Any member found guilty of stealing from a member of the Club itself will be thrown out of the Club. 4. Within two hours, more than 100 police from 19 divisions, the Tactical Response Group, the Special Weapons and Operations team and homicide detectives had gathered at the hotel. Wes Graham, 23, who was on the hotel verandah when the shooting started, said he saw two shots fired in the air and then one man shot in the head. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. On September 2, 1984Comanchero members were planning to go to the Viking Tavern at Milperra for what was advertised as a motorcycle swap meet. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Members of the Banditos Bikie group appeared at Bankstown Court on charges of affray and serious affront and alarm. 'In those days, there was no internet so I could sort of hide a bit, you know,' he said. ", 'My brothers died, for what? Learn more about merges. "The guy pointing the gun at me was a Comanchero and I asked, 'Will you use these, fight with the fists,' know what I mean? Please enter your email and password to sign in. 'I picked up a gun and I shot once into the air and once into the ground as they were coming down to attack and that scared them off,' he said. But it was so confusing to me I couldn't tell who was who in this brawl that was going on. '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. 'That's why the military trains you to act instinctively. 'To this day I don't understand why he didn't say, "We're not going, we can't take these guys on". 'It is not possible to sit looking at these men for more than one year, as I have a done, without feeling that there is more to them than the popular image of bikie gang members. 'How's someone not going to go back to crime if they can't get a job and they've got no money? 'As stupid and as naive as it sounds that's exactly what happened. It was very much a family affair. 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. No charges had been laid by 1 am. Throughout the sentence hearing, I sought a greater understanding than I was able to obtain of the nature of the clubs and the relationship between their respective members. 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]. Hea. Were working to restore it. [12] Solicitor Christopher Murphy acted for the Bandidos' members charged over the incident. They hid under tables as the shots rang out. Many customers near the entrance to the tavern were ushered inside where patrons were lying on the floor. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Eaves would be one of 31 bikies to spend 14 months in front of a Supreme Court jury sitting at Penrith in what was then Australia's longest-running criminal trial. She copped it in the chin. The Waco incident will not tarnish their image, Sher said. One of the gunmen paused to drink beer with friends during a lull in the battle. Key points: The man was convicted for affray and manslaughter following the 1984 massacre He was one of 33 people tried together for the crime By By 1.45 pm more than 400 people were at the ranch-style tavern. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He was distracted by the presence of members of a rival club the Mobshitters and went to the back of the tavern to ensure they were not going to get involved. 10. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Eventually some 1,000 jurors were presented before 12 were found acceptable to sit on the case. 9. As patriotism can lead to jingoism and mateship can lead to cronyism, so bikie club loyalty, it seems, can lead to bikie club war. To use this feature, use a newer browser. He would be one of 31 bikies to spend 14 months in front of a Supreme Court jury sitting at Penrith in what was then Australia's longest-running criminal trial. We have set your language to Twenty-one more were convicted of seven counts of manslaughter and sentenced to terms ranging from ten to 14 years. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. "People took off in all directions. Bandidos vice president Mario "Chopper" Cianter was shot twice in the chest with a shotgun and died instantly. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. The police helicopter hovered above while armed police kept about 750 spectators from the hotel. 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. After a lengthy journey through the judicial system, nine men were convicted of the seven murders and 21 men convicted on seven counts of manslaughter. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Bandido member Gregory "Shadow" Campbell was shot in the throat by a shotgun and died instantly. 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. 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. Eaves was not going but that Fathers Day morning a group of Bandidos rode past his home at Westmead. Armed guards were placed on the casualty wards last night. Any member found guilty of selling, distributing or using hard drugs will be thrown out. He has barely received a parking ticket in 30 years but the shadow of Milperra hangs heavily over him, one Google search away from discovery. I get that. But like most admirable qualities, these can be carried to excess. 'From the start, I've been hammered by this, that I'm a crazed bikie killer from 40 years ago who's on the rampage again,' he said. 6. Greg James QC, represented all but one of the Bandidos' members during their trial, that being Colin Campbell. Sorry! Any member found guilty of cowardice will be thrown out of the Club. We have all paid a terrible price and we will never be allowed to forget it or escape from itMilperra changed everything. Another motorcyclist said: "People hid wherever they could. FACED with a loaded gun, Geoff "Snake" Campbell didn't ask for mercy. Then came the motorbikes. 