Norman Thomas

DETAILS OF DEATH

Constable Allen was shot in the street at Bondi Junction whilst attempting to detain an armed and deranged man Kennedy who had earlier had an altercation with a local shopkeeper. Constable Allen had been in the area directing traffic and when informed of the incident he located and confronted the offender. As the Constable approached him from behind the offender spun around and shot Constable Allen in the chest at point blank range. He then shot the Constable twice in the heart. Shortly afterwards Constable Andrews unarmed off duty and heading for the beach passed by in a tram and saw the crowd gathered around the body of Constable Allen. Alighting from the tram the Constable joined the pursuit of the offender who had now reached his home in nearby Lawson Street. On arriving and finding the front door locked Constable Andrews walked to the rear of the dwelling and burst through the back door. Unfortunately the offender had apparently expected this course of action and was waiting with rifle raised. As the Constable lunged at the offender he was shot twice in the chest. The offender then took a knife he had been carrying and stabbed Constable Andrews in the throat. Sergeant Seery and Constable Johnson from the Waverley Police Station then reached the dwelling and began to smash the glass in the front door. Although fired at by the offender Constable Johnson managed to return fire hitting Kennedy in the chest. Seery and Johnson then smashed their way inside where they found the offender in a bedroom bleeding to death. He died that night. Constable Allen was born in 1901 joined the New South Wales Police Force on 14 May 1926 and shortly thereafter resigned. He rejoined on 26 September 1928. At the time of his death he was stationed at Waverley. Constable Andrews was born in 1908 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 24 April 1929. At the time of his death he was stationed at George Street North Police Station.