Darling Downs Retired Police Memorial Wall
Standing pride of place in the Toowoomba and Drayton Lawn Cemetery is the Darling Downs Retired Police Memorial Wall which is affixed with some 35 plaques bearing the names of former police officers thereon. It is a fine wall, the first of its kind in the State and a fitting reminder of those police officers who have joined the police station in the sky.
How did the Wall come about? After the Police Remembrance Day service in 2005 one of our police widows came up with the idea of our own memorial. This followed the QPS setting up a memorial post in front of the police station in Neil Street.
At that time I was working in the local Council and had a great relationship with many of the local staff including those at the local cemetery. They came up with the idea of using a wall at the front of the grounds.
As the then Secretary/Treasurer of the Darling Downs Branch, I sent out letters to the widows and family of our deceased members telling them what we were proposing and the anticipated costs. We decided on the following words to be placed on each plaque which measures 10cm by Bern The Police Badge. (Next line) registered number. (Next line) Rank then name. (Next line) Date of service and if a member of the R.PA. then this would be placed after the date of retirement.
The Council set about fixing up the wall with a concrete forecourt and raised brick garden beds. The staff ordered the many bronze plaques and placed them on the wall which measures some 1.6m by 1m.
I obtained a large stainless steel name plate to commemorate the official opening. This plate bears the following: This memorial stands as a tribute to those members of the QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE AND QUEENSLAND RETIRED POLICE ASSOCIATION WHO HAVE GIVEN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. MAY WE BUILD UPON THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR DEDICATION, INTEGRITYAND COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE.
The opening time and date were set: 10.00 am on 28 August 201O and the then local Mayor, Mr Paul Antonio, was asked to officially open the Wall which he did.
The name plate was blessed by the priest and affixed to the wall. It has a large copy of the QPS badge underneath.
The Branch has decided that relatives of former police officers who were not members of the QRPA can apply to the Branch to have their names affixed to the wall at the cost of the relatives. Two such names, one being William Weise, late father of the current President of our Branch, Kev Weise, have been placed on the Wall.
Graham Hohenhaus, Vice President.
