Gregory John EARLE   

aka  ‘ Toes down ‘ ( due to his riding style ) & ‘Earle of the Forest’

New South Wales Police Force

NSW Redfern Police Academy Class 127

Uniform # 3037

Regd. #   14691   

Rank:  Commenced Training at Redfern Police Academy on Monday 17 May 1971 ( aged 22 years, 7 months, 25 days )

Probationary Constable – appointed 28 June 1971 ( aged22 years, 9 months, 6 days )

Constable – appointed 28 August 1972

Constable 1st Class – appointed 28 August 1976

Senior Constable – appointed 28 August 1980

Senior Constable – Death

Stations:  ?, North Sydney HWP, Frenchs Forest HWP ( 14 Division ) – Death

Service:   From 17 May 1971   to  21 June 1987 = 16 years, 1 week, 4 days Service

Age at Retirement / Leaving:  38 years, 8 months, 30 days

Time in Retirement:  0 years, 0 weeks, 0 days

[blockquote]

NASHOS   

Service name:  Army  – 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery  

Service number:            2791952

Rank:                               Gunner

Served at:                        Vietnam  1970

Date of intake:              ?   

NS Training:                 ?   

Follow Up Training:   ?   

Basic Training:            ?   

Next of Kin:                 ?   

Medals:                        ?   

[/blockquote]

Police Awards:  National Medal – granted 4 October 1988 ( posthumously )

Born:  Wednesday  22 September 1948 – Hobart, Tasmania

Died on:  Sunday 21 June 1987

Cause:  Motor vehicle accident – Police motor cycle – Urgent Duty

Event location:  The Strand, Dee Why, NSW

Age:  38 years, 8 months, 30 days

Funeral date:  Wednesday  24 June 1987

Funeral location:  ?   

Buried at:  Mona Vale General cemetery, Fazzolari Ave, Mona Vale, NSW.

Grave location:  Roman Catholic, Section C, Grave 081

GPS: Lat:  -33.67456851936532    Long:  151.28723368269925

Memorial location: Frenchs Forest Police Stn

Memorial type: Plaque inside of Frenchs Forest Police Stn

approximate location of grave:  [codepeople-post-map]

Greg IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance

Shortly after 5.50pm on 21 June, 1987 Senior Constable Earle was riding a police motor cycle towards Palm Beach to assist in an urgent search for three missing lifesavers. While he was riding along The Strand at Dee Why the senior constable began to overtake a number of cars when the cycle hit a damaged part of the road surface causing the cycle to veer to the left where it hit a gravel patch. The cycle then cart-wheeled, throwing Senior Constable Earle into a parked car. He sustained severe head and internal injuries and was conveyed to the Mona Vale District Hospital where he was found to be dead on arrival.

The constable was born in 1948 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 28 June, 1971. At the time of his death he was attached to the Frenchs Forest Highway Patrol.

 

Greg was travelling south through Dee Why on his way to Freshwater to meet, and escort, a surf rescue Jet Boat being towed, north, by road to launch from Palm Beach to join the search & rescue efforts for the missing Life Savers when this accident occurred.

But other sources say that they were NOT Surf Life Savers who were missing but two or three young blokes who were reported missing.  Trouble was, that the blokes reportedly missing – had actually returned to shore, safe and well but had failed to tell anyone of their return – thus prompting a Search and Rescue effort.

Another recollection of the incident is that the two or three ‘lads’ had taken a rubber duck boat from Newport or Palm Beach surf club and were actually at the Arms Hotel, drinking whilst the Search and Rescue ( for them ) was initiated.

‘Earle of the Forest’ is was also locally renowned for having a moustache painted on the tank of his police motor cycle – to represent the handle bar moustache he sported on his face.

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The Canberra Times     Monday  22 June 1987      p 3

Police death

SYDNEY: A police motorcyclist died in hospital after falling off his machine in Dee Why last night. An ambulance spokesman said the policeman, 38, had been escorting a police rescue vehicle.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118299446

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First published on 22 September 2013.

