John Redman HERBERT
AKA ?
* Nickname: ?
Late of ?
Relations in ‘the job’:
“possible” relation in ‘the job‘: ?
NSW Police Training College – Penrith / Belmore Barracks Class # ? ? ?
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # ???
Rank: Commenced Training at ? Police Academy on Thursday 1 September 1859 ( 22 – 23 years of age )
Probationary Constable- appointed ? ? ?
Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?
Detective – appointed ? ? ? ( NO )
Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Final Rank: = Senior Constable
Stations: ?, Canowindra – Death
Time employed ( Paid ) with NSW Police: From: 1 September 1859 to 13 April 1865 = 5 years, 7 months, 12 days
Service ( From Training Date ) period: From 1 September 1859 to 13 April 1865 = 5 years, 7 months, 12 days, Service
Retirement / Leaving age: = 27 – 28 years
Time in Retirement from Police: 0
Awards: No Find on Australian Honours system
Born: ? ? 1837
Died on: Saturday 13 April 1865
Age: 27 – 28 years,
Organ Donor: No
Cause: Shot – Accidentally shot – Friendly fire
Event location: along the Mogong creek near Mogong, NSW
Event date: Friday 29 March 1865
Funeral date: ? ? ?
Funeral location: ?
LIVE STREAM ? N/A
Wake location: ???
Wake date: ???
Funeral Parlour: ?
Buried at: ?
Grave Location: Section: Row: ? Plot: ?
Grave GPS: ?, ?
Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?
Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( June 2024 )
JOHN IS mentioned on the National Police Wall of Remembrance, Canberra
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
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AustralianPolice.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NSWFallenPolice/
Australian Police YouTube Channel
Senior Constable John HERBERT
Accidentally Shot
Mogong
13 April, 1865
On the evening of 28 / 29 March 1865 Senior Constable HERBERT, along with Constables ( Trooper ) James COOK and Edward AMBROSE and Tracker Peter HOGAN, were searching for the Hall Gang of bushrangers in the bush between Forbes and Canowindra.
The bushrangers had earlier robbed a store at Forbes and information had been obtained indicating that they were headed for Canowindra.
The police party made camp
in the bush on the creek near Mogong,
a small roadside settlement close to Canowindra.
Senior Constable Herbert announced that he and Constable Ambrose would be leaving the camp to keep watch on a hut where they suspected the gang might be hiding. It was arranged that should either he or Ambrose return during the night they would whistle to alert the camp of their approach.
Unfortunately, Herbert and Ambrose did return during the night but, after losing their way in the darkness, they approached the police camp from a different direction than expected.
Being closer than they believed to the camp, they also did not whistle to signal their arrival.
Believing the approaching riders to be the bushrangers Constable Cook issued a challenge on two occasions without receiving a reply, so on the second occasion both he and Peter fired into the darkness, unfortunately hitting Constable Herbert in the groin, neck and shoulder. He died about a week later.
The Sydney Morning Herald dated 29 May, 1865 indicates that Constable Cook was charged with a criminal offence following the shooting, reporting that “Constable Cook was placed on his trial to-day, at the Quarter Sessions, for shooting Constable Herbert, and was acquitted… The Court has concluded its sittings.”
The senior constable was born in 1837 and joined the police force on 1 September, 1859.
In 1862 he became a member of the newly-formed New South Wales Police Force.
At the time of his death he was probably stationed at Canowindra.
Source: Beyond Courage
Photo Rx on 31 May 2024 via Denis Jaculli # 22586
Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW : 1856 – 1861; 1863 – 1889; 1891 – 1954),
Saturday 6 May 1865, page 3
Trooper Cook has been acquitted on a charge of wounding Sen. Constable John Redman Herbert, near Canowindra, but was severely reprimanded by the Carcoar Bench.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188135164
Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954),
Tuesday 23 May 1865, page 5
THE SHOOTING OF CONSTABLE HERBERT.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
AT the Police Office, Carcoar, before Mr. L. V. Dulhunty, P.M., the fatal shooting case was reopened this morning, by order of the hon. the Attorney-General.
James Cook was charged by Thomas Roberts, sub-inspector of police of the Carcoar district, with firing at and wounding senior constable Herbert, while on duty in the bush, of which wounds the said J. R. Herbert died.
Charles Lydiard, superintendent of the Western police, swore that he accompanied Mr. W. M. Rothery, J.P., on the 4th April last, to Canowindra, for the purpose of taking the sworn statement of constable Herbert, who was lying dangerously wounded at the police station there ; it was taken in the presence of the prisoner, James Cook ; saw Herbert make his mark to the statement, and I witnessed it. Statement put in and read, as follows :—
“I, John Redman Herbert, went out on the 28th of March to look for bushrangers, in company with constable Ambrose, Cook, and Peter the black tracker.