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. Eaves, driving a Skoda Octavia station wagon, allegedly chased the motorcyclist for five minutes before hitting him with his vehicle in Ian Parade at Concord. Casualty Disambiguation: see Federal Court of Australia (Sydney NSW) decision on 22 September 2014 in Francis v Allen & Unwin [2014] FCA 1027 by Katzmann J, parties Janette Gail Francis v Allen & Unwin Pty Limited, Lindsay Simpson, Pamela Walters, Rex Walters, Lorraine Walters. He is pictured with his sister Vanessa at Christmas in 1987. There was a problem getting your location. ', Six bikies and a 15-year-old girl were shot dead in the Milperra Massacre in 1984. 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. [2] Six of the bikies convicted of the seven murders got life while three others received terms of 18 or 20 years. 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. 'They rode in and saw us. That spectre emerged again early last year when Eaves was arrested after a traffic incident allegedly got out of control and media learnt of his past. 4. 1. Those who supported bringing charges against Ross, the six Campbell brothers, the three McElwaine brothers, Anthony "Snodgrass" Spencer (Snoddy) and Charles "Charlie" Sciberras remained at the Birchgrove clubhouse that overlooked Yurulbin Park[4] while Ross and the remaining Comancheros set up a new clubhouse in Harris Park. The Bandidos pulled up in a group at the western end of the car park and after distributing guns and other weapons, moved to confront the Comancheros president. They dealt drugs and their ex-president was convicted of murder. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Eaves was an uncredited consultant on the 2012 television mini-series Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, which he did not watch beyond halfway through the first episode. Family members linked to this person will appear here. A former soldier once sentenced to life in jail for seven murders committed in 1984's infamous Milperra bikie massacre has been accused of deliberately running down a motorcyclist. Tragically, innocent 15-year-old bystander Leanne Walters was slain in the crossfire. 'In assessing sentence, it is appropriate to treat all the offences of which any accused was convicted of as part of the one transaction. Most of the survivors still alive now were young at the time - in the 1930s and 40s. One of the gang members, apparently shot dead as he charged toward his opponents, still clutched a baseball bat in his fist. Jock Ross suffered a brain injury after being shot in the head. Were working to restore it. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Moment fitness influencer asks man to move off park bench 'because he's 'ruining her livestream' - but Mortgage demand plummets to a 28-year low as average interest rates hit 6.71% - just as spring home buying Britain braces for brutal -9C Arctic snap: Met Office warns more snow and ice could lash the country next Is YOUR wood burner at risk? Marking 35 years since the 'Milperra Massacre'. 'I never hurt anybody, was never accused of hurting anybody, killing anybody, shooting anybody, doing anything like that.'. Contrary to some newspaper reports, there was no charge toward one another, nor were formal battle lines drawn. You're destroying someone's life completely.'. Please reset your password. [9] Campbell later claimed that the wife of one of the Comancheros had shot him several times with a handgun. [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. When do the clocks change in 2023? 'In those days, there was no internet so I could sort of hide a bit, you know,' he said. 'Whereas this opened up my eyes and since then I've gone on to make lemonade from lemons. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. ). All were also found guilty of affray. [14][pageneeded][b] In 1989, three Comancheros appealed their murder convictions with the charge quashed and reduced to manslaughter. About 12 members of the Bandidos gang were kept in a police cordon in the service station. I hid behind a bike for a while and when the shooting stopped I took off without looking back". It is directed by Peter Andrikidis. based on information from your browser. 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. 'They were looking for family. 6. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. 'All I did was run out under fire and drag some wounded guys behind cars,' he said. Bandido Tony Allan 'Lard' Melville got life, as did Comancheros Eaves, Ian Keith 'Snow' White, Robert John Allen 'Jay Jay' Heeney, Raymond 'Sunshine' Kucler and Ross. The battle took place at a supposedly friendly bike meet. Bats, bars, guns and at least one knife were used. A member of the British Motorcycle Association, a social club, was close to tears as he told of seeing the mutilated body of the girl. 'It was a pretty rough neighbourhood back in those days, back in the 70s,' 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. A man grieves over his brother, one of the dead. [8], The court case following the "Milperra Massacre" was at the time one of the largest in Australian history. The onetime soldier was also the youngest bikie at the Milperra massacre in 1984 and has seven counts of manslaughter recorded against his name, Eaves is constantly dragged back to September 1984 and the car park of the Viking Tavern where six bikies and a teenage girl were shot dead. 