10690

Source document

# Frontier conflict event: Attack on NMP detachment - Combo James, Colin and Hamlet at Rannes station, opposite side of the creek to the headstation (23 September 1855) Source dataset: University of Newcastle, "Colonial Frontier Massacres in Australia 1788-1930" (c21ch.newcastle.edu.au), entry 10690. Coordinates: latitude -24.090367, longitude 150.129817. Day/month: 23 September Year: 1855 Nature of event: Attack on NMP detachment Location type: Pastoral run Location: Rannes station, opposite side of the creek to the headstation Pastoral run/station: Rannes Run landowner/lessee: Charles, Norman and James Leith Hay Location notes: Location of Rannes headstation Number of people killed: 3 Names of people killed / details: Combo James, Colin and Hamlet Number of people wounded: 4 Names of people wounded / details: NMP troopers Perpetrators: Aboriginal people Cause / reason: '70. ... For instance, they were attacked at Rannes; and from what we hear, it was because the Native Police had taken a number of gins away. That is the story; and it is very probable, I think.' (James Reid 23 June 1858, Legislative Assembly of NSW Report from the Select Committee on Murders by Aborigines on the Dawson River: 24) "6. It having been stated, that a feeling of animosity on the part of the Aborigines, in the District, where the Natives Police Corps had been employed, has been engendered by the Troopers carrying on intercourse with the Gins, and, that there was consequently reason to suppose that the attack at Rannes resulted from this feeling, or was immediately aroused by that contact on the part of the Troopers," (QSL 1855 Letter from Inspector General of Police to John Murray 5 December, NSW Colonial Secretary Letters Relating to Moreton Bay and Queensland 1822–1860, Reel A2.34) Associated Native Mounted Police camps: Rannes (Lower Dawson?);Gladstone (Port Curtis);Traylan Associated Native Mounted Police officers: Marshall, Richard Purvis;Walker, Robert George;Murray, John Associated Native Mounted Police troopers: Combo James (aka Combo Jimmy);Hamlet (Reg No 53);Colin 1 (Reg No 6);Colin 2 (Reg No 12) Other associated individuals: Leith Hay, James;Leith Hay, Norman;Leith Hay, Charles Related language group: Gangulu Related pastoral district: Leichhardt Contemporary reference: QSL 1855 Letter from Leith Hay and Holt to Private Secretary Government House 17 October, NSW Colonial Secretary Letters Relating to Moreton Bay and Queensland 1822–1860, Reel A2.34 Date first reported: 1855 Reliability of sources: 1855 account from station owners Other sources: Empire, 15 October 1855, p5 Sydney Morning Herald, 22 October 1855, p8 Empire, 5 November 1855, p5 Queenslander 10 December 1892, p1130 De Satge 1901:57-58 Capricornian 10 April 1909, p41 Morning Bulletin, 23 November 1912, p9 Capricornian, 19 July 1913, p5 Skinner 1975:206 Notes / comments: Note that the attribution of this event to Henry Walker is erroneous, as H. Walker only joined the NMP in 1856. John Ross refers to him as "Percy" Walker in relation to other events on Redbank Station (e.g. Central Queensland Herald 13 November 1947, p25) The attribution of the event to Christmas Day is also erroneous and the number of troopers killed is often exaggerated. There was a reprisal for this event, but no location given: 'The massacre was avenged about a week afterwards' (Morning Bulletin, 23 November 1912, p9) Two detachments of NMP were sent to Rannes in the wake of this attack - one from Gladstone and one from Traylan (QSA212594 1855 Letter from Maurice O'Connell to Colonial Secretary 22 October, Letterbook-Govt Resident Port Curtis 1854-1857) Description of event: "Sir 1. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterdays date received this morning informing me that ????ts had reached you of Sub-Lieut Walker's party of Native Police at Rannes having been attacked by a large number of Native Blacks on the night of the 23rd Inst and two men of the force under his orders having been killed, and several dangerously wounded. 2. You further state that Sub-Lieut Walker urgently requests assistance and you ask for my instructions in the matter. 3. In reply to your communication which has engaged my most serious consideration I do not hesitate at once to authorise your proceeding as soon as you can get your detachment in readiness to the scene of this disaster, and lending what aid it is in your power to afford to restore confidence and if possible punish the aggressors of the outrage committed on the Troopers of your Corps." (QSA212594 1855 Letter from Maurice O'Connell to John Murray 27 September, Letterbook-Govt Resident Port Curtis 1854-1857) "1st On the morning on the 23rd of September last the Blacks numbering about two hundred fighting men surprised and attacked the Native Police stationed here, while asleep, murdering two of them and severely wounding all the rest. 2. The Blacks are extremely numerous in this district, and there must have been at least Five hundred fighting men within 30 miles of this station at the time, the murders were committed. 3. That owing to the large tracts of scrubs intersecting the different runs, the warlike disposition of the Blacks and the long distances intervening between the different stations, the shepherds and stock are in imminent danger. 4. The Blacks by whom the deed was perpetrated were from the districts of Burnett, Upper Dawson and Port Curtis aided by large tribes from the Northward and Westward of this where they are extremely numerous." (QSL 1855 Letter from Leith Hay and Holt to Private Secretary Government House 17 October, NSW Colonial Secretary Letters Relating to Moreton Bay and Queensland 1822–1860, Reel A2.34) 'MORTON [sic] BAY [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Intelligence has been received by the overland mail from Gayndah of a murderous attack having lately been made by the blacks upon the native police guard, at the Rannes station, in the Port Curtis (or Leichhardt) District. The details of the outrage have not yet been communicated; the following particulars are all that is at present known, being the substance of a letter received by Mr. Leith Hay from a party who had been informed by a witness of the affray. It appears that the aborigines in the neighbourhood of the Rannes station, belonging to Messrs. Leith Hay, surprised the native police camp in the night, and so violently assaulted them with a series of simultaneous blows as to kill three on the spot, and to wound two others, one of whom died on the following day; and the other, who managed to crawl to the nearest station (a few hundred yards from the spot) was not expected to live, when the messenger left. These five constitute the entire guard, and a messenger was at once sent for assistance to the head quarters of the native police at Traylan; the shearers, who had abandoned their work through fright, having in the mean time to mount patrol. The blacks had been for a considerable time gathering round the station, which is situated about ninety miles to the west of Port Curtis, and had been committing continual depredations on the flocks. It is believed that they had, by some means or other, been informed of the reduction which took place in the native police some three or four months since, and had calculated that they could easily overpower the guard and thereby, continue their depredations unmolested. No provocation seems to have instigated this act of brutal barbarity; it is, on the contrary, stated that these aborigines, who belong to one of the most ferocious tribes, had been treated with kindness by the people on the station. There can be no doubt that the savages would follow up their outrage by possessing themselves of the flocks, unless there was a sufficient force to prevent them. The locality of this outrage may be considered one of the frontiers of civilisation, and the enterprising pioneers naturally expect that the Government should afford them full protection against savage violence in the pursuit of an occupation to which it has given its sanction.' (Empire, 15 October 1855, p5) "MORETON BAY. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Brisbane. October 31. 1855. The accounts received within the last few days from the Leichhardt District, confirm the former statements of the murderous attacks made upon the native police guard, on one of the frontier sheep stations by a tribe of ferocious aborigines. The later advices, however, state that no further outrages have been committed by the blacks, but who still remain in the locality, and may be watching for another opportunity of savage violence. Four out of the five constituting the native force fell victims to the vengeance of their countrymen; the fifth was wounded, but though he was still lingering when the letter was written, the injury was of such a nature as to preclude hope of recovery. Four native troopers have been sent in the place of those murdered, but two of them being raw recruits, it is feared they will not be able to offer much assistance in case of danger. The operations of the station have been renewed." (Empire, 5 November 1855, p5) 'For instance, at Rannes, the station of the Messrs. Hay, in the Leichhardt district, a slaughter took place which alone was sufficient to rouse the indignation of the Northeners. One day in September the blacks gathered in great numbers and intimidated the shepherds. Another mob attacked five native troopers who were encamped about 200 yards from the head station. Two were killed on the spot, two died the following morning, and the other a day or two later.' (Queenslander, 10 December 1892, p1130) 'We returned by the same track, and were not altogether astonished on nearing Rawbelle at being overtaken by a messenger from Rannes, who gave us the bad news that the native police had been attacked at night at Rannes, and five of the six troopers killed, the sixth being desperately wounded. It was supposed that the native troopers had been decoyed to their fate by some of the black gins. Marshall, if I recollect right, was the inspector, and no doubt had been saved by his camping at the head station. This slaughter created a great stir in the newly-formed district, and other police, then sent for, no doubt made the wild blacks pay for it. But the cause was a want of management, as the blacks had been unwisely employed, and thereby got to know the daily habits of both station hands and police, which they had unfortunately turned to advantage. I shall have occasion later on to allude to some other massacres by blacks which, like this one, denoted the folly of not keeping the wild blacks at arm's length for some years, at any rate, after the first settlement of the country.' (De Satge 1901:57-58). 'Soon after our arrival at Camboon [in 1855] the blacks attacked the native police camp at Rannes, killing a trooper and wounding several others severely. This happened when the troopers were sleeping at night. The lieutenant (Mr. H. Walker) was sleeping at the station over the creek and so escaped.' (Capricornian 10 April 1909, p41) 'There were twelve native troopers stationed at Rannes under Sergeant Walker at the time of the party's arrival. Mr. Phillipi remained on Rannes for some time, occupying a hut on the left bank of the Don, near where the troopers were camped. On Christmas Eve of that year Sergeant Walker decided that his troopers should celebrate Yuletide, and, with a couple of bottles of liquor, the men soon made themselves quite happy. About two or three o'clock in the afternoon a black gin came and told them that the Dawson blacks were coming to kill them. The troopers took no notice of the threat, and about one o'clock on Christmas morning three of the troopers were done to death and two others crippled, while all their carbines and some of their accoutrements were thrown into the river. That the blacks had no feeling against the white men was evidenced by the fact that a shepherd named "Happy Tom,'' who was in a hut close by, was not interfered with. Neither were those at the station that night, and who included Mr. W. H. Wiseman, the Crown Land Commissioner.' (Morning Bulletin, 23 November 1912, p9) 'Up at Rannes on one night they killed twelve native police. It was shearing time, and there were blackfellows all about. The native police ??? there, and some trouble arose between them and the wild blacks over their womenfolk. About two or three hundred yards from where the men were murdered there was a camp of seventeen white men; but by the time there was not a wild black to be seen anywhere. Out at Banana they could only get Chinamen to do the shepherding in those days, and on one occasion, he remembered the blacks killed the police there as well as seven Chinamen, and took away a thousand sheep. Then at another time only a few miles from the station they killed seven Germans.' (Capricornian, 19 July 1913, p5)