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Donald Lester AVERY

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Donald Lester AVERY

AKA  Dagwood, Bird Cage 

Late of Chatswood, Avalon, Dee Why, Avalon, Kariong – NSW, & Proserpine and finally Surfers Paradise, Qld 

Father-in-law to Fiona Elizabeth Izon Avery, NSWPF # 33380

Brother to John Edward AVERY, NSWPF # 7975 ( R.I.P. )

Police Training Centre – Redfern  – Class #  039 

 

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. #  7893

 

Rank:  Commenced Training at Redfern Academy on 25 October 1954 ( aged 23 years, 2 months, 19 days )

Probationary Constable- appointed 6 December 1954 ( aged 23 years, 4 months, 1 day )

Constable – appointed 6 December 1955

Constable 1st Class – appointed 6 December 1960  

Senior Constable – appointed 6 December 1965  

Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 30 May 1972

Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 28 May 1979

Final Rank =  Sergeant 2nd Class

 

Stations: Redfern Police Academy, 25 October 1954 – 6 December 1954,

Clarence St GDs – ( 1 Division, A District ), 7 December 1954 – 4 January 1955,

Clarence St Pedestrian Traffic – ( working the intersection of Park & Pitt St, Sydney )( 1 Division ), 5 January 1955 – 23 July 1956,

Central Traffic ( Probation ) – ( 1 Division ), 24 July 1956 – 23 August 1956,

Central Traffic ( Permanent ) – ( 1 Division ), 24 August 1956 – 3 July 1957,

North Sydney ( Traffic Duties – STP )( 6 Division ), 4 July 1957 – 10 October 1965,

North Sydney ( GDs )( 6 Division ), 11 October 1965 – 16 March 196?,

North Sydney ( Traffic Duties )( 6 Division ) 17 March 196? – 15 September 1967,

North Sydney ( GDs ), 16 September – 21 September 1969,

Mona Vale ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 22 September 1969 – 9 December 1971,

Avalon ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 10 December 1971 – 19 October 1972,

Dee Why ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 20 October 1972 – 27 October 1979,

Frenchs Forest ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 28 October 1979 – 19 July 1980,

Manly ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 20 July 1980 – 14 March 1981,

Darlinghurst ( GDs )( 3 Division ), 15 March 1981  7 November 1981,

Dee Why ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 8 November 1981 – 19 December 1981,

Frenchs Forest ( GDs )( 14 Division ), 20 December 1981 – 12 July 1985 ( Retirement )

 

Service:  From 25 October 1954   to   12 July 1985 ( H.O.D. )  = 30 years, 8 months, 17 days Service

 

Awards:  No Find on Australian Honours system, although:

National Medal – granted ? ? ?

1st Clasp to National Medal – granted ? ? ?

NSW Police Medal – granted ? ? ?

4th Clasp to NSW Police Medal – granted ? ? ?

Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal – granted 1 June 1977

Certificate of Merit by the Royal Human Society – granted 2 May 1979 ( Sgt 3/c Donald Lester AVERY was awarded a Certificate of Merit for actions involving a building fire at Manly on the 10 June 1978 )

Commissioner’s Commendation for Courage – awarded 5 January 1979

Commended for courage and devotion to duty at Manly on 10 June 1978 when he entered a burning boarding house and succeeded in warning the sleeping residents of their danger. Driven out by the intense smoke on one occasion while evacuating the premises, he returned to check that all persons had escaped until finally ordered out of the blazing building by firemen.

Born:  Thursday  6 August 1931 on the kitchen table, at home in Chatswood, NSW   4 of 5 children to Francis Avery & May ( nee Barnes )

Died on:  Monday  28 September 2020 

Age:  89 years, 1 month & 22 days old 

Cause:   Congestive heart failure exacerbated by long-term asbestosis

Event locationHopewell Hospice, Arundel on the Gold Coast, Qld

Event date ?

 

Funeral date:  Friday 2 October 2020 @ 11am 

Funeral location:  Southport Cemetery, 191 Melia Crt, Southport, Qld

Wendy Withers, Celebrant; Det Inspector Matthew Kehoe, Byron Bay, attended and read Don’s Service History and the Police Ode.  

( click here to see Cornona19 Virus Pandemic rules – this will be a limited numbers Funeral )

FUNERAL SERVICE VIDEO

any Future Wake location??? TBA

any Future Wake date??? TBA

( Due to current Govt. restrictions on ‘Gatherings’ due to Corona19 Virus Pandemic, some families may wish to have a Memorial Service / Wake with friends and family at a later date )

Funeral Parlour: White Lady Funerals, 2140 Gold Coast Hwy, Miama, Qld  ph: 07 5526 6960

Buried at: Southport Cemetery,  191 Melia Crt, Southport, Qld

Grave location:  Section ?, Row ?, Plot ?

GPS:   ??

Memorial / Plaque / Monument located at: ?

Dedication date of Memorial / Plaque / Monument: Nil – at this time ( October 2020 )

 

 

 Don is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance  *NEED MORE INFO


FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal


May they forever Rest In Peace

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Australian Police YouTube Channel


 

Donald Lester Avery

Registered # 7893

Born 6th August 1931 at Chatswood, NSW (on the kitchen table at home), 4th of 5 children to Francis Avery and May (nee Barnes)

Attended Chatswood Primary School and Crows Nest High School, joining School Cadet Corps.