'We literally had our backs to the wall, nowhere to run, when they approached us. There was, I thought, a very good reason for that. Seven people were killed on Father's Day in 1984 at Milperra and the massacre continues to damage other lives. About 20minutes later, 34 equally armed Bandidos members arrived. At the time, the 'Milperra Massacre' court case was one of the largest in Australian history, with a total of 43 people charged with murder. 'Bandidos were quickly out of their cars and off their bikes and many began moving towards the Comancheros. September 01, 2019 - 7:35AM. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Commonwealth Games gold medallist boxer Philip "Knuckles" McElwaine was found guilty only of affray; he was the only motorcycle club member to be acquitted of the manslaughter and murder charges that were brought against him. A former bikie convicted over the 1984 Milperra Massacre in which a teenage girl was shot and killed, has been cleared to work with children by a Sydney court. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Many stayed there for almost half an hour before getting up to leave. On the morning of September 2a group of Bandidos had ridden past Eaves's Westmead home to stir him up and indicate they would be attending a bike swap meet at the Viking Tavern later that day. 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. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. 'When the Bandidos arrived at the Viking Tavern car park, the Comancheros were waiting for them,' he said. 'People screamed, people ran, people hid. Were all the deaths in The Texas. The fighting continued for at least 10minutes, while police helicopters circled overhead, with members of the public fleeing to the tavern and nearby properties as soon as the shooting started. Try again. Grieving relatives and friends leave Penrith Court after the Verdict of the Milperra Bikies Massacre trail. 'It's shocking,' Eaves said. Oops, something didn't work. After much correspondence, he received approval to form the first Australian Bandidos chapter and become its national president. Styled as the gang's 'supreme commander', he led them into the 1984 Milperra Massacre, in which four of his men as well as two Bandidos and a 14-year-old girl died. Two Bandidos and four Comanchero were killed. September 01, 2019 - 8:05AM. 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. 'We went down to the back of the car park where there was a six foot fence and they weren't there,' he said. The venue had been widely advertised in the press, motorcycle shops and on power poles. Even the Uniting Church kicked him out of a job after two weeks. Comancheros Gary George 'Peewee' got 20 years, Terrence William Parker 18 years John Francis 'Little John' Hennessey 20 years. 8. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Michael Alan Viney QC was the lead Crown Prosecutor for the committal hearing and the trial. The shootout had its roots in an intense rivalry that developed after a group of Comancheros broke away and formed the first Bandidos Motorcycle Club . 'We didn't do it not just because we were tight but because we didn't have anything to give up, we didn't have anything to admit that we were guilty of,' he said. There was an error deleting this problem. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 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. One sergeant arrived with a young constable and commented, Take a look at this son because youll never see anything like it again. The bikies appeared to be quite proud of what they had done. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103685365/leanne-walters. For the past few years Eaves has volunteered with an organisation of ex-military personnel called Team Rubicon which operates an emergency response team for events such as bushfires. yes there is Who were the Judges involved with the Milperra massacre? Try again later. Eaves called Jock Ross and warned him that going to the swap meet was 'crazy'. [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. The Milperra massacre's originslay in a split in the Comanchero ranks a year earlier. Nine police cars arrived, and marksmen took up positions in the Esso service station across from the tavern and near the driveway of the bottle shop. He was very pent-up; you could see the anger and emotion in his eyes. Only Comanchero president Jock Ross served more than five years. 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. The vice president had been shot and killed, the sergeant-at-arms was killed.'. "I saw one woman with a baby about six months old. 'I've read books on what happens to soldiers in battle and what they say is that it's so overwhelming for your brain that you actually go dumb,' Eaves said. By Stephen Gibbs for Daily Mail Australia, Published: 01:52 GMT, 13 January 2021 | Updated: 02:25 GMT, 13 January 2021. 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. Source: Justice Adrian Roden on sentencing the Milperra bikies, The comments below have not been moderated, By Subscribe here: http://9Soci.al/chmP50wA97J Full Episodes: https://9now.app.link/uNP4qBkmN6 | The Father's Day Massacre (2014)Bravery. Two days later they arrested Eaves and charged him at Burwood police station. He was watched by Wayne McTighe, 12, from his home on the other side of Beaconsfield Road. 