would be a process that would uncover all of this and that there would be some justice, accountability throughout the system.

(Excerpt from ABC News, April 2007)

KAREN BERKMAN, ABC REPORTER: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau report paints a terrifying picture.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: It was one of the most comprehensive, detailed reports that the ATSB has ever produced.

(Excerpt continued)

KAREN BERKMAN, ABC REPORTER: In bad weather the Metro-liner came in for a complex instrument landing at Lockhart River with the pilot overloaded and an inexperienced 21-year-old co-pilot. Add to that confusing maps and a basic ground proximity warning system that would have alerted the crew too late.

BRUCE BYRON, FMR CASA CEO: I have never seen rates of descent that high, during an instrument approach, when so close to the ground.

ABC REPORTER: Transair was found to have contributed to the crash by inadequate training and supervision of pilots.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: CASA had done very, very many reports on Transair, had come up with some recommendations. Transair had not carried any of them out and were still continuing to operate with those things unattended.

(Excerpt from ABC News)

ABC REPORTER: The ATSB said the Civil Aviation Safety Authority had not properly monitored the airlines structure and operations.

(End of Excerpt)

MARK DAVIS, FMR STAFFER TO SEN. JAN MCLUCAS: And it appears that whatever actions CASA took was totally inadequate because here you suddenly have an airline with 15 people on board one of its aircrafts crashing into a mountain.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Once we’d seen the ATSB report, I guess my first thought was wow, ’cause it’s all there, and there is going to be some justice and accountability about what happened in this particular case.

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: And it wasn’t until the coroner’s inquest, that’s when it rattled me the most. Sitting there and listening to people lying through their teeth.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: It seemed to be that the CASA legal team concentrated on discrediting the ATSB and the ATSB report.

(Excerpt from ABC News)

ABC REPORTER 3: Today the Coroner released his findings into the crash.

ABC REPORTER 4: Coroner Michael Barnes blamed Captain Brett Hotchin for the crash, a pilot criticised by colleagues for his dangerous flying practices.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: We hold no grudges against the pilots whatsoever. Yes, the pilot in command certainly had a reputation of doing some things that were probably outside the scope of what he needed to do. The issue is, he was allowed to do that. He was allowed to do that through poor company policy, poor company management and a lack of oversight by CASA.

(Excerpt from ABC News)

ABC REPORTER 4: The coroner was critical of Transair’s safety management systems and pilot training practices, and while he criticised monitoring by CASA, he found the authority couldn’t have prevented the accident.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: We’re not looking for blame. We’re looking for someone to stand up and take responsibility.

TRAD THORNTON, FIANCÃE: We’re looking for answers and we were hoping that Mr Barnes would have made the numerous recommendations to stop something like this from happening again.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: And the people of Australia especially if you’re on rural airlines, if CASA’s oversighting it, don’t fly. Today’s outcome, what a whole waste of time for all of us and we’re just back to square one as far as I’m concerned.

(End of Excerpt)

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: That’s when I was really worried about dad, I just thought that would be such a big blow to someone like dad that’s put so much effort into it and pretty much just to get dirt thrown in his face.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: I think the darkest times are when you are alone and the memories come flooding back. You hear some music or you see something or even smell something that reminds you of the past. And we realise just what we’ve lost.

MARK DAVIS, FMR STAFFER TO SEN. JAN MCLUCAS: I think a lot of people underestimated Shane’s determination. It must have been very painful for him. We could see the pain, that’s for sure. But he never let go. Not once. Shane was looking to take it a step further and he encouraged I think, Senator McLucas and Senator Kerry O’Brien to have a look at the possibilities of a Senate inquiry into Lockhart River and into CASA.

NATALIE URQUHART, SISTER: If dad’s really passionate about something, then he will push it to the end and, definitely getting up people’s goat, getting in their faces, he’s definitely, doesn’t surprise me with dad actually at all. So he’s not going to, wasn’t going to let this one just slip away.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: I just kept making a nuisance of myself, kept knocking on doors, meeting with people, meeting with the minister, writing emails, writing faxes, asking questions. Finally, the Senate committee decided that it would instigate an inquiry into CASA and other matters. There was 63 submissions from interested people around Australia about CASA.

(Excerpt of footage from Senate Inquiry, July last year)

CHAIR: Welcome Mr Urquhart.

