Please enter your email and password to sign in. Spencer had visited several outlaw clubs in America two years earlier and remembered how much respect U.S Bandidos showed to him, so he contacted their National President Ronnie Hodge. Many customers near the entrance to the tavern were ushered inside where patrons were lying on the floor. There is a problem with your email/password. The rider was taken to Prince Alfred hospital where he was treated for cuts, bruises and a back injury. We argued and finally he said he would give up his gun if I did the same.". [6][pageneeded][7], Once the first shot was fired, it evolved into a series of bashings and kickings with sporadic gunfire. Twenty-one more were convicted of seven counts of manslaughter and sentenced to terms ranging from ten to 14 years. Four shotgun pellets remained in his body which were dug out by his wife before he fled to Western Australia. No arrests had been made last night. Now Playing. I will never forget the sight when I arrived that day. 10. 9. Seven people were killed: six motorcycle gang members and a fourteen year old female bystander, Leanne Walters.Video - The Milperra Massacre, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Failed to report flower. The judge in the case named the instigator of the violence as William "Jock" Ross, the "supreme commander" of the Comancheros, saying "Ross was primarily responsible for the decision that members of his club go to Milperra in force and armed". It was very much a family affair. As Sergeant-at-Arms, he ordered Ross to face charges of breaking one of the ten club rules. So can a pride in physical strength and courage. People actually sat in the hotel drinking while the war was going on outside. All were reduced to manslaughter on appeal. And it still wasn 't over. Eaveswas still just 24 when sentenced to life in jail in June 1987 after being convicted along with eight others of seven murder charges. Snake fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. "[8] Garvey was confronted by Raymond Sunshine Kucler of the Comancheros who was armed with a shotgun. 2. 'The battle then began. 'A need to belong and enjoy a close relationship and bond with others can be readily understood. He is pictured centre leaning against the bench in a short film about police corruption he shot in 1994. Being present at the worst bikie outrage in Australian history was hard to share with friends, and family. Only Comanchero president Jock Ross served more than five years. He is still married to Eaves's sister Vanessa. The next day police attended an apartment block at Mortlake, also in the inner-west, where they seized a car and clothing as well as other items for forensic testing. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Eaves was not going but that Fathers Day morning a group of Bandidos rode past his home at Westmead. 'And what it was drawing in those days was a lot of young, disenfranchised young guys that didn't have a father figure,' Eaves said. This is a carousel with slides. Try again later. 1. Stephen Gibbs for Daily Mail Australia
A 20-minute battle waged with guns, baseball bats and knives killed two Bandidos, four Comancheros and an innocent bystander, 15-year-old Joanne Walters. Police believe that the war began over turf, drugs or a combination of both. Police say the onetime Comanchero outlaw was involved in an altercation with a 23-year-old motorcyclist about 10.50pm on March 20. We literally had our backs to the wall, nowhere to run, when they approached'. "My brothers died, for what?" Greg James QC was Juniored by a number of Juniors including John Korn, Kenneth Rosin, Andrew Martin and Philip Young. A further 28 people were wounded with 20 requiring hospitalisation. 'How they stuck together and how they would give their life up for what they believed in,' he said. They were just at the wrong place at the wrong day. Any member found guilty of divulging Club business to anyone not a member, unless directed by the President, will be severely dealt with. Not only that, they'd sent scouts down to identify that we were there. The car park was packed with leather-clad bikies, police and ambulance officers treating the injured. Kucler wanted me to get ambulances to help his injured mates but I told him we couldnt until he surrendered his weapon. About 40 people were trapped inside the Norseman Bar when the shooting started. 'Some of the guys were there, just a handful of them, and most of them were drunk,' he said. The Milperra Massacre, Milperra bikie shoot-out[1] or Father's Day Massacre[2] was a gunfight between rival motorcycle gang members on 2 September 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. Colin "Caesar" Campbell has criticized the series for a lack of consultation with those who were there, its incorrect chronology of events, errors in motives and the portrayal of "lazy stereotypes".[22]. The Bandidos were late and, thinking that the opposing gang was not coming, some Comancheros went into the Viking Tavern bar. Another Campbell brother, John "Wack" Campbell, died three years later from his injuries. During his trial Eaves had been unimpressed with some of the defence lawyers and realised university could not be that hard. Learn more about managing a memorial .