Updated 8 February 2026.

 

Ian Donald WARD

late of Padstow, NSW

New South Wales Police Force

Joined via NSW Police Cadets on 21 February 1966

Cadet # 2109

Redfern Police Academy Class 114

Regd. # 13174

Rank:  NSW Police Cadet – commenced 21 February 1966 ( aged 16 years, 10 months, 9 days )

Probationary Constable – 12 April 1968 ( aged 19 years, 0 months, 0 days )

Constable – appointed 12 April 1969

Constable 1st Class  ( Acting Sergeant in Cyprus )

Stations:  ? & Cyprus as part of the 11th Australian Contingent of UN Peacekeeping Mission

UNFICYP AUSCIVPOL

Service:  From 21 February 1966  to  12 November 1974 = 8 years, 8 months, 22 days Service

Age at Retirement:  25 years, 7 months, 0 days

Time in Retirement:  0

[blockquote]

NASHOS

Service name:              Military Police, National Service  ( Army )

Service number:          ?

Rank:                               Corporal

Date of birth:                12 April 1949

Place of birth:               Ryde, NSW

Date of intake:              ?

NS Training:                  ?

Follow Up Training:   ?

Basic Training:             ?

Next of Kin:                   ?

Medals:                           ?

[/blockquote]

Police Awards:  Police Overseas Service Medal with Cyprus clasp – granted 19 October 1992

Dag Hammarskjold Medal – awarded

Awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal. The U.N. Secretary-General established the Dag Hammarskjöld medal for posthumous award to members of peacekeeping operations who lost their lives during service with a peacekeeping operation under the operational control and authority of the United Nations.

Born: Tuesday 12 April 1949 at Ryde, NSW

Died:  Tuesday  12 November 1974

Cause of death:  Murdered – Land Mine Explosion

Event location:  near Lefka, Cyprus ( 5 days after arriving in the country )

Age:  25 years, 7 months, 0 days

Funeral date:  26 November 1974

Funeral location:  ???

Grave location:  Rookwood Cemetery, Rookwood

On 12 November, 1974 Constable Ward was serving with the Eleventh Australian Police Element in Cyprus. Whilst travelling in a Land Rover near Lefka the vehicle hit a landmine in the buffer zone. As a result Constable Ward was killed and Constable 1st Class John Woolcott ( # 11976 ) was seriously injured.

Constable Ward is the 3rd and last Australian to die in Cyprus.

The constable was born in 1949 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 12 April, 1968. At the time of his death he was stationed in Cyprus and an Acting Sergeant.

John Woolcott ( # 11976 ) recovered from his injuries and ” Wooly ” later retired from NSW Police Force either as an Sergeant at Manly Police Station or an Inspector at North Sydney / Mosman.  This, is yet, to be confirmed.  ( 10 August 2017 ).

 

 

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IAN IS mentioned on the National Police Wall of Remembrance, Canberra

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FURTHER:

Cst 1st Class Ian Donald WARD – NSWPF – Killed in Cyprus – 12 November 1974 – further info

Cst 1st Class Ian Donald WARD – NSWPF – Killed in Cyprus – 12 November 1974 – further info 2

 

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the Eleventh Contingent

p 105

The closure of Nicosia Airport meant a circuitous route to Cyprus for the second half of the eleventh contingent led by Merv Beck.

Although it was not known at the time, conditions on the Island and consequent reduction in UNFICYP strength would make this the

last November rotation.

The group left Sydney on 6 November and were welcomed some days later at Akrotiri after flying with Qantas to London then busing to

the Brize Norton RAF Base near Oxford and thence via Malta to Cyprus.

RAF flights were ‘dry’ and the seats faced the rear, so the Australians appreciated the traditional welcome at Limassol Headquarters.

The newcomers ‘pumped’ the old hands for news of the war while they themselves were pressed for information about events in Australia.

