By SIMONE KERWIN
Retired Victoria Police Chief Inspector Ralph Stavely was among those drawn to the region in the lead-up to last week's 145th anniversary of the Glenrowan Siege.
Ralph was at the siege site to mark not only the anniversary, but the release of his book Hugh Bracken: The Policeman Who Saved Ned Kelly, which draws on his knowledge of policing in the late 19th century as well as his admiration for the role of Constable Hugh Bracken in the siege.
He was encouraged to write the book by Greta Cemetery Trust's Noeleen Lloyd, who convinced Ralph that he could make a meaningful contribution to public understanding about the life of mounted troopers in North East Victoria at the time of the Kelly outbreak.
"Noeleen and I also identified the need to tell the story of mounted Constable Hugh Bracken, who is a largely unrecognised hero of the hunt for Ned Kelly," Ralph said.
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The book details Constable Bracken's life before and after the Glenrowan Siege, and its release follows the unveiling in February of a Wallan Cemetery memorial to the policeman, which was funded by $12,000 in public donations and highlights the impact of mental health and PTSD as both an historic and contemporary issue.
This project was coordinated by Ralph through his role with the Victoria Police Memorials Committee and Noeleen on behalf of the Greta Cemetery Trust, together with the Wallan Cemetery Trust.
"Hugh Bracken's story, and that of the mounted troopers of that period, gives us greater understanding of policing at the time of the Kelly outbreak, and also provides many lessons which are as relevant today as when they occurred," Ralph said.
Constable Bracken originally joined Victoria Police in 1861, to make a living before striking out on his own as a farmer.
However, Ralph said Bracken's efforts to go on the land were unsuccessful, and he was working as a warder at the Ararat Asylum when three policemen were killed by the Kelly gang at Stringybark Creek.
He rejoined Victoria Police in 1878 to help search for the gang, and just a few years after the siege, in 1883, was found medically unfit and discharged - the same year his wife Amelia passed away.
Sadly, Bracken died as the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Wallan on February 23, 1900 - 20 years after the siege - and lies in an unmarked grave at Wallan Cemetery.
"While I cannot definitively say he was affected by (PTSD)…when looking at the whole circumstances of the matter, it seems more likely than not that he suffered from the mental effects of his experiences; nor can we readily dismiss it as a possible contribution to his suicide," Ralph said.
Kidnapped and held hostage by Ned Kelly immediately prior to the siege, Constable Bracken escaped from the gang and warned incoming police of their whereabouts, before riding to Wangaratta for reinforcements.
He then returned to take part in the siege and was present at Kelly's arrest - also preventing Kelly from being harmed by some of the arresting members.
"It was a classic case of 'come the moment, come the man', and of the fact that leadership is not just a matter of rank," Ralph said.
"In volatile situations, such as those when Ned Kelly was arrested, things can get out of hand in a moment.
"To avoid tragedy, we are reliant on those present to call out inappropriate behaviour as and when it occurs.
"Such situations don't allow the option of simply lodging an official report at some later time.
"It's a message as important now as it was in 1880.
"By his actions, Hugh is a role model, not only for police, but for anyone confronted with inappropriate behaviour, and because of this, his story deserves to be better known.
"Despite the level of provocation he endured, Hugh did what was right and defied his fellow officers, one of them his superior, to ensure fair play occurred.
"And if any of the arresting officers had cause to want revenge on Ned, it was Hugh."
Constable Bracken had faced great danger over an extended period at the time of the search, and was the victim of a home invasion when Ned Kelly entered the police residence at Glenrowan the day before the siege to kidnap him, also threatening to kill Hugh's pregnant wife Amelia.
"While held captive by the gang, Hugh had been subject to taunts and bullying by Ned, and finally Hugh had taken part in the siege, with all its attendant risks," Ralph said.
"Finally, he stood his ground when the outlaw, clad in his famous armour, advanced on Hugh and other police, firing at them with every intention of wounding or killing them - yet despite all this, Hugh chose to stand up and be counted."
Ralph Stavely's book 'Hugh Bracken: The Policeman Who Saved Ned Kelly' is now available.
Details on how to secure a copy, signed and numbered by the author, can be found on the Hugh Bracken Memorial Facebook page, or by contacting Noeleen Lloyd on 0427 276 372.
