Constable Edward Webb - BowenPrint Page

The monument, erected over the grave, commemorates Constable Edward Webb - Bowen who was fatally shot in the shootout with Captain Moonlite's gang in 1879.

In November, 1879 a gang of young bushrangers led by Andrew Scott (Captain Moonlite or Moonlight ) attacked MacDonald`s farm at Wantabadgery, holding the occupants captive for two days and nights. Eventually one of the captives, Alexander MacDonald, escaped, rode to Wagga Wagga and alerted the Police. A party of Mounted Police were quickly dispatched to the area and a gun battle ensured. During a lull in the shooting, while the Police retired to await reinforcements, the gang managed to escape.

They rode to nearby McGlede`s Farm where they again took siege in the farmhouse from the increasing numbers of Police who attended from as far away as Gundagai and Adelong. Again a shootout ensued between the two sides. One young offender, Gus Wernicke, moved into the yard in an attempt to shoot Police horses and was quickly shot to death. In a further exchange of fire another bushranger, James Nesbitt, was also shot and killed by Senior Constable Webb-Bowen. During this last exchange, Webb-Bowen was fatally shot in the throat.

The grave of the late Constable Bowen, who lost his life by being wounded in the encounter with the Wantabadgery bush rangers at McGlede's farm, is to be surmounted by a marble monument which the Government have had prepared and suitably inscribed by Mr J. Hanson, at the marble works, Elizabeth street north. The style of the monument (says the Sydney Morning Herald) is that of a plain white marble obelisk resting upon a base of dove marble, and its height is about sixteen feet. 
Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette (Vic), 16 January 1880.

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