National Police Memorial

On this day

Constable

Malcolm D STANAWAY

YEAR OF DEATH

01 April 1979

JURISDICTION

Western Australia

DETAILS OF DEATH

Constables Alan Rice and Malcolm Stanaway were called to investigate a complaint of an armed offender in Urch St, Geraldton. When they arrived, Rice and Stanaway took up positions at the rear of the house behind a fence. Amanda Wilbraham fired a shot from a .22 calibre rifle through the fence, hitting Rice in the left shoulder. The Constables then moved behind a parked car where Wilbraham again fired, hitting Stanaway in the forehead. Stanaway died in the Royal Flying Doctor aeroplane en route to Royal Perth Hospital. Wilbraham was released on parole on 8 July 1990 after serving 11 years of a life sentence for wilful murder. Stanaway’s body was returned and buried in his native Cornwall, England. He joined the police force on 5th April 1976.

On this day

Constable 1st Class

Roy DOYLE

YEAR OF DEATH

01 April 1956

JURISDICTION

Queensland

DETAILS OF DEATH

In March 1956 flooding caused an emergency in Mackay as the Pioneer River burst its banks. At 3.00pm on the 31 March 1956 the immediate danger has passed but police and lifesavers continued to standby. Shortly after 3.30pm a new Australian who had been drinking waded into the flooded river and commenced to swim out where the current was still running strongly. The man was soon in great difficulties and when the police noticed his plight they immediately obtained a row boat to go and assist him. Unfortunately the police officers themselves were soon in difficulties as one of the boats oars broke. Constable Doyle saw this and noticed they could not reach the man. Doyle waded out to a retaining wall that comprised of broken blocks of concrete. He climbed on to the concrete wall and dived into the water unfortunately striking his head on a submerged block of concrete which caused massive head injuries. Doyle was seen lying face down in the water and was immediately assisted and conveyed to hospital. Other police brought the swimmer safely back to the river bank. Doyle was operated on that evening but his condition quickly deteriorated and he subsequently died at 1.40pm the following day. A post-mortem revealed a fractured skull. The gallant actions of Constable Roy Doyle were rewarded as he became the first Queensland Police Officer who gave his life in the line of duty to be awarded the Queens Medal for Gallantry. He is buried in the old Mackay cemetery.

Constable Cosgrove was murdered by bushrangers at South Creek near Parramatta on 1 April 1819. The circumstances of the event are unknown. The Constable had arrived in Australia as a transported convict on the vessel Rolla in 1803. He was granted his Certificate of Freedom in 1810. The Colonial Secretary’s Letters of 30 April 1820 names his replacement (Constable William Hill) and on 12 May 1820 he is simply recorded as being “deceased”. (This may indicate that his death took place in 1820). The Constable is recorded as being a ‘Constable and Poundkeeper at Bringelly and Cooke’.