Ronald James BURLEY

New South Wales Police Force

[alert_yellow]Regd. # 13096[/alert_yellow]

Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 1 April 1968

Senior Constable – appointed 1 April 1977

Stations: ?, Gosford STP ( early 1970’s ), Albury HWP, North Sydney Highway Patrol

Service: From pre 1 April 1968 to 5 May 1980 = 12+ years Service

Awards: No find on It’s an Honour

Born: 31 August 1946

Cause: Motor vehicle accident – Police motor cycle rider

Event location: Calga Expressway, Berowra

Age: 32

Funeral date: ???

Funeral location:

Buried at: Palmdale Memorial Park, 57 Palmdale Road, Ourimbah.

grave photo removed

[alert_green]RON IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_green]

Touch plate at the National Police Memorial, Canberra for Ronald James BURLEY — Touch plate at the National Police Memorial, Canberra

About 3.10pm on 5 May, 1980 Senior Constable Burley was riding a police highway patrol motor cycle home at the completion of his rostered shift. As he was riding along the Calga Expressway at Berowra the stand on the constable’s motor cycle apparently became loose and struck the road surface. Unable to control the cycle Constable Burley was thrown to the roadway, sustaining severe head injuries. He died before the arrival of an ambulance.

The constable was born in 1946 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 1 April, 1968. At the time of his death he was attached to the North Sydney Highway Patrol.

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Geoff Flood

I worked with Ron at Gosford way back in the early seventies. One story that sticks in my mind was my introduction to the old truckstop at Kangy Angy, near Ourimbah.

It was an absolute dump, but Ron convinced me to stop off for dinner one night. He knew the old woman that owned the place. He was that well known, that he didn’t bother going into the dining area, instead he took me out the back to the kitchen, to meet the old sheila, who also did the cooking.

He ordered us a couple of steaks with vegetables. I was extremely concerned about the state of the kitchen, as it was filthy, but what did it for me, was she used an old pair of stockings to use as a strainer for our veggies. ???????? RIP old mate.

Ian Strahan

RIP.

I remember being told that he had been caring for a young child and was going through the adoption process when the accident happened. It would be nice to know how that child fared in life afterwards.

Les Michael

RIP mate, remembered well from old STPPTB days under the bridge ( Sydney Harbour Bridge ), stood in many a parade with Ron, and shared a laugh or two, at the antics that went on there during the old days.

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