Any member found guilty of breeding dissension in the Club (ie Running down the President of the Club or Club policies in any way, shape of form - or bad s*** rumours) will be thrown out. 'Now I know what Lindy Chamberlain felt like,' he said from the dock. Sometimes the tactic worked, sometimes it didn't. 'In those days, there was no internet so I could sort of hide a bit, you know,' he said. It was the first shot of the Milperra Massacre, on Father's Day 1984, outside the Viking Tavern, and within minutes two more of Snake's five brothers, John "Whack" Campbell and Colin "Caesar" Campbell, would be gunned down. Mark Pennington, one of the first police officers on the scene, was later awarded $380,000 (2011: $1,026,500) compensation for psychological damage. An experimental film Eaves (right) made at UTS won an award which was presented by acclaimed director Baz Luhrmann in the presence of then NSW premier Bob Carr (left) in 1995. 'There was no crime going on,' Eaves said. 'I never hurt anybody, was never accused of hurting anybody, killing anybody, shooting anybody, doing anything like that.'. The Comanchero had recently split, with most members defecting to form the first Australian chapter of the US-based Bandidos. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Some are in their thirties and forties, have no significant prior convictions and have good family and work backgrounds. The Milperra Massacre was a firearm battle between rival motorcycle gang members on September 2 (Father's Day) 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney. The Milperra Massacre, Milperra bikie shoot-out[1] or Father's Day Massacre[2] was a gunfight between rival motorcycle gang members on 2 September (Father's Day in Australia) 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. The New South Wales Firearms and Dangerous Weapons Act . It . September 12, 1984. Source: Document seized by police after the Father's Day Milperra massacre. The battle, sparked by inter-club rivalries between the Comancheros and the Bandidos, led to the deaths of a 14-year-old girl, four Comancheros and two Bandidos. Glen Eaves is an award-winning filmmaker who has run a pay TV network, worked in senior government positions and completed three university degrees. The situation had suddenly changed, and I knew it was a critical moment in which my life was in danger. Two Bandidos and four Comanchero were killed. Three more bodies fell close together near a line of motorcycles, shot within metres of the gunmen. He did not want to be there that day and tried to stop it. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. For example, rural landholders, members of an approved gun club and persons engaged in lawful business involving the use of firearms were deemed to have a good reason and the police could refuse to issue licences to any persons they saw as not having a good reason. Thanks for your help! Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. [11] In total 43 people were charged with seven counts of murder under the doctrine of "common purpose"[11] charges against 10 were dropped before trial and Bernard "Bernie" Podgorski, secretary of the Bandidos, was granted immunity after turning Queen's Evidence. Eaves directed a teenage Lucy Durack in the 1998 film Parlami d'Amore, a decade before she played Glinda in the Australian production of Wicked. Add to your scrapbook. I get that. There was a problem getting your location. Translated titles: Masacre de Milperra donde Bandidos MC / Commancheros MC involucrados en tiroteos mortales Milperra-Massaker, bei dem Bandidos MC / Commancheros MC an tdlichen Schieereien. One of the gunmen paused to drink beer with friends during a lull in the battle. The judge was perplexed by how offenders he described as good family men could behave with such violence when they were with their bikie gang mates. Some of the bikes had shotguns and rifles clipped to them. The clubs had a no drugs policy and Colin "Caesar" Campbell, Sergeant-at-Arms of both Comanchero chapters and Sergeant-at-Arms of the Bandidos after they were patched over, points to the acrimony of the split as the sole reason. Using walkie-talkies for communication, Comanchero leader "Jock" Ross, a military enthusiast, intended to stand in the open to give the appearance he was alone, hoping to draw the Bandidos into a pincer movement that was based on the "Bullhorn Ambush" that he read had been used in the Anglo-Zulu War. When do the clocks change in 2023? The two clubs, the Bandidos, and the Comancheros, were once under. Hewas still just 24 when sentenced to life in jail in June 1987 after being convicted along with eight others of seven murder charges. Milperra Massacre Fathers Day Massacre Viking Tavern Carpark More than three decades ago Eaves was one of 30 bikies convicted of murder or manslaughter over the Milperra massacre and one of the last to be released from jail. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. GREAT NEWS! When Eaves was 17 he joined the Army Reserve, then after several years he enlisted in the regular Army, serving in the Armoured Corps. For about 15 minutes this gunmen laid siege to the hotel. 10. Snoddy's betrayal sparked a feud which culminated in the Milperra massacre. Staggering on, he was hit again in the head and chest and collapsed. We have all paid a terrible price and we will never be allowed to forget it or escape from itMilperra changed everything. 'He goes into high school this year and I was probably going to tell him but he looked it up and that freaked him out,' Eaves said. Defiance. 8. 02:18 EST 01 Jun 2020 Before the two gangs met at the Viking Tavern Eaves tried to convince the Comanchero 'supreme commander' Jock Ross they would be out-numbered. One of the gang members, apparently shot dead as he charged toward his opponents, still clutched a baseball bat in his fist. The President is the Supreme Commander of the Comanchero. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Anthony "Snoddy" Spencer, the Bandidos National President, hanged himself in prison before he could stand trial. Police responded after receiving reports that a man had gone berserk with a rifle at the Viking Tavern in Milperra and that shots had been fired. Annakin, Heeney and Hennessey were released in December 1988. ', Glen Eaves (pictured) is an award-winning filmmaker who has run a pay TV network and completed three university degrees. 'They were looking for family. 'They rode in and saw us,' Glen Eaves remembered. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Video - The Milperra Massacre In assessing sentence, it is appropriate to treat all the offences of which any accused was convicted of as part of the one transaction. All the Comanchero and Bandidos were charged with murder under the principle of common purpose. 'But something from 36 years ago where I never hurt anybody,I'm not allowed to work in an IT department of a church. Recent reports in the Fairfax media indicate the club has been scoping out territory for the club in Sydney and on Queensland's Gold Coast. Bats, bars, guns and at least one knife were used. Absolutely crazy.'. The shootout had its roots in an intense rivalry that developed after a group . Eaves was shot dragging Ross and another wounded man to safety. 2. On Father's Day, 1984, members of rival gangs the Commanchero and Bandidos met in the car park of the Viking Tavern at Milperra, in Sydney's south west, and went to war. [17][c], In a repetition of the circumstances that led to the Milperra massacre, in early 2007 more than 60 members of the Parramatta and Granville chapters of the Nomads, previously affiliated with the Comancheros, defected to the Bandidos. Any member found guilty of screwing another member's Real Ol' Lady or taking advantage of a rift between them for future 'conning up' will be thrown out. Australia News. Grieving relatives and friends leave Penrith Court after the Verdict of the Milperra Bikies Massacre trail. [8], The court case following the "Milperra Massacre" was at the time one of the largest in Australian history. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. They dealt drugs and their ex-president was convicted of murder. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. The other dead were men. The Milperra Massacre was a firearm battle between rival motorcycle gang members on September 2 (Father's Day) 1984, in Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney. Read all Stars Callan Mulvey 'It hasn't cost me any friendships or anything like that. Telephones ran hot as about 20 Comancheros arranged to go to the swap meet where they would wait for 30 or so armed Bandidos to arrive. Police were interviewing 400 people, some at the floodlit scene of the killings, and collecting an arsenal of weapons. Try again later. By
"I said, 'Do it, mate.' There was, I thought, a very good reason for that. Glen Anthony Eaves was just 22 when he played a major role in the greatest bikie outrage in Australian criminal history, in which six gang members and a teenage girl were shot dead. [11], Ross received a life sentence for his role in the violence. The vice president had been shot and killed, the sergeant-at-arms was killed.'. [18] New South Wales Police set up Operation Ranmore to stop the violence escalating, which resulted in 340 people arrested on 883 charges as of January 2008. This account has been disabled. Grieving relatives and friends leave Penrith Court after the Verdict of the Milperra Bikies Massacre trail. But like most admirable qualities, these can be carried to excess. 'It was a pretty rough neighbourhood back in those days, back in the 70s,' he said. There was a couple of cars led them in and then a heap of bikes.'. Please try again later. So can a pride in physical strength and courage. Glen Eaves did not hurt anybody that day but was convicted of seven manslaughters. "[8] Constable John Garvey who arrived at the scene stated: "The wounds on the men were horrific. FACED with a loaded gun, Geoff "Snake" Campbell didn't ask for mercy. Eaves went into business with the help of his solicitor Leigh Johnson and worked as an insurance and investment agent before deciding to study film-making. Snake's brother Gregory "Shadow" Campbell and an "adopted brother", Mario Ciantar, were less fortunate. 'Minutes later seven lay dead - four Comancheros, two Bandidos and a 15-year-old girl.'. [a] If found guilty, Ross would have been expelled from the club. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Several mothers said they had gone to the sale in the hope of finding a Father's Day present for their husbands. Eaves, who like his fellow bikies had pleaded not guilty to all charges, referred to the most notorious example of Australian injustice as that sentence was handed down. cemeteries found in Leppington, Camden Council, New South Wales, Australia will be saved to your photo volunteer list. All the murder verdicts were quashed and replaced with manslaughter convictions by the Court of Criminal Appeal. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. It is unfortunate that so many of them have chosen to play no part in the sentence hearing, although years of their lives are at stake. 'I've always been embarrassed by it - not ashamed, but embarrassed - and always kept it a secret. 'All I did was run out under fire and drag some wounded guys behind cars,' he said. The venue had been widely advertised in the press, motorcycle shops and on power poles. It is directed by Peter Andrikidis. Police believe the motive for the callback was an effort by those running the Comanchero now to prove they are nothing more than men who like to ride together. Eaves called Jock Ross and warned him that going to the swap meet was 'crazy'. 8. Try again later. Taking Vitamin D each day could cut your chances of getting dementia, study claims. Grieving relatives and friends leave Penrith Court after the Verdict of the Milperra Bikies Massacre trail. Justice Adrian Roden would describe what happened next as he sentenced Eaves and the others almost three years later. 'As patriotism can lead to jingoism and mateship can lead to cronyism, so bikie club loyalty, it seems, can lead to bikie club war.'. Eaves believed police thought some of those charged would roll over and give evidence against their brothers but apart from one Bandido that did not happen - and not all of his testimony was believed. [12], The Comancheros were notorious for carrying registered shotguns openly while riding. He was one of only two bikies arrested at the Viking Tavern, one of 30 convicted of murder or manslaughter, and one of the last to be released from prison. 4. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Leanne Walters (103685365)? Source: Document seized by police after the Father's Day Milperra massacre. From nightmares to candy cravings, the seemingly innocuous habits in Man is banned from touching every parking meter in Liverpool for two years after being convicted of theft, Do not sell or share my personal information. There were only about 15 Comanchero at the Viking but about 40 Bandidos. It is unfortunate that so many of them have chosen to play no part in the sentence hearing, although years of their lives are at stake. I've got to remind myself of that sometimes too when I'm feeling down.'. Any member found guilty of cowardice will be thrown out of the Club. They knew it was going to happen and both gangs were prepared for the fight. The ugly side to loyalty seems to demand enemies against whom the loyal can be united and the ugly side to physical strength and courage is when when violence is unleashed against those enemies. 'We went down to the back of the car park where there was a six foot fence and they weren't there,' he said. 'Sometimes I've known people for may many years and never told them. Hea. [2] The gunfight had its roots in the rivalry that developed after a group of Comancheros broke away and formed the first Bandidos Motorcycle Club chapter in Australia. [20], A television mini-series Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, based on the book Brothers in Arms by Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey, screened on Australias Network Ten in May 2012. Oops, something didn't work. "We are running out of cars to take the weapons away," said one ballistics officer who had just loaded a dozen rifles plus baseball bats and machetes into the boot of his car. As I ran I was worried I was going to get a bullet in the back." As the Bandidos arrested were charged in regards to all the deaths, this resulted in Colin Campbell being found guilty of the manslaughter of his brother. Eaves has no contact with any old Comanchero or Jock Ross and his sister Vanessa, who have been married about 40 years and live on the NSW Central Coast. "Suddenly a man I didn't even know grabbed hold of me and pulled me to the ground. After much correspondence, he received approval to form the first Australian Bandidos chapter and become its national president. He was watched by Wayne McTighe, 12, from his home on the other side of Beaconsfield Road. Some were moving into the Norseman bar of the Viking to hear a band, The Lads. 'I used to think that having a degree you're absolutely a genius and what struck me was that these guys weren't that smart. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. More than 30 men were arrested last night as police questioned at least 500 witnesses after seven people were shot dead in a bikie brawl at the carpark of the Viking Tavern in the south-western suburb of Milperra. Based on the book Brothers in Arms by Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey, the Network Ten production tells the story of, and the lead up to, the fateful Milperra massacre in which rival gangs .