Dr David Roberts and Ms Carol Baxter’s articles in the media recently, the Journal of Australian Studies and UNE Life, (in my opinion) don’t cut the mustard – historically and/or politically. They are both attached to the UNE History department.
Dr Roberts suggests in his article in the Journal of Australian Studies, that the book “Thunderbolt – Scourge of the Ranges’ (a historical fiction book) published by Phoenix Press in 2009, was written mainly from the perception (fiction, remember) of the author Greg Hamilton an arch nationalist/republican. And this prompted politicians to apply some Act to release records. Nothing could be further from the truth, Greg, like myself, is a constitutional monarchist. Records were released after this, although not complete by the direction of the Minister then in charge.
Frederick Ward, bush ranger, had been remarkably inactive in robberies as from Dec 1868 – only two, one in 1869 and then one in April 1870 at Moredun. Then suddenly on May 25, 1870 he conducted three stupid and amateurish robberies in Uralla on the day he was shot. Quite uncharacteristic.
On May 19, just six days before the shooting, a harsh reprimand had been responded to and sent to the Commissioner of Police in Sydney. This was that the local police were criticised in the press (AE) and by a politician, saying the Armidale police were inefficient or slack in their attempts to reprimand Ward.
I have recently, after Mr Richard Torbay’s representation, had morning tea and discussions with Superintendent Bruce Lyons, who ordered that all records pertaining to Thunderbolt, because people thought the wrong man was shot, be released to him personally. One particular point was that during the Magisterial Inquiry, the identity of the man shot was based on hearsay, and the color of the eyes of this man differed from Fred Ward’s. Irrespective of what the official reports stated, it was circumstantial by today’s standards.
Also in attendance was the Commander of Glen Innes who admitted they still had old files there, one that might contain the report that two troopers from Glen Innes spotted Combo, Fred Ward’s favorite stolen or acquired race horse at some informal races at Glen Innes, May 28 and lost him at Ward’s Mistake. But Ward was allegedly shot on May 25, 1870 by Constable Walker in Uralla. This report was seen by various people, but was buried somewhere along the line.
As it is becoming the 150th year of Policing celebrations, they want to review the truth too. Particularly, when a DVD is about to be released that suggests that there has been a police/political cover up over the 1870 alleged Thunderbolt shooting and his alleged further escape to North America.
Pat Lightfoot,
Armidale
