Edwin Oliver PRATT
Edwin Oliver PRATT
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # 1812
Rank:
Sergeant 3rd Class
Stations:
Manly? Penrith ( 1940’s ), Katoomba – death
Service:
From 14 May 1924 to 19 November 1948 = 24+ years Service
Awards:
No find on It’s An Honour
Born:
Junee Junction, District of Narrandera, 8 March 1904
Event date:
1 October 1948
Event location:
Mountain Road (Great Western Highway) Katoomba, NSW
Died on:
19 November 1948
Cause:
Motor Vehicle Accident.
Hit by a timber jinker while directing traffic at a railway crossing.
(Timber jinker is a trailer designed to carry timber towed behind a truck)
Age: 44
Funeral date:
20 November 1948
Buried:
Katoomba Cemetery
Cemetery Rd, Katoomba, NSW.
Section KCE3 Row R1, Plot 2
His son, Ian Stephen PRATT ( son ) died on 7 July 1949, aged 4 years and is buried with his father.
Alma Charlotte PRATT ( wife ) died on 26 February 1959, aged 49, and is buried in the same plot also.
Memorial location:
Left to right.
Senior Constable Neville Higgs, Detective Constable Terry Dudeney, Sergeant Edwin Pratt & ?.
The three Police Officers were involved in numerous rescues/incidents in the Blue Mountains.
Photo taken outside Sinclair Motor Garage, Katoomba (unknown date)
24 August 2017 ·
Just one more update on Sgt Pratt’s grave with a NSW Police crest added to the marker. My thanks to John McDiarmid and NSWPF Protocol for their assistance.
Olwyn Danny Ken for your information.
[alert_green]EDWIN IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_green]
On the night of 1 October, 1948 Sergeant Pratt was directing traffic at a railway crossing at Katoomba. About 8.50pm a truck passed over the crossing and as it passed the sergeant attempted to walk behind it, not realising it was towing a timber jinker. Unfortunately the sergeant was hit by the jinker which inflicted severe injuries. He died on 19 November, 1948. He was survived by his wife Alma, sons Kevin and Ian, and daughter Olwyn.
The sergeant was born in 1904 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 14 May, 1924. At the time of his death he was stationed at Katoomba.
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On Thursday, 10 August 2017, the son-in-law – Retired Sgt 3rd Class Scott EDMONDS – married to Edwins daughter – Olwyn, passed away and was married to Olwyn for 51 years at the time.
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The death of Edwin has been widely circulated as having occurred on the 19 October 1948 which is INCORRECT and as of 30 October 2013, steps have been taken to have the correct date of 19 November 1948 recorded on all official touchstones and publications.
As of 14 October 2016, having checked the online website of the National Police Memorial, the data on the website HAS been changed to reflect the correct date of death as NOVEMBER BUT, unfortunately, the actual Touch Plate has NOT been altered and still displays ( as of Police Remembrance Day 2016 ) the incorrect date.
Unfortunately, the NSW Police Protocol Unit have done nothing to alter the Official website of http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/about_us/proud_traditions where the INCORRECT date is still reflected. I have, this date, sent a message to the Webmaster for NSWPF to action the website.
As of 9 March 2017 – I have never received a response to the message I sent to the Webmaster
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Australia
Would have been nice if NSW Police Protocol Unit had let others know that they had actioned the matter in relation to the National Wall but I have now found out ( Friday 14 October 2016 ), that the actual Touch Plate on the National Wall of Remembrance has NOT been changed to reflect the correct date.
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BDM – Birth = 14621/1904 to Charles P. & Caroline A. Pratt at Narrandera.
BDM – Marriage = 10147/1934 to Alma C. NEVILLE in Sydney
BDM – Death = 29635/1948. Charles Pacey PRATT & Caroline Ann PRATT.
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http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/79692879?searchTerm=sergeant%20pratt&searchLimits=
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Sgt Edwin Pratt – Nepean Times ( Penrith NSW ) Thursday 25 November 1948 page 1 of 10
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Saturday 20 November 1948
page 32 of 32
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Monday 21 May 1945
page 3 of 10
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Friday 8 July 1949
page 16 of 20
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Edwin is buried at Katoomba Cemetery. Cemetery Rd, Katoomba, NSW.
Section KCE3 Row R1, Plot 2
His son, Ian Stephen PRATT died on 7 July 1949, aged 4 years and is buried with his father.