The new arrivals were soon split up.  Ray Leister was assigned Control Room duties while others went to Ktima and Polis.

After only five days on the Island the unthinkable happened near a road-block approaching Lefka.

Ian Ward, a replacement from New South Wales, was killed and John Woolcott injured when their Land Rover detonated a land-mine in an unmarked field.

The Australians were conveying a Turkish Cypriot family from Ayios Nicolaos to the Turkish Cypriot controlled area at Lefka and one of the four passengers was killed and the other three seriously injured.

The fatality cast a pall over the contingent.

A number of moving ceremonies were held before his body was flown home to Australia.

Twelve months later a cairn was erected to commemorate the tragedy and each twelve months a short service is held near the memorial.

Geoff Baker was a member of the Board of Inquiry convened under British military regulations to investigate the incident.

Land-mines were the major component of fortifications along the confrontation zone.  UNFICYP had lodged a number of protests about mine-laying procedures and the fact that many fields were neither marked nor adequately recorded.  UNFICYP began a special programme to remedy the deficiencies, but two UNFICYP soldiers were killed in similar circumstances during the following twelve months.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/Photocopy/94431NCJRS.pdf

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Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995),

Wednesday 20 November 1974, page 3

Service

LONDON, Tuesday (AAP). – Representatives of all United Nations peace keeping forces in Cyprus will take part in a memorial service today for Sergeant Ian Ward, 25, a Commonwealth policeman of Sydney, who was killed in landmine explosion last week. His body will later be flown to Sydney for burial.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110788766

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Also:

 

Honour

Located within the Honour Precinct is an original ornate marble tablet featuring early losses of New South Wales Police Officers. The tablet is flanked by the New South Wales state flag and the New South Wales Police Force flag.

The Peacekeeping Display honours all members of the NSW Police Force who have served in peacekeeping operations throughout the world and houses the Dag Hammerskjold medal belonging to the late SGT Ian Donald Ward who died in UNFICYP. This was donated to the NSW Police College on the 29th May, 2010 from Mr Ken Ward, OAM, father of SGT Ward.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_Police_Academy

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On the 12th November, 1974, a member of this Force, Constable 1st Class I. D. Ward, who had arrived in Cyprus a few days before, and Constable 1st Class J. Woolcott, also of this Force, were carrying out humanitarian work transporting refugees. The United Nation’s land rover in which they were travelling struck a land mine on a road between Limassol and Lefka resulting in the death of Constable 1st Class Ward and severe injuries to Constable 1st Class Woolcott, Constable 1st Class Ward was posthumously awarded the United Nations Medal, Cyprus Division.

https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/viewer/517e982c7fa2d2c5b8c06d530ab240e7.pdf

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Peacekeeping Veteran Honoured at the NSW Police College:

PEACEKEEPING VETERAN HONOURED AT THE NSW POLICE COLLEGE

– Author,

Mr Denis Percy – National President – UNPAA.

INTRODUCTION:

On the 14th November, 1974 Sergeant Ian Ward, a member of the New South Wales

Police Force, who had been seconded to the then named Australian Commonwealth

Police, (later named the AFP), for 12 months service with the United Nations Force in

Cyprus, (UNFICYP). Ian died as a result of a land-mind explosion whilst travelling in a

Land Rover.

He and Sergeant John Wolcott, the vehicle observer, also on attachment from the NSW

Police, were conveying four Turkish refugees from the Greek Cypriot sector village of Ayios

Nicolaos to the Turkish sector in Lefka District. One of the Turkish refugees was killed and

three were seriously injured in the explosion. The Land Rover was completely demolished

by the anti- tank mine. Sergeant John Wolcott survived the explosion; however, he

received serious facial and other injuries.

Sergeant Ward had been in Cyprus for only five days on his 12 month secondment to the

United Nations Police Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). Ironically, Ian had previously served

and survived as a Military Policeman, whilst performing his National Service during the

Vietnam War.

