When WWI was announced, many Queensland police officers heard the call and took leave to join the Australian Imperial Force. Of those police officers who went to war, 30 paid the ultimate price and did not return home. Tomorrow, and every day, we remember their sacrifice.
2015 sees the 100th anniversary of the first policemen who died in battle, or from subsequent illness caused by war. These are the names of the eight Queensland Police Constables marking this milestone.
| 25.04.1915 | Private Patrick Moynihan | 9th Battalion AIF | Killed in action at the Dardanelles in Turkey |
| 02.05.1915 | Private David Bourke | 15th Battalion AIF | Died from wounds at Alexandria in Egypt |
| 03.05.1915 | Corporal William Hughes | 15th Battalion AIF | Killed in action at the Dardanelles in Turkey |
| 07.05.1915 | Private John Johnston | 15th battalion AIF | Killed in action at the Dardanelles in Turkey |
| 19.07.1915 | Private Robert Ritchie | 25th Battalion AIF | Died from illness while on active service at sea |
| 02.10.1915 | Private Phillip Vowles | 9th Battalion AIF | Died from illness while on active service in London |
| 15.10.1915 | Private Eugene Nugent | 25th Battalion AIF | Killed in action at the Dardanelles in Turkey |
| 22.11.1915 | Trooper John Christiansen | 5th Australian Light Horse | Killed in action at Gallipoli in Turkey |
Recruit course, Brisbane Police Depot, 1913.
A number of these men volunteered for War service. Some did not return. Patrick James Moynihan (1888 – 1915) extreme right front row; John (Jack) Graham (1892 – 1917) on left 3rd row & Patrick Devine (1915-1917) on left back row at top of stairs. All three served with the 9th Battalion.
Image No. PM0111 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.
The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“FROM the VAULT- ANZAC Day and the 100th Anniversary” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode