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Police Sergeant George WhiteleyPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates the life and death of Police Sergeant George Whiteley in 1931; the only known police officer in the Deniliquin Local Area Command to be killed in the line of duty. The plaque also commemorates 150 years of policing in New South Wales.
Sergeant George Whiteley survived a shrapnel injury at Gallipoli in 1915 but was killed when the Momalong Hotel in Chanter Street, Berrigan, went up in flames on March 25, 1931. According to newspaper reports from the time, within a few minutes the entire population had turned out to the fire at 4am, including Sergeant Whiteley who tried to control the crowd. A gas cylinder exploded and sent shrapnel flying, pieces of which hit Sergeant Whiteley and his dog, killing them instantly.
Location
| Address: | Riverina Highway (Chanter Street ) & Cobram Street , Berrigan, 2712 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.657351 Long: 145.809787 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Government - State |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 25-March-1931 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 25-March-1931 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 25th March, 2012 |
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Dedicated to the memory of
Police Sergeant 3rd Class
G. T. Whiteley
Sergeant Whiteley was killed near this spot while executing his duties in the early hours of 25th March 1931.
He was keeping people back as the Momalong Hotel was razed to the ground by fire. An exploding gas cylinder hurled fragments of metal into the crowd of onlookers. He was struck on the head by a jagged piece of metal and killed almost instantly. His faithful dog was also killed in the blast.
The Hotel was constructed entirely of weather board and the blaze was soon burning fiercely, efforts by fire fighters could not save the building. Community members seriously injured : Harry Burwood - John Jensen - Miss Elaine Dawson - Miss Elsie McGee
NSW Police Force
Celebrating
150
Years
1862 - 2012
