On 4 January 2020, I had lunch at Kingaroy RSL Club (too damn hot to stay home and work on the block) and wife and I were served meal by a new staffer.  So, we got chatting and “Police” was mentioned.

He said, “My Grandfather was in the Police.  Fred Richards, and he was hurt when there was a big fire at Sandgate.  He was attached to Sandgate Police Station”

It’s a small world?  I was at Sandgate from late 1974 until June 1975.  My Senior was Desmond Colin Garske (4211); the Detective Sergeant was Michael John Gurn; and the PCC was a tall skinny guy named Robert Atkinson. A uniform Senior Constable was Fred Richards; the officer hurt in the fire.

The other trainee with me at Sandgate was a Rodney Fagg.  He eventually left, medically unfit, and now lives about 200 m from me here in Kingaroy.

It was while at Sandgate (a December 1974 afternoon). I was performing Special Duty at roadworks outside the Homestead Hotel.  Was about 40 degrees. A dashing young Detective, stopped his unmarked Falcon,  realised how hot and bothered I was, and drove away.  He returned minutes later with an icy cold can of Coke.  I remember he said “Get this into ya mate” and took off towards Sandgate Road.  His name was John O’Gorman, and I probably owe him a can of Coke?

See:- https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum/2013/07/02/from-the-vault-just-part-of-the-job/

See also:- https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/museum/2012/12/04/from-the-vault-out-of-the-frying-pan-and-into-the-fire/

Also at Sandgate, I met Traffic Constable Dave Walsh.  The Senior called me in one afternoon and said “I am sick of receiving all these complaint about some idiot who speeds inbound on Sandgate Road about 5.30 am each morning.  You are working tonight, and don’t come back until you have pinched him”

So the next morning, I glimpsed this idiot on a motor bike, but he got away. So I developed a strategy.

Next morning, I was waiting for him to come to me….Sandgate Road inbound….and I parked on the hill outside Nudgee College.  I hear this bike roaring in from Sandgate towards the City.  Made a successful intercept.  It was a QPS Constable Dave Walsh, who lived at Redcliffe or Brighton, and was just running late for work in the City.  6.00 am start I think?  I forget exactly what I reported back to Senior Sergeant Garske, but I was not on Oath at the time anyhow.