1980 | Articles | Buried | Cause | Currently Serving | Deceased Police | Driver | Funeral | Gender | Location | Male | Motor bike | NSW | Of event | Of grave | On Duty | Photos | State | Vehicle accident | Wall of Remembrance | Year | Yes
Ronald James BURLEY
Ronald James BURLEY
New South Wales Police Force
[alert_yellow]Regd. # 13096[/alert_yellow]
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed 1 April 1968
Senior Constable – appointed 1 April 1977
Stations: ?, Gosford STP ( early 1970’s ), Albury HWP, North Sydney Highway Patrol
Service: From pre 1 April 1968 to 5 May 1980 = 12+ years Service
Awards: No find on It’s an Honour
Born: 31 August 1946
Cause: Motor vehicle accident – Police motor cycle rider
Event location: Calga Expressway, Berowra
Age: 32
Funeral date: ???
Funeral location:
Buried at: Palmdale Memorial Park, 57 Palmdale Road, Ourimbah.
grave photo removed
[alert_green]RON IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_green]
About 3.10pm on 5 May, 1980 Senior Constable Burley was riding a police highway patrol motor cycle home at the completion of his rostered shift. As he was riding along the Calga Expressway at Berowra the stand on the constable’s motor cycle apparently became loose and struck the road surface. Unable to control the cycle Constable Burley was thrown to the roadway, sustaining severe head injuries. He died before the arrival of an ambulance.
The constable was born in 1946 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 1 April, 1968. At the time of his death he was attached to the North Sydney Highway Patrol.
[divider_dotted]
I worked with Ron at Gosford way back in the early seventies. One story that sticks in my mind was my introduction to the old truckstop at Kangy Angy, near Ourimbah.
It was an absolute dump, but Ron convinced me to stop off for dinner one night. He knew the old woman that owned the place. He was that well known, that he didn’t bother going into the dining area, instead he took me out the back to the kitchen, to meet the old sheila, who also did the cooking.
He ordered us a couple of steaks with vegetables. I was extremely concerned about the state of the kitchen, as it was filthy, but what did it for me, was she used an old pair of stockings to use as a strainer for our veggies. ???????? RIP old mate.
RIP.
I remember being told that he had been caring for a young child and was going through the adoption process when the accident happened. It would be nice to know how that child fared in life afterwards.
RIP mate, remembered well from old STPPTB days under the bridge ( Sydney Harbour Bridge ), stood in many a parade with Ron, and shared a laugh or two, at the antics that went on there during the old days.
[divider_dotted]
Ron and I traveled too and from work on a regular basis. He came down from the central coast and I lived at Berowra and we’d head into the ‘burrah’ together for the bridge lane change. A great bloke, a good friend. I’d gone to GDs at Chatswood and was working the day the accident came over the air and I knew straight away the cyclist killed was Ron. Rest in Peace Ron. We’ll catch up again one day.
Zita, Ron’s wife, was my dear friend. She never got over his death. She changed a lot after losing him. She loved him so much. Zita moved away from the Central Coast a couple of years after that I think it was. I tried to find her but obviously she didn’t want to be found. They were a lovely young couple and we had such good times together. I miss our times together still, 40 years later.
Ron was my training officer at North Sydney HWP in 1978…..a better man I know not of…a true legend in my book…not only was he my mentor going into the HWP he was a true friend….