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: I was one of those people. I’m not a pilot, I’m not a lawyer. But in the past three years I certainly have built up my knowledge about a whole range of issues surrounding, the actions of the aviation industry and in particular that of the regulator.

(End of Excerpt)

ELIZABETH URQUHART, MOTHER: ‘Cause I think what got CASA with just this person who’s just a school teacher, he won’t know much. And I think they were surprised with what Shane knew.

NATALIE URQUHART, SISTER: Sometimes I get a little bit worried that perhaps he might be bringing things up that mum or we don’t necessarily want to get brought up again. Sometimes I think it’s a little bit of an obsession, that he may need to back off. But this is what dad needs to do, this is what dad wants to do, and it’s a good thing.

(Excerpt continued)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: I’d like to make clear too that nothing is going to bring back any of the people who were lost at Lockhart River. However, to uncover the years of gross mismanagement, incompetence, self-indulgence and totally inconsistent application of safety regulations is just appalling. These endemic problems go right back to 1998 where reform was promised and reform has not happened. I could use the term corruption, but endemic problem within the organisation.

(End of Excerpt)

BRENDAN URQUHART, BROTHER: Once he gets to a certain point and I think that point has nearly been passed, with pursuing it, that he really needs to step back a bit. Mainly for mum and himself. I think he’s pushed himself that little bit too far at the moment emotionally and I think he really needs to just stand back and actually grieve.

(Excerpt continued)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: Someone also said ‘people like myself shouldn’t be complaining’, what do we need to do? Wait for another accident before CASA needs to act?

Well CASA hasn’t acted before accidents before. They wait until there’s an accident or incident then they act.

(End of Excerpt)

SHANE URQUHART, FATHER: We were very happy with the outcome of that inquiry. It’s the first time in three years that someone’s paid attention and listened. I’m particularly interested in the last recommendation about the Australian Audit Bureau having a good hard look at CASA’s operations and how they do business and hopefully they’ll be fixed. I feel we’ve had great success since the Senate Inquiry of last year. Especially since the release of the green paper recommendations by Minister Albanese. I’m particularly interested in the fact that the ATSB is now going to be a much more independent organisation. This simply means that CASA now can be investigated by the ATSB.

MARK DAVIS, FMR STAFFER TO SEN. JAN MCLUCAS: I think that Shane’s efforts have led to a safer environment, a safer flying environment in Far North Queensland.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: And I know that Shane and Liz aren’t just doing it for Sal, their efforts are also on behalf the other 15 people who died. It’s not just for Sally.

NATALIE URQUHART, SISTER: You know, the best outcome would be for this to never happen again. You know, to prevent it from happening to some other families. The outcome that dad has got, I think will definitely help in looking to the future and moving on. And not dwelling on, you know, how Sal died, but how she lived.

JOHN ‘BLUEY’ O’GORMAN, FMR QLD POLICE INSPECTOR: Someone as great as Sally doesn’t come about by accident, it comes about because she had great parents. I suppose that’s probably, in my own funny way, that’s probably the best compliment that I could pay to them, that they were the people who gave the world such a wonderful person as Sally.

END CAPTIONS: The Federal Government expects two new aviation bills to become law by July.

One will create a small expert board ‘to provide high level direction to CASA’s regulatory and safety oversight role’.

The second will ‘reinforce the independence of the ATSB’ by establishing it as a separate statutory agency.

A Call From Lockhart River – Australian Story

Plane crash families fight for justice

by Peter Michael, The Courier-Mail

3rd May 2017 6:20 AM

FAMILIES of the victims of one of Australia’s worst aviation disasters have been blocked by insurance giant QBE from long-running legal action in the United States.

Fifteen people died in the 2005 Lockhart River crash on Cape York, but relatives yesterday told The Courier-Mail how they were “shocked and appalled” by a court order to end a nine-year lawsuit in the US against part-owners of the ill-fated Cairns-based Aero Tropics airline.

Lawyers for QBE obtained an order from the Supreme Court in Queensland restraining the Lockhart River families from taking any action other than to dismiss the damages claim before the US courts.

Twelve years on from the tragedy, the father of police officer Sally Urquhart, who died in the May 6, 2005 crash, said families had been victims of “bully boy tactics” and “intimidation” by Australia’s biggest insurance company.

