South Australian Country Fire Service Promotions Unit

Promoting and Archiving the Historical foundations of the Service

 

Memorials to Firefighters

Remembering our Fallen

Throughout the SA Country Fire Service there is a history of mateship and being part of a family with all Fire Service members. Memorials have been erected around the State to remember those who have been killed whilst fighting fires and on active duty. This may include death occurring after the event from effects directly attributable to illness or injury acquired while on duty or covered under presumptive legislation.

There are a number of significant Memorials in South Australia. One Memorial is located at the Centennial Park Gardens, Pasadena, which is for Fire, SA Police, St John Ambulance and National Crime Authority members. The SA Volunteer Firefighters Museum has a large memorial at Naracoorte for CFS volunteer firefighters, located alongside the Museum complex.

A large wall display has now been installed at the Emergency Services Headquarters complex in Keswick with honour boards for Recognition of Service. The five honour boards are for the Australian Fire Service Medal, Emergency Service Medal, SA Emergency Services Medal, Chief Officers, and In Memorium for those who died whilst serving their community. These boards include those from the CFS, MFS, SES and SAFECOM.

Emergency Services Headquarters Memorial SA Volunteer Firefighters Museum Memorial

Roll of Honour - CFS volunteers

Brian Kirkland, Brigade Firefighter, Bray Brigade / Robe Group
Workplace Cancer, 27th January 2026, Aged 68

Peter Curtis, Brigade Firefighter, National Parks and Wildlife Service Brigade
Pinkawillinie Fire, 23rd November 2025, Aged 65

Neil William Adams, Brigade Firefighter, Waikerie Brigade
Workplace Cancer, 17th September 2024, Aged 62

Troy Kinslow, Brigade Firefighter, Salisbury Brigade
Workplace Cancer, 18th May 2024, Aged 50

Louise Jane Hincks, Brigade Senior Firefighter, Happy Valley Brigade
Struck by falling tree, Coles Fire, 21st January 2022, Aged 44

Raymond Neville Cutting, Brigade Firefighter, Salisbury Brigade
Workplace Cancer, 30th October 2021, Aged 68

Brian Menadue, Brigade Firefighter, Para Reserve Brigade
Workplace Cancer, 8th October 2020, Aged 79

Brian Johnston, Deputy Group Officer, Wattle Range Group, Millicent Brigade
Involved in appliance crash, Rendelsham Fire, 9th December 2014, Aged 65

Andrew Raymond Harrison, Brigade Lieutenant, Mount Templeton Brigade
Caught in fire, Nantawarra Fire, 31st October 2014, Aged 38

Geoffrey E Buyrn, Brigade Firefighter, Mount Bryan Brigade
Appliance rollover, Bundaleer Forest Fire on 29th November 2006, 27th June 2011, Aged 65

Neil George Richardson, Brigade Firefighter, Ungarra Brigade
Wangary Fires, 11th January 2005, Aged 54

Trent Alan Murnane, Brigade Firefighter, Cummins Brigade
Wangary Fires, 11th January 2005, Aged 30

Leslie John Peek, Deputy Group Officer, Strathalbyn Group, Strathalbyn Brigade
Heart attack at incident, 10th March 1994, Aged 48

Peter Geoffrey Aird, Brigade Firefighter, Moorook Brigade
Heart attack at incident, 21st August 1993, Aged 46

Robert Leslie Jones, Brigade Firefighter, Yahl Brigade
Heart attack at structure fire, Johnston's Road, O.B. Flat. 1st February 1991, Aged 42

Howard Herbert Kruse, Brigade Firefighter, Waterloo Brigade
Heart failure, 1st May 1990, Aged 51

Peter Donald Stacy, Brigade Firefighter, Burnside Brigade
Vehicle accident at incident, Clarendon. 23rd March 1990, Aged 25

Brian Arthur Fox, Brigade Captain, Lobethal Brigade
Heart attack at incident, Lobethal. 22nd January 1986, Aged 54

Dean Russell Dennis, Brigade Firefighter, Yeelanna Brigade
Property fire, Possible heart failure at incident. 18th March 1985, Aged 49

Andrew Eric Lemke, Brigade Firefighter, Lucindale Brigade
Ash Wednesday Fires, 16th February 1983, Aged 23

Peter Ralph Matthies, Brigade Firefighter, Summertown Brigade
Caught in fire. Ash Wednesday Fires, Mount Lofty. 16th February 1983, Aged 27

Brian Nosworthy, Brigade Firefighter, Callendale Brigade
Ash Wednesday Fire, 16th February 1983, Aged 52

Barry James McLoughlin, Senior Firefighter with Athelstone Brigade
Vehicle accident enroute to fire. Gorge Rd, Athelstone, 15th February 1979, Aged 33

Roll of Honour - EFS volunteers

Alexander Roy Nenke, Firefighter with Greenock Brigade
Died of heart attack after attending a petrol tanker fire, Greenock. 19th July 1971, Aged 60

Roll of Honour - Volunteer Fire Fighters **

Lawrence Birt Villis, Firefighter, Kingston
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Kingston, Black Sunday fires, 5th January 1955, Aged 39

Ernest James Pitman, Firefighter, Inglewood
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Inglewood, Black Sunday fires, 2nd January 1955, Aged 67

Cecil William Sparkes, Sergeant of SA Police
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Fosters Gully fire, Upper Sturt, 19th January 1951, Aged 46

Mervyn George Casey, Special Constable of SA Police
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Fosters Gully fire, Upper Sturt, 19th January 1951, Aged 22

Colin Roy Kroemer, Special Constable of SA Police
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Fosters Gully fire, Upper Sturt, 19th January 1951, Aged 33

William James Quinn, Firefighter from Yacka
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Marola Station fire, Brinkworth, 16th December 1950, Aged 21

Ernst Gottlieb Mickel, Firefighter from Brinkworth
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Marola Station fire, Brinkworth, 16th December 1950, Aged 71

Stanley Warner, Firefighter from Penola
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, outside Penola, 23rd January 1935, Aged 36

Thomas Alfred John Tregoweth, Foot Constable of SA Police
Died as a result of burns whilst firefighting, Waterfall Gully fire, 15th December 1926, Aged 29

** Under the Volunteer Fire Fighters Fund Act, 1949, a "volunteer fire fighter" means any person who assists in combating or extinguishing any fire or preventing the spread thereof or does any act incidental thereto. This Act was repealed in 1986 after the Country Fires Act 1976 was amended in 1986

 Centenial Park Memorial

Around South Australia, there are many memorials and plaques for Firefighters, Farmers and incidents that have occurred over the years. One major fire claimed the lives of eight Woods and Forests firefighters, a state government department with only three survivors out of the eleven crew. This memorial is located where the incident occured in the Wandilo Forest in the States South East. A plaque erected on the Mount Lofty Summit also remembers the Ash Wednesday bushfire which swept over the summit in 1883.

The National Emergency Services Memorial was dedicated in July 2004 in honour of the thousands of men and women who serve and have served in Australia s emergency management and services organisations. The memorial provides a place to reflect on those who have been injured or died while carrying out their duties for the benefit of the wider Australian community, located in Canberra, alongside the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

Photos taken by the CFS Promotions Unit