Gregory John EARLE

Gregory John EARLE

aka  ‘ Toes down ‘

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. #   14631 or 14681

Rank:  Probationary Constable – appointed 28 June 1971

Constable 1st Class – appointed 28 August 1976

Senior Constable – appointed ? – death

Stations:  ?, North Sydney HWP, Frenchs Forest HWP – death

Service:   From  ???pre June 1971   to  21 June 1987 = 16 years Service

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:                           ?

4 Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery

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

Born:  22 September 1948 – Hobart, Tasmania

Died on:  21 June 1987

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

Event location:  The Strand, Dee Why

Age:  38

Funeral date:

Funeral location:

Buried at:

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 cartwheeled, 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.

The Canberra Times     Monday  22 June 1987      p 3