West Coast dairy farmer Stanley Graham who shot dead four police officers and three civilians at Kōwhitirangi in October 1941. Photo / NZ Herald Archive
West Coast dairy farmer Stanley Graham who shot dead four police officers and three civilians at Kōwhitirangi in October 1941. Photo / NZ Herald Archive
The West Coast Police Remembrance Day service this year will be held in Greymouth, not Kōwhitirangi - scene of the 1941 Stan Graham shootings, which remain the greatest single loss of police in New Zealand.
Remembrance Day pays tribute to officers slain on duty and since
2004 it has been observed at the Kōwhitirangi memorial to Graham's seven victims.
However, the annual service this Friday will be held instead at the Greymouth Miners' Memorial site followed by refreshments at the Greymouth Police Station.
The annual West Coast Police Remembrance Day service on Friday will be held at the Greymouth Miners' Memorial site. Photo / Wikimedia Commons
"Historically, we have held it in Kōwhitirangi, however the distance to travel has precluded a large number of our own staff, particularly from the Buller area, to attend.
"It is important that all of our staff have the opportunity to join the service and pay their respects to members fallen," West Coast police area commander Inspector Mel Aitken said.
The Kowhitirangi memorial site would be used again, she said.
Families of those involved in the rural event have been invited to join the Greymouth service, starting at 11am.
A past parade at the Kowhitirangi memorial - scene of the 1941 Stan Graham shootings, which remains the greatest single loss of police in New Zealand. Photo / File
Police Remembrance Day is marked nationally every year on September 29, the feast day of St Michael the Archangel, patron saint of police.
The roll call of New Zealand police slain on duty had three historical names added to it in 2016, bringing the total number to 32 police officers killed by a criminal act since records began in 1886.
The 1941 tragedy began when dairy farmer Stanley Graham refused to hand over his rifle to police as part of the war effort, according to the NZ History website.
He felt police were persecuting him rather than investigating his neighbours, whom he believed were poisoning his cows.
On October 8 policemen Edward Best, Percy Tulloch, Frederick Jordan and William Cooper went to Kōwhitirangi after a neighbour claimed Graham threatened him with a rifle.
Cooper, Jordan and Tulloch were shot dead, while Best later died from his wounds.
Percy Tulloch, shot dead by farmer Stan Graham on October 8, 1941. Graham's shooting was to leave four police officers and three civilians dead. Photo / NZ Herald Archive
George Ridley, a visiting agricultural instructor, was also shot, eventually dying in 1943.
Graham fled into the bush pursued by police, soldiers and home guardsmen and exchanged shots with home guardsmen Richard Coulson and Gregory Hutchison on October 9.
Coulson died immediately and Hutchison the following day. Graham eluded capture for 12 nights until fatally wounded by police on the evening of October 20.
Police gather at Graham's Kowhitirangi farm house in 1941 after the farmer shot seven people. Photo / NZ Herald Archive
