Green gilled shark vomits fizgig arm
May 16, 2018 7:50 PM Subscribe
Shark Arm murder 1935 - The tale of a tattooed boxer, cocaine smuggling, cab rides, a speedboat chase, murders and sharks.
There are many versions of Reg Holmes and the Sydney Harbour chase:
Sports Illustrated Vault: 1976 - "Then, three days later a strange incident occurred in Sydney Harbor. A man out sailing with his children almost had his small craft swamped by an expensive, wildly careening motorboat. When he reported the reckless driver to the police he said, "You won't mistake him. He has a bullet hole in his forehead."
For the next two hours a Mack Sennett chase took place in the harbor. A police department craft and another launch with Holmes' brother on board frantically pursued Reginald Holmes as he drove his swift boat through and around pleasure craft, bounced off anchored vessels and careened past pilings and wharfs. When he was finally caught, his face a bloody mask, Holmes gave a semicoherent account of having been shot by strangers near his house and of having taken to his motorboat to escape further injury. He assumed, he said, that the two launches chasing him were being piloted by his assailants."
SMH Blog: 2009 - “One day in April he took out his high-speed motor boat and had a nervous breakdown. He stopped off the shore at Lavender Bay and tried to shoot himself in the head, fell into the water and clambered back on board. He proceeded to zoom around Circular Quay and disrupt the morning ferry services, and then led the Water Police on a four-hour chase around the Harbour and beyond. Finally, two kilometres out to sea, he stopped and allowed the police to take him. 'Jimmy Smith is dead and there is only another left,' he's reported to have said. ”
Scratching Sydney's Surface: 2009 - "On 20 May he came out onto the harbour in his fastest boat, and in view of people on shore, produced a pistol, put it [sic] to his head and fired, toppling over the side into the water. Amazingly the bullet did not penetrate his skull and the dip in the water revived him. He clambered back onto the boat and careened off down the harbour zig-zagging through morning ferry traffic. Police boats soon set after him, but his motor boat was way too fast and he left them behind. But being a sporting chap, he would slow down and allow the police to approach before speeding off again. Four hours of boating fun followed under Holmes finally stopped and handed himself in to the police."
Boxing.com: 2013 - "The investigation went nowhere until May 20 when Holmes took a boat out into Sydney Harbor and shot himself. The suicide attempt failed and Holmes began to speed erratically across the water. The police gave chase in what must have been something out of a Preston Sturges comedy. After hours of careening all over the harbor, Holmes finally surrendered."
Vice: 2017 - "Holmes ripped out of his beachfront home into the harbour on his speedboat when it became clear to him that the police were on the approach. Cops were quick to speed out after him, but each time they came near, Holmes would abruptly jolt off again. He attracted a crowd of spectators near Sydney’s harbour who watched the hot pursuit go down.
Finally, Holmes killed the engine and demonstrably stepped up before the crowds, a pistol at hand. Reportedly, he uttered this cryptic phrase: “Jimmy Smith is dead and there is only another left… If you leave me until tonight, I will finish him.” It was clear that he was under the influence. If his behaviour didn’t make it clear, the empty bottle of gin at the bottom of the boat certainly did. The cops braced themselves for a firefight—but then Holmes raised the pistol to his own head, and fired. He fell to the water as the police converged.
But the shot to the head didn’t kill him, just grazed his temple. Defeated, Holmes finally turned himself over to police."
Australian Family Stories - "Initially Holmes denied knowing Brady. Then he took one of his speed boats into Sydney Harbour, and in full view of people strolling along the shore, Reginald Holms [sic] shot himself in the head and tumbled into the water. Miraculously he survived. He climbed back into the boat and sped off. The water police gave chase and for four hours they zigzagging in and out of ferries, large cargo ships and other harbour traffic. Eventually Holmes surrendered."
Wikipedia - "the businessman went into his boatshed and attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head with a .32 calibre pistol. However, the bullet flattened against the bone of the forehead and he was merely stunned. Revived after falling into the water, he crawled into his speedboat and led two police launches on a chase around Sydney Harbour for several hours until he was finally caught and taken to hospital."
