At approximately 9.10pm on August 10, 1954, information was received at the Townsville Police Station regarding a suspected prowler on the premises of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd. in Denham Street, Townsville. Constable 1/c Osmond Cislowski and Constable 1/c Earle Needham proceeded to the address. While Needham was checking the premises, Cislowski saw and gave chase to, 24 year old meatworker Kevin Morris, who he saw fleeing from the rear of the bank.
The Melton Hill steps in Townsville, up which Constable 1/c Oswald Cislowski chased Kevin Morris on August 10, 1954.
An armed Morris ran about 27 meters up a track onto Melton Hill and into an open shed. He turned and fired his gun at Cislowski, hitting him in the chest. Although wounded, Cislowski tackled Morris but he pulled away, and ran back down the hill towards Hamilton Street.
Cislowski continued the chase, he caught and struggled with Morris just before he reached Hamilton Street, where the gun was fired again. Cislowlski may have received his second wound in the upper right leg at this point. Morris again broke free and ran towards Cleveland Street, but Cislowski caught up with him and threw him to the ground.
Hamilton Street, Townsville, where Constable 1/c Oswald Cislowski received his 2nd gunshot wound while attempting to apprehend Kevin Morris on August 10, 1954.
Constable Needham then arrived on the scene, and both Constables grappled with Morris, who managed to fire off another shot which struck Cislowski in the left thigh. Needham managed to force the gun down onto the road and then Cislowski wrenched it from Morris’s left hand.
Constable Pitt arrived to assist Constable Needham to secure Morris. Constable 1/c Cislowski was driven to hospital in a police utility, and on arrival found that he had been shot three times (chest, left thigh and right leg). He made a complete recovery and was discharged on September 11, 1954.
On 16 November 1954, Kevin Morris was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour at Boggo Road Gaol.
Mug shot of Kevin Morris, the man who shot Constable 1/c Oswald Cislowski on August 10, 1954.
Constable 1/c Osmond Ertman Cislowski was awarded the George Medal for bravery and Constable 1/c Earle Leonard Needham the British Empire Medal, at a ceremonial parade at the Petrie Terrace Police Depot on 11 May 1956.
Constable 1/c Osmond Cislowski, George Medal recipient, and Police Commissioner Patrick Glynn, parade before a Guard of Honour at the Petrie Terrace Police Depot, Brisbane, on May 11, 1956. Constable 1/c Cislowski was the first Queensland police officer to be awarded the George Medal.
His Excellency the Governor, Sir John Lavarack, congratulates Constable 1/c Earle Needham who received The British Empire Medal (Civil Division) on May 11, 1956 for helping apprehend Kevin Morris and assisting the injured Cislowski.
___________________________________________________
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 Friday 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 – Police Duty Deserving of Mention…” 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… Continue reading