Brisbane schoolteacher Shane Urquhart, who lived in Caboolture at the time of the accident, said none of the families or their lawyers had been notified of the latest legal action before the court order.

“We’ve been fighting for justice for our lost loved ones for so long, and now we feel the judge and the legal system has been duped,” he said.

“It’s not just us, but anyone who gets on a plane in Australia needs to know the sort of bastardry one of the biggest aviation insurers in the country will use against victims of air disasters and their families,” he said. “None of the plaintiffs were informed. None of our lawyers contacted.”

QBE, according to its website, provides insurance to airlines, aircraft, airports, pilots, refuellers, baggage handlers and maintenance operators.

Reverend Mary Eseli’s son, Fred Bowie, and sister-in-law, Mardie Bowie, were among six victims of the air crash from the tiny indigenous communities of Injinoo and Bamaga, at the tip of Cape York.

“It has been an open wound in our hearts that has never healed,” she said.

“QBE has paid compensation and costs, where appropriate, in respect of the claims by relatives of the deceased passengers against the operator of the aircraft.”

Plane crash families fight for justice | Queensland Times

Marlene SANDS nee DUNN

| 21/05/2020

Marlene SANDS nee DUNN

AKA ?

Late of ?

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class # 130

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # Police Woman 164

In the Registered number scheme, Police Woman, at this time, where not given a sequential number like the blokes – but, Marlene was somewhere in between 15108 – 15243?

Rank: Commenced Training a Redfern Academy on 14 February 1972

Probationary Constable- appointed 27 March 1972

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = ?

Stations: ?, Women Police Office – CIB, ?

Service: From 14 February 1972 to ? ? ? = ? years Service

Awards: No Find on Australian Honours

Born: Monday 8 September 1952

Died on: Tuesday 14 April 2020 with family by her side.

Age: 67 years, 7 months, 6 days

Cause: Cancer – ( type )?

Event location: St George Private Hospital, NSW

Event date: ?

Funeral date: Wednesday 29 April 2020

Funeral location: ?, Sutherland, NSW ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 10 persons at a Funeral due to the Cornona19 Virus Pandemic – this will be a Private Funeral )

Future Wake location: ? TBA ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 2 persons only at ‘Gatherings’, there won’t be an immediate Wake )

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( April 2020 )

MARLENE is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSWFallenPolice/

At the time of publication, nothing – other than what is recorded above, has been found on Marlene.

Cal 290420

Berlinda Jane CUSH

| 21/05/2020

Berlinda Jane CUSH

AKA CUSHY

Late of ?

Queensland Police Academy Class # ? ? ?

Queensland Police Force

Regd. # ?????

Rank: Commenced Training as on ? ? ?

Probationary Constable- appointed ? ? ?

Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Detective – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = Acting Detective Sergeant

Stations: ?, PCC, Rockhampton, Boondal CIB – Death

Service: From ? ? ? to 22 April 2008 = ? years Service

Awards: No Find on Australian Honours

Born: ? ? ?

Died on: Tuesday 22 April 2008

Age: 37

Cause: Suicide – Service pistol –

Event location: Prostitution Enforcement Task force, Police complex, Wecker Rd, Mansfield, Qld

Event date: Tuesday 22 April 2008 shortly after 8am

Funeral date: Monday 28 April 2008 @ 1.30pm

Funeral location: the family farm, 162 Langdon Rd, Rosewood, Qld

Funeral Parlour: Reed & Bottcher – Ipswich, Qld 07 38122011

Buried at: ?

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( April 2020 )

? is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance * BUT SHOULD BE

? is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO

? IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance

? is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance * NOT JOB RELATED

? IS mentioned on the Sydney Police Centre Memorial Wall, Surry Hills

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/QueenslandFallenPolice/

BLUE HOPE

23 hrs

12 Years ago today ‘Cushy’.

A gifted, dedicated and tenacious investigator, Detective Sergeant Berlinda Jane CUSH tragically took her own life on this day in 2008. We remember your infectious laugh and amazing smile around the Boondall CIB office…

You are missed and loved each and every day.

Blue HOPE stands ready.

Policewoman’s suicide shocks workmates

CourierMail

April 23, 2008 12:00am

POLICEWOMAN shot and killed herself with her own gun at a suburban police complex yesterday. The tragedy has stunned workmates.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Belinda Cush, 37, walked into the Queensland Police complex in Wecker Rd at Mansfield, picked up her police-issue Glock pistol, fired a shot into a chair and then turned the weapon on herself.