Lieutenant-General Bedrettin Demirel, Commander of the Turkish Peace Forces in

Cyprus, in a heart felt expression of sympathy wrote to Sergeant Ward’s Family and stated, “

Your son, who was making every effort to assist in the humanitarian activities indiscriminate of

race, religion and language, is a martyr of duty.

His memory and service live in the hearts of all personnel of the Turkish Peace Forces in Cyprus ”

.

HANDOVER AND BLESSING OF THE DAG HAMMARSKJOLD MEDAL.

On the 29th May, 2009 in Goulburn at the NSW Police College, 35 years after his death on

a lonely village road and a world away from Cyprus, we remembered our Police colleague.

The service held at the NSW Police College demonstrates that Australian Police do not

forget those who die in the line of duty, either in Australia or whilst serving overseas.

In a highly symbolic ceremony, the Australian Federal Police officially handed-over“

on-loan” for a five year period, the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal awarded to the late Sergeant

Ian Donald Ward.

That medal had been in the custody of the Australian Federal Police as

Ian died as a Federal Police Officer on attachment from the NSW Police for his UN Service.

That medal is awarded by the United Nations to those of its members who are

killed whilst performing duty with the United Nations. It is named after the now deceased

and former Scandinavian leader of the United Nations at its headquarters in New York.

The day’s proceedings commenced in Goulburn with a moving march of a group of United

Nations Police veterans who had served in Cyprus, the Middle East, East Timor, the

Solomon Islands and other multinational peacekeeping operations.

The veterans march was preceded by combined ceremonial support elements of the NSW Police Force and the

Australian Federal Police the marching band of the NSW Police Force, a combined NSW

Police Force Mounted Unit and the Australian Federal Police Ceremonial Mounted Cadre

and a combined New South Wales Police Force and Australian Federal Police flag party.

The Parade Commander UNPAA President Denis Percy instructed the parade to an “eyes

left” towards the NSW Police Eternal Flame, which honours all those members of the NSW

Police Force who have died in the service of their state and their country.

POLICE COLLEGE CHAPEL CEREMONY:

Upon arrival at the NSW Police College Chapel, the flags of the United Nations and the

Australian Federal Police were laid up by the Senior Police Chaplain, Reverend Peter

Robinson.

Gathered in the Chapel were a number of representatives of the Australian Defence Force,

the Untied Nations Information Centre, the Senate, the Parliaments of the Commonwealth

of Australia and New South Wales. The Mayor of Goulburn mingled there with senior AFP,

NSW Police Force and Victoria Police officials and members of the United Nations Police

Association of Australia, (UNPAA), the Australian Peacekeepers and Peacemakers

Association, the Australian Bravery Association, the National Executive of the RSL and the

NSW Police Force Sub Branch of the RSL.

Sergeant Jeff Little, NSW Police and a peacekeeping veteran from East Timor and Cyprus

read the invocation.  Guests in the Police Memorial Chapel joined in singing the United

Nations Anthem, ‘The song of All Nations”, followed by another peacekeeping veteran,

NSWPF Sergeant Dave McCann, OAM reading the Beatitudes.

Police Chaplain read a prayer and then came the official handover, which involved the signing of the temporary

loan agreement by AFP Commander and former peacekeeping veteran Shane Connelly –

performing the duties of National Manager, International Deployment Group and Chief

Superintendent Gregory Moore, APM the Principal of the NSW Police College.

Due to its’ national significance, the AFP Museum are the current custodians of the late Sergeant

Ward’s medal and have entrusted its’ safekeeping with the NSW Police College for the

next five years.

From the rear of the Chapel and carrying the Dag Hammarskjöld medal belonging to the

late Sergeant Ian Ward AFP Sergeant Dale Cooper, RFD a former UN Cyprus

peacekeeper slow marched towards the front of the chapel, and from the left side of the

chapel NSWPF Senior Sergeant Mark Elm a former UN East Timor peacekeeper slow

marched to the front of the Chapel where the physical handover took place between the

two guardians of the medal.

