28/09/2025
Today on National Police Remembrance Day we remember the two young Victorian Police members buried in the Greta Public Cemetery.
Joseph Delaney was born in Wangaratta, but the family farm was at Hanson South where he lived with his parents and siblings.
He was working as grocer when he enlisted in the AIF
on 17 October 1916 and was allocated to the Field Artillery Brigade, Reinforcement #30
He left Melbourne on board HMAT A15 Port Sydney, 9 November 1917.
He returned to Australia, 20 June 1919.
He was awarded the Military Medal:
‘For bravery and devotion to duty at LIHONS on 12th August 1918. This man with another gunner laid a line to a forward O.P. in LIHONS village under heavy shell fire. Gunner BATES was killed before the line was completed. Gunner DELANEY stuck to his work and assisted by Lieut. MORTON completed the line to O.P. thus enabling effective fire to be brought to bear on enemy transport and communications. Gunner DELANEY showed great courage and a splendid example of determination throughout.’ Source: Commonwealth Gazette No. 61, 23 May 1919
Joseph joined the Victorian Police Force on his return to Australia.
Sadly he was killed in the line of duty in 1923.
Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 4 September 1923, page 15
WOUNDED CONSTABLE DIES.
BODY REMOVED TO HOME TOWN.
Remarkable Public Tribute.
SWAN HILL, Monday - Profound grief is felt by the whole community at the death of Mounted Constable Joseph Delaney which occurred at half past 4 o'clock this morning in spite of the best medical and nursing skill.
Mounted Constable Delaney was shot on Thursday evening at Tyntynder, eight miles from Swan Hill, while he was seeking to arrest a youth, aged 15 years, who was suspected of having broken into the house of Mr W. C. Crick, on the Speewa road. Subsequently Frederick Smith, aged 15 years, a ward of the State, was arrested and charged with having shot at Constable Delaney with intent to murder him, and also with having broken into the house of William Crick a farmer.
On Saturday the Chief Commissioner of Police (Mr Nicholson) and Mr G. A. Syme the police surgeon, flew to Swan Hill
by aeroplane in the hope that Mr. Syme might be able to save Delaney's life.
Constable Delaney's brother arrived at Swan Hill last night. It has been decided to take the body to Greta (near Benalla), where Constable Delaney was born for burial. A large crowd gathered at 11 o'clock this morning at the Roman Catholic Church where the Rev. Father D. Brazil, read the burial service. The pall-bearers consisted of three of the dead policeman's comrades and three returned
soldiers.
The Swan Hill municipal band, under Drum major Ross led the procession to the railway station. A large number of wreaths from public bodies and private in- dividuals were laid on the coffin which was covered by a large Union Jack. As every available returned soldier marched, there was a large muster under the com-mand of Captain Edgar Davies, president of the Swan Hill branch of the Returned Soldiers' Associations. The head teacher of the Swan Hill Higher Elementary School (Mr A. H. Thompson) followed with a number of his pupils. Mr. Old, M.L.A., represented the State Parliament. Coun-cillor E. G. Gray (president) and members and officers of the Swan Hill Shire Council also attended in motor-cars. Superintend-ent Donovan with Senior-constable Leach, led a body of police officers, behind whom marched several members of the medical profession. A large number of citizens and other members of the general public followed in motor-cars. As the procession moved onwards, with the band playing the "Dead March," almost all the resi-dents of the town lined the streets and gathered at the railway station with bared, bowed heads. Buglers sounded the "Last Post" as the train moved off.
Constable Delaney was a great favourite in the town. He had a handsome, athletic figure, and a merry disposition. Men who were his comrades overseas say that he was a clean-living splendid type of the fearless young soldier.
POLICE CHIEFS REGRET.
Posthumous Award Likely.
"I deeply regret the death of Constable Delaney, who was one of the most promis-ing young men in the force," said the Chief Commissioner of Police (Mr A. N. Nichol-son) yesterday. "Should the relatives of this brave constable so desire, I would be only too pleased to make a posthumous award of the police valour badge. If ever a man deserved this honour it was Con-stable Delaney."
Mr Nicholson, who journeyed to Swan Hill on Saturday in an aeroplane lent by the Air Force in company with Mr G. A. Syme, the police surgeon, visited the bed-side of Constable Delaney on Sunday and spoke to him. The constable was able to indicate his appreciation of the visit.
The flag at police headquarters, Russell street was flown at half mast yesterday as a mark of respect for the memory of Constable Delaney, who had many friends among the police in the metropolitan area.
Floral tributes will be sent by the heads of the various police departments and by the Police Association, to Greta, where the funeral will be conducted.
Bendigo Comrades' Mark of Respect
BENDIGO, Monday. - As a mark of re-spect to the memory of the late Mounted Constable Delaney members of the police force in Bendigo, under Sergeant McKen-zie, marched to the railway station and when the train conveying the body ar-rived, reverently filed past the coffin, on which a wreath was placed.
Newspaper articles:
1: Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 4 September 1923, page 15
2: Benalla Standard (Vic. : 1901 - 1940), Friday 7 September 1923, page 5
Photo courtesy of the Delaney family