Queensland Police Union president Cameron Pope said she greeted colleagues when she arrived at the Prostitution Enforcement Task force just after 8am but then did not speak to anyone before the shooting.

“There is nothing that we have seen or that I am aware of that could have prevented this incident,” Mr Pope said. “There has not been a single issue raised that I’m aware of that was an indicator to this incident.”

He said her workmates were struggling to cope with the tragedy, the reasons for which remain a mystery.

” Several police were actually there when it happened, ” he said. “Between the service and the union, counselling is being provided to any number of persons who require it and that’ll be monitored closely to make sure that all the officers who’ve suffered from this can get as much treatment as possible. ”

Det Snr-Sgt Cush worked in various ” high-profile areas of the service ” and was very well-respected, he said.

” I spoke to her officer-in-charge this morning and he was very distressed about the matter and he was very glowing in his description and praise of her, ” Mr Pope said.

” She was very highly regarded by members of the service and certainly her superior officers. There were a lot of platitudes coming out for this lady. ”

In addition to the police chaplains, Mr Pope said officers had a number of support services to assist with the daily demands and stresses of police work.

” In every police establishment there is what’s called a peer support officer who police can approach about any issue. There’s also human support officers who check the daily occurrence sheets and follow up officers involved in major incidents and of course there’s the police chaplains who do a wonderful job, ” he said.

In the past 10 years, there have been two other incidents of police officers taking their own lives at work at Ipswich and Smithfield stations.

” It’s not a prevalent problem, thank goodness, ” Mr Pope said.

The Prostitution Enforcement Task force is one of several ” specialised ” units that operates out of the police building in Wecker Road, and it investigates complaints about illegal prostitution.

A QPS spokesperson said the circumstances of Det Snr-Sgt Cush’s death were being investigated, but it was considered non-suspicious. A report will be completed for the coroner

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263).

Policewoman’s suicide shocks workmates | The Courier-Mail

CUSH The Courier Mail|26 April 2008

CUSH, Berlinda Jane

Cherished Daughter of Dr. Allan and Barbara Cush,

much loved Sister of Peter, Anton, Dave and loved Sister-in-law and Aunt to their Families.

A Funeral Service for Berlinda will be held on the Family farm, 162 Langdon Road, Rosewood, Monday, 28th April, 2008, commencing at 1.30 p.m.

No flowers by Family request.

Donations may be made to Berlindas sponsored Child at the Funeral Service or at Police Headquarters in Brisbane.

REED & BOTTCHER

A Simplicity Funeral Service Ipswich – (07) 38122011

An Australian Owned Company

[AUS-N’PAPER-EXT] Courier Mail, Funeral notices, 2008-04-26 – AUS-NEWSPAPER-EXTRACTS – Rootsweb.Com

Leon ELELMAN

| 21/05/2020

Leon ELELMAN

AKA ?

Late of Taree area, NSW

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class # 110

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # 12489

Rank: Commenced Training at Redfern Academy on Monday 20 February 1967 ( aged 19 years, 6 months, 6 days )

Probationary Constable – appointed 3 April 1967 ( aged 19 years, 7 months, 20 days )

Constable – appointed 8 April 1968

Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?

Senior Constable – appointed 8 April 1976

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed ? ? ?

Final Rank = ?

Stations: ?, North Sydney STP, Manly STP ( early 1970s ), Phillip St ( 1974 – 75 ),

Service: From Monday 20 February 1967 to ? ? 1979 = 32 years Service

Awards: No Find on Australian Honours

Born: Thursday 14 August 1947

Died on: Sunday 12 April 2020 @ 5am ( Easter Sunday )

Age: 72 years, 8 months

Cause: Cancer – Prostrate

Event location: Manning Base Hospital, Taree, NSW

Event date: Sunday 12 April 2020

Funeral date: ? ? ?

Funeral location: ? ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 10 persons at a Funeral due to the Cornona19 Virus Pandemic – this will be a Private Funeral )

Future Wake location: ( Due to current Govt. restrictions of 2 persons only at ‘Gatherings’, there won’t be an immediate Wake )

Funeral Parlour: ?

