Person:George Rackham (2)

This individual was found on GenCircles at:http://www.gencircles.com/users/mark_sowden/5/data/7141

perhaps: RACKHAM, George Edward. Constable 4140, Sebastopol. Awarded Valour Badge. 15 August 1900. Victoria Police Gazette

http://www.vicpolhistory.org.au/VAIncidentDetails.aspx?i=461

Reg No: 4140 Incident Details:

At about 10.45 a.m. on 25 December 1888, Mr Hartley was in a buggy driving himself, his wife and her sister, and a groom to church. While crossing the intersection of Spring Street the wheel caught in the groove of the tram line. Mr Hartley was seated at the extreme end of the conveyance and the skidding and sudden jerk caused him to lose his balance and fall from his seat to the roadway. The horse felt himself free and being a very fast and spirited animal took fright and bolted down Spring Street with the three remaining occupants, the reins dragging along the roadway, and leaving Mr Hartley lying injured on the roadway.

The horse galloped off towards Bourke Street at an estimated speed of about forty kilometres an hour. Several persons attempted to stop the infuriated animal but could not get near it, and some who did were afraid to risk their lives on what appeared to be an impossibility. The groom, Patrick Gleeson, panicked and tried to jump out of the vehicle but was held back by Mrs Catherine Hartley. Her sister screamed and with the noise she and the groom made, the horse became frightened and galloped all the faster. When between the Grand Hotel and the White Hart Hotel, Constable Rackham, on his first day of duty, made an attempt to stop the runaway and caught the horse by the winkers. The speed of the animal was too great, however, and he was pulled off his feet and unable to stop it at once. But he kept hold of the reins and was dragged along the roadway for about seventy metres, eventually pulling it up opposite the Princess Theatre, where bystanders rushed up to help and cheered the constable's bravery.

Constable Rackham was badly hurt, the whole of one side of his body was cut and bruised and his right arm and kneecap were badly injured. He was in shock, and his helmet was smashed and his uniform torn to ribbons. His handcuffs were broken and the leather belt round his waist was cut through by contact with the road surface. He was bleeding and was immediately put into a cab and taken to the Melbourne Hospital and from there to the Police Hospital, where he remained for seven days. On returning to duty he was kept on "reserve" for two months because his knee injury meant he could no longer walk the beat, and had to transfer to outer stations. He was finally superannuated from ill health arising from this incident on 9 May 1908.

Constable Rackham was also awarded a Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for his actions in this incident.

1. ↑ Source.