Aimee Milne and Edward Barnett

This episode we explore two tragic stories from the history of Victoria Police.

The support of police officers’ families has forever been crucial to Victoria Police, but in 1936 Aimee Milne made the ultimate sacrifice when she was killed by bombs intended to murder her detective husband.  The wife of Detective Sergeant Fred Milne, Aimee this year became the first ever non-police officer to receive the prestigious Victoria Police Star, an honour traditionally reserved only for officers who are killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. Det Sgt Milne was a brilliant detective, known for investigations into some of the most high-profile organised crime figures of 1920s and 1930s Melbourne, including the infamous Squizzy Taylor. His tenacity in bringing criminals to account meant Det Sgt Milne received his fair share of death threats. The threats tragically became reality when two improvised explosives were thrown into the main bedroom of his and Aimee’s home in Geelong in the early hours of 13 July 1936. The explosion killed Aimee but Det Sgt Milne miraculously survived, along with their two young children.

Constable Barnett was murdered soon after 1.00 am on Monday, 1st February 1858, at the White Hills Goldfield near Carisbrook. He had been attempting to arrest William Brook, who had just shot and killed a restaurateur named Charles Lopez during a bungled attempted robbery. Brook, who had been severely wounded in a struggle with Lopez, fired at Barnett whilst attempting to escape, and one of his bullets struck the policeman in the heart fatally wounding him. The murderer’s efforts were in vain, however, for he was soon arrested, and died later that same day from stab wounds inflicted by Lopez. The deaths of Lopez and Barnett enraged a local community already incensed by the actions of the ‘undesirable elements’ who had been attracted to the rush and who preyed on the diggers. Later that day a crowd of some 1500 miners assembled, and the ‘undesirables’ became a target for their vengeance. The meeting soon developed into a riot during which numerous buildings were destroyed and people assaulted before peace was re-established.

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