John SMITH

John SMITH

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. #  ?

Rank:  Trooper

Stations:  ? , Araluen

Service:  From  ?  to  10 February 1860

Awards:  ?

Born:  ? ? ?

Died on:  10 February 1860

Cause:  Drowned

Event location:  Crown Flat, Araluen

Age:  ?

Funeral date:  ?

Funeral location:  ?

Buried at: Unmarked grave at Araluen Catholic Cemetery

[alert_yellow]JOHN is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_yellow]

 

The trooper was drowned in severe floods at Araluen in February, 1860. The Sydney Morning Herald of Monday 20 February, 1860 graphically reported the floods, advising of “Losses to life and property, the extent of which are yet not known, from a subject of a dark page in the annals of Braidwood and surrounding districts.” It went on to describe the sad death of Trooper Smith.

 

….The next calamity to human life occurred at the police camp. Trooper Smith, who had lately joined the force, was endeavouring to escape to Mr. Sweeney’s house, when the current carried him off, and his corpse was discovered when the water subsided; it was entirely buried in the sand, part of the arm projecting.  Several bodies not known have been recovered, and it is anticipated that at least seventeen human beings have lost their lives in the Araluen flood. ……..

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13036792?searchTerm=trooper%20john%20smith&searchLimits=l-decade=186|||l-year=1860

At the time of his death the trooper was stationed at Araluen. No further details are known as yet.

[divider_dotted]

 

The Goulburn Herald ( NSW )  Saturday  18 February 1860  p 2 of 4

…….

One of the Troopers of the Southern Patrol, a fine young man named John Smith, was drowned while endeavouring to cross from the police camp to the Cornstalk Inn.  In fact the destruction is general and conceivably great. …..

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/103400139?searchTerm=trooper%20john%20smith&searchLimits=l-decade=186|||l-year=1860|||l-month=2#reloadOnBack

[divider_dotted]

 

 

 

The Empire ( Sydney )  Monday  20 February 1860  p 3 of 8

……. At the Police Camp the water rushed in, and one of the troopers named Smith, whilst making his way from there to Sweeney’s public house, was carried away by the rushing torrent and met with a watery grave : his body, together with the bodies of two Chinamen, have been recovered. ……

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/64097583?searchTerm=trooper%20john%20smith&searchLimits=l-decade=186|||l-year=1860|||l-month=2

[divider_dotted]