This symbolic gesture, of respect to a fallen Sergeant indicated the deep regard both forces

have to their departed colleague and fellow peacekeeper.

Chief Superintendent Gregory Moore, APM has indicated that he is honoured for the NSW

Police College to be entrusted by the AFP to be guardians of the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal

belonging to the late Sergeant Ian Donald Ward. He went on to state: “Sergeant Ian Ward

and Sergeant Patrick Hackett who were killed while on international policing service with

the United Nations are role models for NSW Police recruits passing through this college

and the great tradition of service that we given an ongoing basis to the people of NSW.”

DEDICATION OF THE PEACEKEEPING DISPLAY

The display is designed to honour those members of the NSW Police Force who have

contributed to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations as United Nations Police Officers.

As such it fits well within the ‘Honour Precinct’ of the NSW Police College.

Visitors to the NSW Police College are invited by the Principal; to inspect the newly

dedicated display located in the hallway areas of the College building next to the College

Library Out of ten Australians who have died whilst on UN peacekeeping operations, the

NSWPF has lost two members with the United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP),

namely Inspector Patrick Hackett in a motor vehicle accident (29.8.71) and Sergeant Ian

Donald Ward (land mine explosion). A third Australian Police Officer from the South

Australia Police Sergeant Lew Thomas has also been killed in Cyprus (26.7.69) also in a

motor vehicle accident.

The Peacekeeping display was made possible with a grant from the Australian

Government, Department of Veterans Affairs ‘Saluting Their Service’ upon a submission

made to them by the UNPAA .That grant is a Government initiative which honours the

contribution of Australia’s servicemen and women in war, conflicts and peace operations.

Senior Sergeant Mark Elm was the Project Manager for the display which was funded by

contributions from the Australian Federal Police; the NSW Police Force; United Nations

Police Association of Australia and its NSW Branch, the Police Federation of Australia; and

the Police Credit Union.

Ceremonial arrangements were made possible with assistance of the AFP Recognition and

Ceremonial team and the Professional Standards Unit of the Office of the Principal, NSW

Police College.

UNITED NATIONS ARTEFACTS DONATED TO DISPLAY:

In putting the exhibition together, Snr Sgt Elm collected historic artefacts donated by

Australian police peacekeepers who served in Cyprus, the Middle East and East Timor

Said Sergeant Elm: “

Police officers by their very nature are peacekeepers in their home towns, cities here in

Australia, and it is a natural progression to take these skills to war torn areas, to build the

capacity of local authorities to act against a humanitarian backdrop.” Said Snr Sgt Elm.

“This day has been on the cards since I arrived at the College in February of 2007.

Much like all the other proud traditions displays, most of the work undertaken on this display has

been conducted on days off so it is really gratifying to see the final results, which I think all

peacekeepers will feel proud.

I think we got the symbolism right and I think our future members of the force will come to

know of the service and the sacrifice of our members who contributed.”

In a fitting tribute to Australia’s police peacekeepers whether they hail from the AFP, state

or territory police force, the Minister for Home Affairs, The Hon. Bob Debus, and MP kindly

donated the Australian Coat of Arms, which was presented by Senator the Hon. Ursula

Stephens and dedicated by Reverend Peter Robinson at the ceremony.

SNRSGT Elm summed up the magnitude of this when he said.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Assistance was provided to Senior Sergeant Elm in this project from the Australian Federal

Police; the NSW Police Force; United Nations Police Association of Australia and its NSW

Branch, the Police Federation of Australia; and the Police Credit Union.

This ceremony was made possible through the assistance of the AFP Recognition and Ceremonial team

and the Professional Standards Unit of the Office of the Principal, NSW Police College.

Cst-1st-Class-Ian-Donald-WARD-NSWPF-Killed-in-Cyprus-12-November-1974-further-info

 

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First published on 14 November 2013.

Updated 3 August 2025 with photo of Cst Woolcott and Registered number of Ward.