Left school at 15, worked as a cane cutter, painter/carpenter and followed his Father to work on the waterfront, loading and unloading ships.

He applied to join NSW Police as a cadet but was told he was too thin and to go away and bulk up a bit, eating bananas.

His younger brother, John Edward Avery, also a serving NSWPF member, was working at Police Recruitment and Don was appointed as Probationary Constable on 6 December 1954 aged 23.

Police Service attached.

Most notably, Don received the Commissioner’s Commendation for Courage, in 1979, following rescuing 2 people from a burning hostel in Manly.

Newspaper report and photo attached.

Don also received the National Police Service Medal at a later date.

Don lived in Chatswood, Avalon, Dee Why, Avalon, Kariong, Proserpine and finally Surfers Paradise.

He was medically discharged from NSWPF on 12 July 1985.

His health was adversely affected by the work on the docks and later the burning building where he suffered smoke inhalation.

Don died on 28 September 2020 at Hopewell Hospice, Arundel on the Gold Coast, Qld from congestive heart failure exacerbated by long-term asbestosis.

His wife, Margot, passed away in Proserpine in 2003, and younger brother John died in 2015.

Don is survived by his son, Scott Avery whose wife, Fiona Izon was also a serving member on the Northern Beaches 1999-2002; and his daughter Debra Stephens, who cared for Don in the last years, supported by her husband, Justin Lindon.

Don had 3 grandchildren, Christopher, Sophie and Jordon, and 3 great-grandchildren, Porshia, Halliana and Tyson, with a 4th expected.

 


 

Donald Lester AVERY

 

Premiere Neville WRAN & Donald Lester AVERY
Premiere Neville WRAN and Don AVERY

 

Sgt 2/c Don AVERY on far left, Sgt 2/c ?, SenCon ?, ?, Sgt 3/c ?, ?, Sgt 2/c ?, Constable ?.<br /> Unknown event.<br /> Summer and winter uniforms. Old Diamond NSW Police patch ( so pre early 1980's ) NOT in Order, but those who received Awards on this date are: SenCon Lloyd M. DEVER - Cert of Merit re vehicle fire at Coffs Harbour on 20 Jan 1979. Sgt 3/c Keith GABB - Cert of Merit re electrocution at Coffs Harbour on 20 Jan 1979. SenCon Eric Bruce IDDLES - Bronze Medal re vehicle fire at Coffs Harbour on 20 Jan 1979. ProCst Ian J. YOUNG - Bronze Medal re suicide rescue on Sydney Harbour Bridge on 30 Jan 1979. Sgt 3/c Donald Lester AVERY - Cert. of Merit for building fire at Manly on 10 June 1978. Sgt 3/c Donald CAMPBELL - Bronze Medal re suicide rescue at The Gap, Watsons Bay on 12 Sept 1978. Sgt 2/c Henry Derold George KUPKE - Bronze Medal ( Bar ) re suicide rescue at The Gap, Watsons Bay on 12 Sept 1978. Sgt 3/c John KELLY - Cert. of Merit at Narrabri Ck on 12 Aug 1978. That is eight of the eight in photo.
Sgt 2/c Don AVERY on far left, Sgt 2/c ?, SenCon ?, ?, Sgt 3/c ?, ?, Sgt 2/c ?, Constable ?.
This most probably was the Award Ceremony by the Royal Human Society on 2 May 1979.
Summer and winter uniforms. Old Diamond NSW Police patch ( so pre early 1980’s ) NOT in Order, but those who received Awards on this date are: SenCon Lloyd M. DEVER – Cert of Merit re vehicle fire at Coffs Harbour on 20 Jan 1979. Sgt 3/c Keith GABB – Cert of Merit re electrocution at Coffs Harbour on 20 Jan 1979. SenCon Eric Bruce IDDLES – Bronze Medal re vehicle fire at Coffs Harbour on 20 Jan 1979. ProCst Ian J. YOUNG – Bronze Medal re suicide rescue on Sydney Harbour Bridge on 30 Jan 1979. Sgt 3/c Donald Lester AVERY – Cert. of Merit for building fire at Manly on 10 June 1978. Sgt 3/c Donald CAMPBELL – Bronze Medal re suicide rescue at The Gap, Watsons Bay on 12 Sept 1978. Sgt 2/c Henry Derold George KUPKE – Bronze Medal ( Bar ) re suicide rescue at The Gap, Watsons Bay on 12 Sept 1978. Sgt 3/c John KELLY – Cert. of Merit at Narrabri Ck on 12 Aug 1978. That is eight of the eight in photo.

 

Donald Lester AVERY

 

Donald Lester AVERYDonald Lester AVERYDonald Lester AVERY

Donald Lester AVERY

Donald Lester AVERY


 

 

 

One thought on “Donald Lester AVERY

  • John Crowley

    Worked with Don at North Sydney Traffic. Nice guy. Had a lot of trouble fitting into a Mini Minor. R.I.P.

    Reply

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