National Police Memorial

On this day

Senior Constable

Desmond TRANNORE

YEAR OF DEATH

26 October 1964

JURISDICTION

Queensland

DETAILS OF DEATH

On 26 October 1964 Senior Constable Trannore was on duty alone at Gordonvale in North Queensland when he received notice of a serious domestic disturbance on a property nine miles from Gordonvale. A man named Verney had assaulted one of his stepsons and was assaulting his wife. Senior Constable Trannore arrived at the farmhouse and requested that the woman and the children come with him to Gordonvale to be medically examined. Verney became agitated and threatened Trannore. On more that one occasion he ordered Trannore from the property. While the woman was getting ready Verney obtained a .310 rifle and threatened Trannore with it. Trannore was on the top step at the front of the house when Verney again ordered him from the property. While Trannore was talking to him Verney fired the rifle hitting Trannore in the left side of the chest. Trannore turned and hurriedly went about 50 feet toward the police car and said to the two children “run for your life”. He collapsed falling on his face and rolled onto his back and died. The bullet had penetrated his heart. The terrified children ran to a neighbour and raised the alarm. Verney was arrested and convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Senior Constable Trannore is buried in the Gordonvale cemetery.

On this day

Sergeant

Michael KENNEDY

YEAR OF DEATH

26 October 1878

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On 25 October 1878 Sergeant Michael Kennedy and Constables Thomas Lonigan, Michael Scanlan and Thomas McIntyre rode into the Wombat Ranges. They were searching for Ned and Dan Kelly. The Kelly’s were wanted for the attempted murder of Constable Alex Fitzpatrick at Eleven Mile Creek near Benalla on 15 April 1878. That evening the policemen established a camp near Stringbark Creek. The following day Kennedy and Scanlan set off to patrol the area whilst McIntyre and Lonigan remained behind. Towards evening the camp site was attacked by the Kellys together with their associates Steve Hart and Joe Byrne. Constable Lonigan was shot dead whilst Constable McIntyre was captured and held hostage. The outlaws then hid themselves around the camp and left McIntyre on view as a decoy. When Kennedy and Scanlan returned Ned Kelly called on them to “bail up” then almost immediately the attackers began firing at them and Scanlan was cut down. Kennedy was pursued through the bush in a running gun battle with initially four assailants behind him, two continued to pursue and kill Kennedy, the other two sent to chase McIntyre. In the confusion McIntyre was able to escape and raise the alarm. Over the next two years the Kelly gang as they became known remained at large. They only came out of hiding to make two much publicised raids one on the township of Euroa and the other at Jerilderie. Finally in June 1880 they received information that an associate Aaron Sherritt had betrayed them and a large contingent of police were travelling to Euroa by train to arrest them. The gang moved swiftly. They murdered Sherritt took over the township of Glenrowan and imprisoned the residents and wrecked the railway line in the near vicinity. They then settled down to wait planning to set upon the police party after their train ran off the rails at the point of sabotage. A local resident managed to allow the gang to release him. He warned the approaching police and averted a disaster. Soon after the gang were cornered in a local hotel. A siege developed and Dan Kelly Steve Hart and Joe Byrne were killed. Ned Kelly managed to escape and returned later in his famous “suit of armour” and attempted to shoot it out with police. Soon overpowered he faced trial at Melbourne for killing Lonigan. He was hanged at 10 a.m. 11 November 1880.