Alma Charlotte PRATT ( wife of Edwin ) died on 26 February 1959, aged 49, and is buried in the same plot also.
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Eucser Haze added 2 new photos.
· Sun Valley ·
Today I remember all those that have gone before us, regardless of how they died or whether their name is recorded on a wall, or monument, or not.
I specifically spare a thought for those that lay in unmarked graves throughout the state-we shouldn’t permit this to happen or continue. For that very reason a special thought for Sgt 3rd Class Pratt killed in 1948 whose grave is pictured below.
https://dev.australianpolice.com.au/edwin-oliver-pratt/
” Let those who drink from the well not forget those that dug it “
About unmarked police graves. I have been waiting for about 4 years for the Police Department to erect a headstone for my father Sgt 3/c Edwin Oliver Pratt. Promises promises. Last time I heard months ago that they were in the process of getting quote from stone mason for a full grave marker., but nothing since. The officer in charge is a very busy man indeed, so I do try to understand the delay. Would like to see it done in my lifetime.
— 
feeling sad.
Comments
Eucser Haze Olwyn, I’d like to try and help getting your fathers grave appropriately marked. If you’d like some help, my email is coll2ian@gmail.com
I’m the person that Greg is referring to that sent you a message
Eucser Haze to Memorial Muster
· Rylstone ·
Got the letter from Bathurst Council today approving use of Sulman Park and fees waived.
Robbo has collected some prizes from local businesses for raffles etc.
Robbo, Marita and I also met an interesting character at Sofala today – Robbo has a new bff. Ask him about it on the 30th.
… See More
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♥♡On this day 67years ago my father Sgt 3/c Edwin Oliver Pratt passed away after being injured in a motor vehicle accident on the railway crossing in Katoomba 6 weeks earlier.R.I.P
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Greg Callander That is cool Rod Pratt. I was contacted, a year or two ago, by Olwyn Pratt ( https://www.facebook.com/olwyn.prattedmonds?fref=ts ) who is the daughter of Ed. I would assume that she will have more information on Ed and, maybe, your father. It is certainly worth contacting her. Olwyn isn’t a member of this particular FB Group but is a member of NSW Fallen Police FB Group. I tried to ‘tag’ her to this message but, because she isn’t on this page, wasn’t able to.
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Leanne Bailey Yes SGT. Pratt was killed while on duty: 19 Oct 1948
Sgt 3/C Edwin Pratt – struck by a motor vehicle whilst on point duty http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/about_us/proud_traditions
Correction. The group of children was my Gran and Cousins, story relayed by her. Sorry Olwyn, I thought I had corrected this post.
The comment by Leanne Bailey makes it look like my father had 12 children which he didn’t.,and could anyone realistically carry 12 kids on a bicycle or even a motor bike and side car.???? I know this is an old post, but it is just plain silly.
According to Truth Newspaper 29.05.1932 Everyone in Manly knows Pratt, capable protector of the public rights and property. Only Boy Charlton is known better. (This was just before he was transferred to Penrith.)
He was my grandfather never met him died 12 years before I was born but know the great effect it had on my dad and aunt. A memorial coming non to soon
Please correct your information on my father Edwin Oliver Pratt. He died on November 19th 1948 and my name is Olwyn not Alwyn. Otherwise, glad that he is not forgotten after 65 years even though he was buried in an unmarked grave, but this is to be rectified in the coming year. Olwyn Edmonds nee Pratt daughter
Hello Olwyn,
I have just checked the information about your father and all of the information at hand ( apart from yours ) is that Edwin was hit by the trailer on the 1 October and died 18 days later, on the 19 October.
Is there anyway in which you could possibly check your own information? Death certificate etc? The National Police Remembrance Wall, the NSW Police Remembrance Wall and all Honour Rolls, have Edwin as having died on the 19 October also.
I searched Births, Deaths and Marriages but that doesn’t give me the exact date, only that his father was Charles Pacey and mother was Caroline Ann.
If the dates that the Police have displayed are incorrect, then there will be a great deal of work to be done to have all the dates altered.
I am currently searching the Trove which has an article on him – which I will include in the tribute on this page.
If you have any photos of Edwin, I would also love to post them up also.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
regards
Greg Callander
Site Owner
Retired Senior Constable
NSWPF
1975 – 2004