Buried at: Cremated

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( April 2020 )

LEON is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NOT WORK RELATED

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

May they forever Rest In Peace

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSWFallenPolice/

At the time of publication, I have no further information about this mans life after he left NSWPF.

Cal 220420

December 16 2019 – 4:00AM

Crowdy Harrington Marine Rescue

The unit’s previous unit commander, Bek Brown decided to step down from her position at the last meeting. Deputy unit commander, Leon Elelman is now promoted to unit commander and Cheryl Rowe is promoted to deputy unit commander.

The Crowdy Harrington unit thanked Bek for all her hard work over the last 18 months as unit commander and wish her all the very best in future endeavours.

The unit also congratulated Leon and Cheryl in obtaining their new positions and wished them every success in their new roles.

https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/story/6540559/one-rescue-one-escort-and-new-leadership-for-crowdy-harrington-marine-rescue/

April 10 2019 – 12:00PM

Crowdy Harrington Marine Rescue welcome two new emergency vehicles

Rob Douglas

Happy days: Crowdy Harrington Marine Rescue members (left to right) Maria Seach (operations), Mary Thomas (treasurer/ administration), Susan Worsley (training officer), Leon Elelman (deputy unit commander) and Bek Brown (unit commander) after picking up their new vehicles. Photo: Rob Douglas.

The organisation received $72,000 from the Emergency Volunteer Support Scheme that was put towards the purchase of the vehicles.

Further fundraising efforts completed the purchase and ensured the vehicles could be fitted with required accessories such as a toolbox, canopy, roof racks, electric brakes and tow package.

Unit commander Bek Brown said the vehicles are a crucial asset to the crew’s operations.

“They’re vital for training, meetings, fundraising and transporting fuel to the boat,” Bek said.

One of the key roles for the new ute is to transport a large fuel tank to the rescue boat.

“After each rescue, the tank needs to be refueled,” Bek said.

The vehicles were picked up from Mid Coast Automotive Group earlier this week after Marine Rescue livery was completed.

Crew members have said goodbye to an outdated land cruiser and an obsolete ute. They have each clocked up more than 350,000 kilometres.

The land cruiser joined the Crowdy Harrington family before the new millennium while the ute dates back to when Paul Keating was Prime Minister.

“They’ve served their purpose,” Bek said.

Deputy unit commander Leon Elelman said the rescue crew has come a long way in the last decade.

He said changes to the command, fresh ideas and a strong effort from volunteers has created a tight knit group.

“We’re like a big family,” he said.

You couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when talking about what the new vehicles bring to the table.

“It’s a boost to morale,” Leon said.

The organisation is the eyes on the water between Diamond Head and Black Head.

As a volunteer group, they welcome all funds and assistance. About three-quarters of funds held by the organisation are raised by members.

To find out more about the crew or to donate, visit www.mrch.org.au or call 6556 1564.

https://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/story/6006357/marine-rescues-new-vehicles-are-a-long-time-coming/

Leon Elelman, Heather Parker & Wendy Hoare April 18 2017 - 4:59PMHarrington Markets 2017 — April 18 **2017** – 4:59PM Harrington Markets 2017 **Leon Elelman**, Heather Parker & Wendy Hoare

Brett Emerton boots from the 2006 FIFA World Cup to be auctioned

19 Apr 10 @ 11:38am by David Campbell

A PIECE of Australian soccer history will be up for grabs at Ingleburn next month.

Ingleburn Rotary Club is holding a fundraising event at Sweeney’s Function Centre where a pair of Socceroo and local hero Brett Emerton’s football boots from the 2006 FIFA World Cup will be auctioned.

Emerton, a former Gunners player and Macquarie Fields High School student, is expected to be a part of the Australian team at this year’s World Cup in South Africa.

All funds raised on the evening will go towards the PCYC’s Burn Rubber Burn program, which helps people in wheelchairs develop training regimes.

Ingleburn Rotary Club president Leon Elelman encouraged people to support the evening.

“The boots were made for Brett at the last World cup and are only one of six pairs in existence.”

A similar pair of Emerton’s boots sold for about $2000 recently.

https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20100528183559/http://macarthur-chronicle-campbelltown.whereilive.com.au/news/story/brett-emerton-boots-from-the-2006-fifa-world-cup-to-be-auctioned

Russell James COOK