National Police Memorial

On this day

Senior Constable

Donald R EVERETT

YEAR OF DEATH

26 January 2001

JURISDICTION

Western Australia

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Australia Day 2001, Senior Constable Everett together with Sen. Const. Philip Ruland, 1st Class Const. David Dewar and Const. Gavin Capes was killed in a Police Air Support plane crash near Newman. The four officers were on board a Cessna 310 as it was preparing to land at Newman airport around 10pm. The officers were returning to Newman after dealing with a situation at Kiwirrikurra near the Northern Territory border. A search team of about 40 people, including police officers and SES volunteers, located the wreckage of the plane approximately 2.6kms from the airport at 4.30am the next morning. Everett had been a police officer since 1972. Full police funerals were held in Perth for each of the officers. Everett was born on September 15th 1951.

On this day

Senior Constable

Philip G RULAND

YEAR OF DEATH

26 January 2001

JURISDICTION

Western Australia

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Australia Day 2001, Senior Constable Ruland together with Sen. Const.Donald Everett, 1st Class Const. David Dewar and Const. Gavin Capes was killed in a Police Air Support plane crash near Newman. The four officers were on board a Cessna 310 as it was preparing to land at Newman airportt around 10pm. The officers were returning to Newman after dealing with a situation at Kiwirrikurra, near the Northern Territory border. A search team of about 40 people, including police officers and SES volunteers, located the wreckage of the plane about 2.6kms from the airport at 4.30am the next morning. Ruland had been a police officer since 1988. Full police funerals were held in Perth for each of the officers. Ruland was born on the 8th of October 1968.

On this day

Constable

Gavin A CAPES

YEAR OF DEATH

26 January 2001

JURISDICTION

Western Australia

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Australia Day 2001, Constable Capes, together with Sen. Const. Donald Everett, Sen. Const. Philip Ruland and 1st Class Const. David Dewar were killed in a Police Air Support plane crash near Newman. The four officers were on board a Cessna 310 as it was preparing to land at Newman airport around 10pm. The officers were returning to Newman after dealing with a situation at Kiwirrikurra near the Northern Territory border. A search team of about 40 people, including police officers and SES volunteers, located the wreckage of the plane approximately 2.6kms from the airport at 4.30am the next morning. Capes had been a police officer since 1997. Full police funerals were held in Perth for each of the officers. Capes was born on August 30 1973.

On this day

Constable 1st Class

David A DEWAR

YEAR OF DEATH

26 January 2001

JURISDICTION

Western Australia

DETAILS OF DEATH

On Australia Day 2001, 1st Class Constable Dewar, together with Sen. Const. Philip Ruland, Senior Const. Donald Everett and Const. Gavin Capes, was killed in a Police Air Support plane crash near Newman. The four officers were on board a Cessna 310 as it was preparing to land at Newman airport around 10pm. The officers were returning to Newman after dealing with a situation at Kiwirrikurra near the Northern Territory border. A search team of about 40 people, including police officers and SES volunteers, located the wreckage of the plane approximately 2.6kms from the airport at 4.30am the next morning. Dewar had been a police officer since 1994. Full police funerals were held in Perth for each of the officers. Dewar was born on September 17th 1969.

On this day

Constable

William DWYER

YEAR OF DEATH

26 January 1883

JURISDICTION

Queensland

DETAILS OF DEATH

A warrant was issued for a notorious Aboriginal in the Taroom District known as “Wild Toby” for the attempted murder of a property owner near Wandoan. On the 24 January 1883 Senior Constable Wright Constable Dwyer and Aboriginal Tracker left Taroom to arrest Toby. On the morning of the 26 January they found Toby in his camp with a female companion after the party rode into the camp Dwyer jumped from his horse to arrest Toby. Toby still seated grabbed his tomahawk from the ground and raised it above his head. Wright immediately fired two shots from his revolver both hitting Toby. One hit the right side of the jaw near the temple and the other the right breast. As Wright fired the second shot Toby brought the Tomahawk crashing down into Constable Dwyer’s skull mortally wounding him. Wright emptied his revolver into the body of Toby killing him. Dwyer died shortly after and was buried near where he was killed at Juandah Station Wandoan. (Constable Dwyer was also known as O’Dwyer).

On this day

Constable

Samuel NELSON

YEAR OF DEATH

26 January 1865

JURISDICTION

New South Wales

DETAILS OF DEATH

Shortly before 6pm on 26 January 1865 bushrangers Hall Dunn and Gilbert attacked Kimberley`s Inn at Collector. At the time the local police were out searching the area for the bushrangers and the only man on duty in town was the lockup-keeper Constable Nelson. When news of the attack reached the Constable he remarked to his wife that he would simply ‘have to do his best’ against the gang. As he approached the hotel armed only with a police carbine with bayonet attached the Constable was shot by Dunn who had hidden behind a fence post. Nelson was hit in the chest by a shotgun blast and as he staggered Dunn fired again hitting him in the face. He died almost instantly. The bushrangers then robbed the Constable`s body of his personal belongings and the carbine and escaped. The entire incident had been witnessed by young Frederick Nelson one of the Constable`s nine children. He was also fired on by Dunn. The Constable was born in 1823 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 5 August 1857. At the time of his death he was stationed at Collector.