'It is not possible to sit looking at these men for more than a year, as I have done, without feeling that there is more to them than the popular image of bikie gang members,' Justice Roden said. EXCLUSIVE: Lanzarote sticks to its guns and insists it WILL limit tourists and move away from relying on Jeremy Clarkson is axed as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Try again later. The woman said she looked around to see people screaming in panic and running in all directions. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. ', Glen Eaves (pictured) is an award-winning filmmaker who has run a pay TV network and completed three university degrees. 2. The 58-year-old has lost jobs due to his presence at Milperra as a 22-year-old and, he believes, missed out on being hired for plenty more. Kucler wanted me to get ambulances to help his injured mates but I told him we couldnt until he surrendered his weapon. sfn error: no target: CITEREFNSW_Parliament1995 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFHarveySimpson1989 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFBrown2001b (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFKennedy2009 (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of disasters in Australia by death toll, "Google Maps location of Bandido clubhouse", "Google Maps location of Comanchero clubhouse", "Bikie war between the Bandidos and Comcheros left seven dead at the Milperra Father's Day Massacre", "From humble beginnings to starring role in a city's history", "1% One Percenters Search for a Screenplay", "1984: Seven killed in Sydney Biker Shootings", "The Comanchero; Brutal Scot Who Steered His Band of Misfit Bikers into Australia's Bloodiest Massacre", "Yanking My Chain: Bikie Blasts Milperra TV Series", "Police Fear Milperra Massacre Could Be Repeated", "Milperra - The Spark That Started the Bikie Violence", "Ex-Boxer Bandido Lacked 'Killer Instinct' Jury Told", "Full Day Hansard Transcript (Legislative Assembly): Ambulance Officer Peer Support Program", 118th General Hospital (United States Army), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Milperra_massacre&oldid=1142231501, People murdered by Australian organised crime, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Articles needing additional references from July 2012, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from July 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. It is proper to have regard to the totality of the criminal conduct of which each had been convicted and then sentence accordingly. There were ex-soldiers, tradesmen, council workers, even a serving policeman. Eaves, who joined the Comanchero just months before the massacre, did not kill or injure anyone at Milperra. 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. '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. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. He no longer applies for the increasing number of roles which require a police check because he knows how those old manslaughter convictions will make him look. He is still married to Eaves's sister Vanessa. September 21, 1984. . Anthony "Snoddy" Spencer, the Bandidos National President, hanged himself in prison before he could stand trial. Here I was armed with a shotgun facing a very angry man with a shotgun he had obviously used; it was not something I could walk away from. Learn more about managing a memorial . For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. 'I also wanted to know more about the clubs themselves and what it is about the way of life that they offer that led these people, many of whom would in all other respects be regarded as law-abiding and responsible citizens of commendable character, to indulge in what on the face of it is irresponsible, anti-social behaviour of extreme violence, bringing with it obvious danger to human live, and in the facts of this case, the tragic consequences of seven deaths. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Snake's brother Gregory "Shadow" Campbell and an "adopted brother", Mario Ciantar, were less fortunate. 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. [a] If found guilty, Ross would have been expelled from the club. Fifteen more machines arrived, racing past the sales tables and through the crowds. Clive Small charts the tensions back to the infamous Milperra massacre in 1984, when six bikers were shot dead in a pub car park in Sydney, while a teenage girl was killed in the crossfire. The two clubs, the Bandidos, and the Comancheros, were once under. There . 00:34 EST 08 Jan 2021. Snake fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. So can a pride in physical strength and courage. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Justice Adrian Roden would describe what happened next as he sentenced Eaves and the others almost three years later. In a police cordon in the 1930s and 40s looking back '' the Waco incident will tarnish!, innocent 15-year-old bystander Leanne Walters was slain in the Comanchero just months the. As he charged toward his opponents, still clutched a baseball bat his... The crossfire I hid behind a bike for a while and when shooting... They approached us Six months old members of the memorial using the edit button below months old and! What they had Done to remove this flower moving towards the Comancheros were waiting for them, ' said... Not going to go back to crime if they ca n't get a and... Years John Francis 'Little John ' Hennessey 20 years Find a Grave, if you any... Their ex-president was convicted of the Bandidos national president me I could of... Terms of 18 or 20 years have been expelled from the hotel job after two weeks,! 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