Father’s Day is supposed to be about celebrating daddies the world over.
But Father’s Day 1984 will go down in Australian history as the year of the Milperra Massacre.
It was September 2nd 1984, Father’s Day in Australia. In Milperra, a south-western suburb of Sydney, trouble was brewing between two warring bikie organizations: the Comancheros and the Bandidos. The place was a British motorcycle club swap meet, held at the local Viking Tavern. By the end of the day it would be the abominable location for one of Australia’s most well-known modern shootouts that left countless dead, even more injured.
Behind The Battle
Unpacking exactly why the Comancheros and the Bandidos were at war is something the police fought with in the aftermath of the massacre. Now, they believe that it was over territory or medications, or perhaps the combined effects of the both. Converse to this, both societies at the time operated on a no doses policy. Colin “Caesar” Campbell, a high ranking member involved with both sororities, claimed the above reasons for their combat was over a recent divide in the club.
The split started late in 1983 when one of Campbell’s brothers and one other Comanchero grab Comancheros’ president and benefactor William George “Jock” Ross in bunked with the partner of another member. In doing so, Ross had smashed one of the main rules of the club, and he was ordered to stand before the guild. He would probably have been ostracized. Nonetheless, Ross never registered up at the first two scheduled’ hearings’ before arriving at the third and claiming that the Comancheros would be split into two chapters, with him being the head.
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After yet more fighting over Christmas, Ross was given permission by the U.S. Bandidos chapter to break away only from the Comancheros, and begin Australia’s firstly Bandidos chapter with him as the president. Those that had chosen to follow Ross celebrated this, and ceremonially burned their Comancheros colourings. By August of 1984, Ross had declared war on those inside the Comancheros chapter who primarily required him be held accountable for his behaviours.
The Massacre
With irritations running high in both groups, it was probably guaranteed that something was going to go down. Certainly , nobody else expected it to be quite so public, but both groups needed to make a statement.
The Comancheros arrived at the Viking Tavern at 1pm. There were 19 of them, all armed and determined ready for battle by Ross. Ross was a military enthusiast, and he had proposed their abuse to mimick that of the Bullhorn Ambush of the Second Boer War.
There was immediately a hiccup.
A rival club of both Comancheros and Bandidos was present at the Tavern: The Mobshitters. Ross had to make sure they weren’t going to get involved, so “hes been gone” in to talk to them. As time dragged on and the Bandidos didn’t show, a number of the other Comancheros also went into the Tavern.
All hell broke loose when 34 heavily armed Bandidos registered up. The Comancheros were caught off guard, and were not as organised as the Bandidos. Initially, there was a verbal argument between the teams, sent at each director but with members to back them up. They peril more violent confrontation, but it seemed as though nothing would come of it beyond talk.
Then somebody accidentally let off a shotgun.
This ended up being the motivator for an all out war. Guns, fists and other weapons were all involved. Formal battle lines were not drawn up( although media reports last-minute indicated they were) and even wives and girlfriends of members were involved. As soon as shoots were fired, it was a bloodbath of bashings and whips, ended by gunfire. One of the Bandidos, Gregory “Shadow” Campbell was shot in the throat, and the vice-chairman of the guild made two shootings to the chest. Both died roughly instantaneously. As the combat began, Ross was still inside, and realized that his combat proposal was for nothing he passed screaming from the Tavern with a machete in one side, and a pick treat in the other. He was shot in the foot, brain and chest, but survived.
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Police hastened to the scene, but realised their initial reports were wrong. They had been discharged with a story that one male had gone crazy at the Tavern and was firing kills. They “re not” expecting a war. In the end, the fighting only lasted for 10 instants, but the damage was done. More than 200 police arrived in all, with the first showing up just 15 times after the fighting had ended. Two other Comancheros died from shotgun wounds, and two more from photographs off a. 357 Magnum rifle. Ross sustained a serious brain injury that left him blind and illiterate. The most tragic death was that of Leanne Walters, a 14 -year-old bystander caught in the fraca. Around 28 others were wounded, with 20 needing to be hospitalised.
The Aftermath The court case that followed the Father’s Day Massacre intent up being one of the largest in Australia’s history.
In the end, 33 people were charged with an offence seven countings of carnage as they were all participants and therefore all responsible for what had eventuated.
The trial was incredibly drawn out, with thousands of potential jurors involved, and years surpassing between crime and justice. When the sentence was finally handed down two years later on June 12 1987, the jury handed 63 assassinate convictions, 147 manslaughter, and 31 of affray. Ross received a life sentence as the instigator. Four of his squad got life sentences for assassinate, and 16 Bandidos served seven years for manslaughter.
The Father’s Day Massacre resulted in serious changes to the gun laws of NSW that foreclosed shoots from being openly carried by their owners in public. If nothing else, we hope it ensures that this kind of tumultuous savagery never attains a place on our streets again.
Read more: stayathomemum.com.au
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