Francis Laurel BURKE
Francis Laurel BURKE
Late of ?
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # ????
Rank: Constable
Stations: ?, Redfern – Death
Service: From 20 June 1955 to 20 January 1961 = 5+ years Service
Awards: No find on It’s An Honour – however
posthumously awarded the Bronze Medal and Certificate of Merit of the Royal Shipwreck Relief and Humane Society for Gallantry.
Born: ? ? 1927 at Condobolin, NSW
Died on: Friday 20 January 1961
Age: 34 years,
Cause: Drowned during a “Off Duty” surf rescue
Event location: Kiama Beach
Event date: Friday 20 January 1961
Funeral date: possibly 23 January 1961
Funeral location: ?
Buried at: possibly Rookwood Catholic – Portion Lawn 1, Plot 59
Memorial located at: ?
“There are a number of photos of this man on Ancestry.co.au which I can’t access” 26 July 2017
FRANCIS IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal
May they forever Rest In Peace
The constable was born in Condobolin in 1927 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 20 June, 1955. At the time of his death he was stationed at Redfern. He is listed in the official New South Wales Police Honour Roll.
There is a Francis L BURKE buried at Rookwood ( as detailed above ) but no other verifying details via internet search.
There is also a Francis Neil BURKE mentioned in the Kiama Independent on 25 January 1961 having died at Kiama, late of Sydney.
Nothing found on Trove.
Acts of Bravery by Police
The late Constable F. L. Burke was posthumously awarded the Bronze Medal and Certificate of Merit of the Royal Shipwreck Relief and Humane Society for gallantry in attempting to save the lives of two boys in the surf at Kiama on the 20th January, 1961. The Constable lost his own life on this occasion although the boys were saved.
Police Killed in the Execution of Their Duty
Constable Francis Laurel Burke.
Drowned at Kiama on the 20th January, 1961, whilst assisting two boys who were in difficulties in the water. The Constable was On annual leave at the time and holidaying with his family at Kiama.
Mentioned twice, on page 29 of 1962 Parliament of NSW – Report of the Police Department for 1961
annual_report_archive_1961 – 1 – document.pdf
Police Remembrance Day:
Almost 60 years on, Kenneth Nash still misses his uncle Allen.
Sergeant Allen William Nash, aged 40, was killed in the line of duty by a gun-wielding offender at Primbee in 1956.
Sgt Nash was one of eight officers stationed in the Lake Illawarra local area command who were recognised with memorial plaques on a wall of honour outside Lake Illawarra police station on Monday, as part of Police Remembrance Day commemorations.
Dozens of current and retired officers, families, friends, politicians, councillors and members of the public gathered at Oak Flats for a ceremony to unveil the memorial wall, and honour past and present officers.
Since 1862, more than 250 NSW Police officers have died in the line of duty.
The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales …
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