There are many versions of Reg Holmes and the Sydney Harbour chase:
Sports Illustrated Vault: 1976 - "Then, three days later a strange incident occurred in Sydney Harbor. A man out sailing with his children almost had his small craft swamped by an expensive, wildly careening motorboat. When he reported the reckless driver to the police he said, "You won't mistake him. He has a bullet hole in his forehead."
For the next two hours a Mack Sennett chase took place in the harbor. A police department craft and another launch with Holmes' brother on board frantically pursued Reginald Holmes as he drove his swift boat through and around pleasure craft, bounced off anchored vessels and careened past pilings and wharfs. When he was finally caught, his face a bloody mask, Holmes gave a semicoherent account of having been shot by strangers near his house and of having taken to his motorboat to escape further injury. He assumed, he said, that the two launches chasing him were being piloted by his assailants."
SMH Blog: 2009 - “One day in April he took out his high-speed motor boat and had a nervous breakdown. He stopped off the shore at Lavender Bay and tried to shoot himself in the head, fell into the water and clambered back on board. He proceeded to zoom around Circular Quay and disrupt the morning ferry services, and then led the Water Police on a four-hour chase around the Harbour and beyond. Finally, two kilometres out to sea, he stopped and allowed the police to take him. 'Jimmy Smith is dead and there is only another left,' he's reported to have said. ”
Scratching Sydney's Surface: 2009 - "On 20 May he came out onto the harbour in his fastest boat, and in view of people on shore, produced a pistol, put it [sic] to his head and fired, toppling over the side into the water. Amazingly the bullet did not penetrate his skull and the dip in the water revived him. He clambered back onto the boat and careened off down the harbour zig-zagging through morning ferry traffic. Police boats soon set after him, but his motor boat was way too fast and he left them behind. But being a sporting chap, he would slow down and allow the police to approach before speeding off again. Four hours of boating fun followed under Holmes finally stopped and handed himself in to the police."
Boxing.com: 2013 - "The investigation went nowhere until May 20 when Holmes took a boat out into Sydney Harbor and shot himself. The suicide attempt failed and Holmes began to speed erratically across the water. The police gave chase in what must have been something out of a Preston Sturges comedy. After hours of careening all over the harbor, Holmes finally surrendered."
Vice: 2017 - "Holmes ripped out of his beachfront home into the harbour on his speedboat when it became clear to him that the police were on the approach. Cops were quick to speed out after him, but each time they came near, Holmes would abruptly jolt off again. He attracted a crowd of spectators near Sydney’s harbour who watched the hot pursuit go down.
Finally, Holmes killed the engine and demonstrably stepped up before the crowds, a pistol at hand. Reportedly, he uttered this cryptic phrase: “Jimmy Smith is dead and there is only another left… If you leave me until tonight, I will finish him.” It was clear that he was under the influence. If his behaviour didn’t make it clear, the empty bottle of gin at the bottom of the boat certainly did. The cops braced themselves for a firefight—but then Holmes raised the pistol to his own head, and fired. He fell to the water as the police converged.
But the shot to the head didn’t kill him, just grazed his temple. Defeated, Holmes finally turned himself over to police."
Australian Family Stories - "Initially Holmes denied knowing Brady. Then he took one of his speed boats into Sydney Harbour, and in full view of people strolling along the shore, Reginald Holms [sic] shot himself in the head and tumbled into the water. Miraculously he survived. He climbed back into the boat and sped off. The water police gave chase and for four hours they zigzagging in and out of ferries, large cargo ships and other harbour traffic. Eventually Holmes surrendered."
Wikipedia - "the businessman went into his boatshed and attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head with a .32 calibre pistol. However, the bullet flattened against the bone of the forehead and he was merely stunned. Revived after falling into the water, he crawled into his speedboat and led two police launches on a chase around Sydney Harbour for several hours until he was finally caught and taken to hospital."
Australia, where all the wildlife wants to kill you, and blood-and-thunders count as “family stories”.
posted by acb at 2:58 AM on May 17, 2018
posted by acb at 2:58 AM on May 17, 2018
How different, how very different, from the home life of our own dear Queen.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:17 AM on May 17, 2018
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:17 AM on May 17, 2018
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