On this day

Constable

Thomas LONIGAN

YEAR OF DEATH

26 October 1878

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On 25 October 1878 Sergeant Michael Kennedy and Constables Robert Lonigan Michael Scanlan and Thomas McIntyre rode into the Wombat Ranges. They were searching for Ned and Dan Kelly. The Kelly’s were wanted for the attempted murder of Constable Alex Fitzpatrick at Eleven Mile Creek near Benalla on 15 April 1878. That evening the policemen established a camp near Stringbark Creek. The following day Kennedy and Scanlan set off to patrol the area whilst McIntyre and Lonigan remained behind. Towards evening the camp site was attacked by the Kellys together with their associates Steve Hart and Joe Byrne. Constable Lonigan was shot dead whilst Constable McIntyre was captured and held hostage. The outlaws then hid themselves around the camp and left McIntyre on view as a decoy. When Kennedy and Scanlan returned Ned Kelly called on them to “bail up” then almost immediately the attackers began firing at them and Scanlan was cut down. Kennedy was pursued through the bush in a running gun battle with initially four assailants behind him, two continued to pursue and kill Kennedy, the other two sent to chase McIntyre. In the confusion McIntyre was able to escape and raise the alarm. Over the next two years the Kelly gang as they became known remained at large. They only came out of hiding to make two much publicised raids one on the township of Euroa and the other at Jerilderie. Finally in June 1880 they received information that an associate Aaron Sherritt had betrayed them and a large contingent of police were travelling to Euroa by train to arrest them. The gang moved swiftly. They murdered Sherritt took over the township of Glenrowan and imprisoned the residents and wrecked the railway line in the near vicinity. They then settled down to wait planning to set upon the police party after their train ran off the rails at the point of sabotage. A local resident managed to allow the gang to release him. He warned the approaching police and averted a disaster. Soon after the gang were cornered in a local hotel. A siege developed and Dan Kelly Steve Hart and Joe Byrne were killed. Ned Kelly managed to escape and returned later in his famous “suit of armour” and attempted to shoot it out with police. Soon overpowered he faced trial at Melbourne for killing Lonigan. He was hanged at 10 a.m. on 11 November 1880.

On this day

Constable

Michael SCANLAN

YEAR OF DEATH

26 October 1878

JURISDICTION

Victoria

DETAILS OF DEATH

On 25 October 1878 Sergeant Michael Kennedy and Constables Robert Lonigan Michael Scanlan and Thomas McIntyre rode into the Wombat Ranges. They were searching for Ned and Dan Kelly. The Kelly’s were wanted for the attempted murder of Constable Alex Fitzpatrick at Eleven Mile Creek near Benalla on 15 April 1878. That evening the policemen established a camp near Stringbark Creek. The following day Kennedy and Scanlan set off to patrol the area whilst McIntyre and Lonigan remained behind. Towards evening the camp site was attacked by the Kellys together with their associates Steve Hart and Joe Byrne. Constable Lonigan was shot dead whilst Constable McIntyre was captured and held hostage. The outlaws then hid themselves around the camp and left McIntyre on view as a decoy. When Kennedy and Scanlan returned Ned Kelly called on them to “bail up” then almost immediately the attackers began firing at them and Scanlan was cut down. Kennedy was pursued through the bush in a running gun battle with initially four assailants behind him, two continued to pursue and kill Kennedy , the other two sent to chase McIntyre.. In the confusion McIntyre was able to escape and raise the alarm. Over the next two years the Kelly gang as they became known remained at large. They only came out of hiding to make two much publicised raids one on the township of Euroa and the other at Jerilderie. Finally in June 1880 they received information that an associate Aaron Sherritt had betrayed them and a large contingent of police were travelling to Euroa by train to arrest them. The gang moved swiftly. They murdered Sherritt took over the township of Glenrowan and imprisoned the residents and wrecked the railway line in the near vicinity. They then settled down to wait planning to set upon the police party after their train ran off the rails at the point of sabotage. A local resident managed to allow the gang to release him. He warned the approaching police and averted a disaster. Soon after the gang were cornered in a local hotel. A siege developed and Dan Kelly Steve Hart and Joe Byrne were killed. Ned Kelly managed to escape and returned later in his famous “suit of armour” and attempted to shoot it out with police. Soon overpowered he faced trial at Melbourne for killing Lonigan. He was hanged at 10 a.m. on 11 November 1880.

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