Gascoigne

Constable Gascoigne (born 1854) came with Supt Hare to Glenrowan. He was involved in just about every exciting part of the affray. Of special interest is the story of how he came to gain one of Ned's shoulder caps.   

                            Basically, during the shootout at Glenrowan Gascoigne's shot knocked off one of Ned's shoulder caps (part of his suit of armour). Only Ned had this shoulder protection and for over a hundred years his suit of armour was displayed without this section. The government held one of the shoulder caps, whilst the other was held in private hands. Eventually, on July 31, 2001 at an auction the item was purchased by the  Federal Government for $170,000, hence completing the set.

                            How he came to obtain this shoulder cap is of great interest. During the battle, as Ned went from behind the police towards the Inn, Gascoigne fired away at Ned (as did everyone else). One bullet struck and severed the wires holding on the small section of armour. Gascoigne saw this and secretly placed the piece in the riverbed. When the battle was over he took the item with him, told no one and must have been pretty happy with himself.

                            According to a book on Ned Kelly by George Farwell, Gascoigne gave the piece of armour to his daughter, Mrs. Devonport. She was the well known manager of a bar at the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne and kept the armour on display there.

                            Gascoigne was with the first small party of officers that ran towards the Inn, whereupon Hare was shot by Ned. This was the start of the battle, the gang opened fire first. Ned called out, "Fire away you bloody dogs, you can't hurt us". Gascoigne replied, "That is Ned Kelly's voice". 
According to Ian Jones, in 'Ned Kelly A Short Life', Ned moved out into the moonlight and took aim, but Gascoigne fired. A Martini Henry bullet smashed through Ned's bent left arm, inflicting four wounds, two below the elbow, two above. Jones went on to say: From across the road to the side, Constable Gascoigne could see Ned clearly as he fired at three men on 'the closed road' in the railway reserve. Then Ned turned to face Gascoigne and the trooper fired. Ned returned his fire, twice hitting the 'small sapling post' sheltering the policeman. Gascoigne put another two or three shots into the strange figure and Ned yelled, 'You bloody cocktails, you can't hurt me. I am in iron, 'before turning and walking back towards the top corner of the hotel paddock until the trooper lost sight of him in a drift of moonlit smoke.

  Royal Commission.

Q 9608 - 9826 p 347-354 incl.

- I joined the police force on 6th of March 1879.
- as a rule you consider the agents were misleading the police? - I do. 
- I knew nothing about the armour.
- did you see the priest go in? I saw him go in.
- which way did he go in? in the front door.
- how was the armour lying? - it had been moved too, a man with a large
pole had been poking it.