We went to Molong ( sic ), then to the Nyrang Creek, and then went into camp, at dusk, on the Mogong Creek.
We had some tea, when I proposed to visit a certain place in company with constable Ambrose.
I told Cook to short-hobble the horses, and take care that they did not get away, and be careful not to fire or shoot any person that he did not know. I took the top off my powder flask, and showed him how I would blow on it as a signal, if we came back before morning.
We then left the camp on foot, and returned about 12 or 1 o’clock.
As we were returning, to the camp, and as I was putting the top of the powder flask to my mouth to whistle, I saw something suddenly jump up before me, and, before I could whistle, I received a shot on the hip, and I had hardly spoken before a second shot struck me on the shoulder ; I fell ; the first shot was fired by Cook, the second by Peter ; Ambrose was a yard or two behind me.
The three men came and picked me up and put some blankets round me ; they went for assistance ; Cook remained with me ; he told me he thought it was the two men that were after the horses, that he was tired of watching, and lay down, but did not go to sleep.
I make this statement, knowing that I have been dangerously wounded, Constable Cook, now in the room, is the man that I allude to as having fired the piece that shot me.
his mark: X. JOHN HERBERT.
Witness — Charles Lydiard. mark.
Edward Ambrose, swore that he was a constable, and stationed at Canowindra ; on the 28th of March, Herbert, Cook, myself, and Peter, the black tracker, went out in search of the bushrangers ; at dusk, we camped on the Mogong Creek, about a mile and a half from Mogong ; after tea, Herbert proposed that he and I should go and watch a certain place, and told Cook to look after the horses, and not let them go away, and not to fire at, or shoot any person unless he knew who it was ; he then took off the top of his powder-flask and blew on it, and said, if we return before daylight, that will be the signal we shall give on nearing the camp, we then left on foot, and returned about 12 or 1 o’clock ; the camp was in a sapling scrub, the night was dark, and we missed our way, and came upon it unawares ; when we were about fifteen yards from the camp two shots were fired, when Herbert called out “Don’t, don’t, you have shot Herbert;” I did not hear Cook call out before the firing, but he might have done so, as I slipped down just as the firing commenced, which caused me to be several yards behind Herbert, when he was shot he staggered a few paces and then fell, Cook appeared very sorry, and said that he thought it was the bushrangers, as two men had been and disturbed the horses; he said he challenged them, but they did not answer; I went to Mogong for assistance, and Cook remained with Herbert; Cook was sober, and I never knew him to quarrel with Herbert; the night was dark; we did not return to the camp the same way we left, we could just see some person at the camp, but could not tell who it was; I did not measure the distance, from the camp to where Herbert fell, Herbert, Cook, and myself were armed with breech-loading rifles, Peter had a carbine.
By Cook: I did not hear Herbert tell you that we should be back at the camp that night, I do not know what orders Herbert gave you when you and he were on the other side of the ridge.
Peter Hogan, an aboriginal, born in New England, and christened by a priest at Darling Downs, stated that he was a tracker in the police, and was out with Herbert, Ambrose, and Cook, looking for the bushrangers when Herbert was shot; we camped at night some distance from Mogong , after tea … Cook to short hobble the horses, and not let them go away, he also blew into the top of a powder-flask, and said that he would give that signal when they came back to the camp ; Herbert and Ambrose then went away on foot, and Cook and myself went to look after the horses, after which I made the bed, and went to sleep ; after some time Cook woke me by knocking me on the knee, and said here they are ; we heard something move, but could not see what it was ; I saw two men on horseback ; we could not tell who they were ; Cook challenged them, but got no answer ; I again laid down, and went to sleep, when Cook woke me again by saying here they are ; we saw two men coming towards the camp ; Cook called out who comes here, but got no answer ; Cook and I then fired, Cook first ; after the shots were fired, heard Herbert call out ” you have shot Herbert.”
Hugh M Rowland, sworn : I am a duly qualified medical practitioner ; on the 29th of March I attended senior-constable Herbert ; he was suffering from two gunshot wounds ; one of the balls had entered the flank, passed through the kidney, and lodged in the loins, from which I extracted it ; this wound was sufficient to cause death ; the other wound was in the neck and shoulder ; I saw him on the 14th of April, when he was dying ; I have since heard that he was dead.
Constable Casey proved senior-constable Herbert died from the effects of the wound.
Committed for trial at the Bathurst Quarter Sessions.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13113342#
* Story behind any Nickname:
Nothing further, than what is recorded above, is known about this person at the time of publication and further information and photos would be appreciated.
**********
Cal
2 June 2024
Scientific Police – December 1979Front Row L – R
