In honour of police officers who have died performing their duty, or whilst seconded from their police role and enlisted to serve during World War 1, police motorcyclists will make their way to the Australian Capital Territory to attend the annual Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, 16 September this year (2017). The Queensland Police Service remembers 144 men and women killed whilst at work since inauguration in 1864, and the ride is another way mates, colleagues and family members of these officers can honour them.
Entrance fees are payable and donated to Police Legacy, to assist the families of deceased officers. Motorcyclists promote responsible riding and every year since the first ride of 2010, hundreds have joined the journey from their city’s own monument of remembrance, to the National Police Memorial, Canberra.
Victoria Police are credited with the creation of the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance, and the generous provision of batons to Police Commissioners in each state and territory. These are passed ‘to the most senior officer participating in the ride, who will then hand deliver them to the Wall of Remembrance in Canberra at an official ceremony’ (Queensland Police Bulletin 361, August 2011). States will add the names of officers who died on duty in the preceding year to a parchment scroll contained within the hollow baton. The batons are made from timber, have a turned handle and carved emblems; those of that state’s police service, the Wall to Wall Ride and National Police Remembrance Day chequered ribbon.
Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart handing over custody of the baton to Assistant Commissioner Paul Doyle, in readiness for the 2013 Wall to Wall Ride of Remembrance.
Image No. PM4037 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Queensland police first participated in the ride to Canberra in 2011, and registration rates have steadily increased. In 2014, 168 Queensland Police Service employees (police officers and civilians) registered for the event, in 2015 this increased to 184, and 192 Queensland riders joined other state jurisdictions with total participation of 2081 (riders and pillions) in 2016. This year 200 entrants are expected to join the important journey from the Queensland Police Memorial, currently situated at the Oxley Police Academy. The Memorial was originally placed at a publically accessible site on George Street, Brisbane, but was moved to the Academy prior to the commencement of major redevelopment at the riverside location on Queens Wharf Road.
The Queensland Police Memorial was originally located in George Street, Brisbane.
Image taken 2013 and courtesy of Monument Australia, monumentaustralia.org.au
The Queensland ceremonial passing of the baton from Police Commissioner Ian Stewart will take place on Wednesday 13 September at the Oxley Police Academy. Registered motorcycle riders will embark on their journey to Canberra for the ceremony on Saturday. National Police Remembrance Day will be marked by marches in each state on Friday 29 September.
Queensland marks National Police Remembrance Day with the annual parade on 29 September 1997. A Senior Constable monitors traffic from the sidelines, kitted out in riding breaches, leather leggings, helmet, gloves and a BMW K1100 motorcycle.
Image No. PM2501c courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
If you don’t ride, don’t worry; pillion passengers are welcome. Transportation of motorcycles is also available for those who don’t wish to ride the return journey home. More information about this special event can be found at: Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance
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This article was written by Museum Assistant Georgia Grier from the best resources available. Statistics provided by Acting Senior Sergeant Steven Young, Gold Coast Road Policing Unit. 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- Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance” 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