02/08/2025
As family historians we know the value of DNA testing, if anyone knows these local families please reach out them them with this information
Police appeal for relatives of lost fishermen in 1948 sea tragedy – Missing Persons Week
Police are appealing for the families of five fishermen, who were lost at sea almost 80 years ago, to come forward as part of this year’s ‘Forever Loved’ Missing Persons Week 2025.
On Saturday 15 May 1948, two vessels – ‘Joyce’ and ‘Syd’ – left from separate locations on the NSW coast on separate fishing expeditions.
On board the ‘Joyce’, which departed from Woy Woy, were seven work colleagues from the Nielsen Slipper Factory: Norman Eric Lester, 21, Brian Morris Parsons, 56, Robert Hayes, 30, Peter Proudfoot, 24, Berty Cyril Law, 37, Norman John Tolley, 25 and Arthur Bowyer, 41.
The ‘Syd’ was carrying four people – three men and a boy - when it set off from Patonga. They were Hugh Murray, 41, Cecil Aubrey Murray, 43, Neville Walters, 35, and Brian Murray, 14.
During their expeditions, both vessels are believed to have been struck by adverse weather.
Despite extensive searches at the time, neither vessel nor those on board have ever been located.
In May 2020, a human jawbone was found on Umina Beach and detectives commenced inquiries to determine if the jawbone belonged to one of the passengers on board the doomed vessels.
Despite the jawbone having since been identified as belonging to Henry Coleman, who died aged 17 following an accidental drowning in August 1980, police remain hopeful DNA from the 11 fishermen could one day bring their loved ones home.
To date, six relatives of the fisherman have provided their DNA to police, and now – seventy-seven years on – police are appealing for the relatives of Neville Walters, Norman Eric Lester, Brian Morris Parsons, Robert Hayes and Peter Proudfoot to come forward and provide a DNA sample.
Missing Persons Registry Manager, Detective Inspector Paul Fenwick, said DNA samples collected could assist in identifying the remains of those lost at sea.
“There are currently 352 unidentified bodies and human remains that were located in different areas throughout New South Wales. DNA samples from the families of these missing fishermen will be compared against those remains and stored securely for future reference,” Det Insp Fenwick said.
“Even after all these years, we continue to recover remains along the coastline. That DNA will continue to be tested against these discoveries.
“This is not just about solving a case. It’s about recognising the lives lost and giving families the answers after nearly 80 years.
“We’re appealing to anyone who may be related to these men – even distantly – to come forward and provide a DNA sample.”
Marine Area Commander, Superintendent Joseph McNulty, said any evidence recovered from the sea is a chance to come full circle.
“When remains are found along our coastline, having DNA from family members on file gives us a chance to connect the past with the present – and possibly bring someone home,” Det Supt McNulty said.
“While the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the ‘Joyce’ and the ‘Syd’ remain unknown, we know the ocean can conceal evidence for many years.
“When remains are recovered, having DNA from family members already on file allows us to act quickly and accurately in identifying them. It’s a vital step in helping police bring closure to long-standing cases.”
Missing Persons Week is an annual national campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding missing persons and runs between Sunday 3 August and Saturday 9 August 2025.
This year’s ‘Forever Loved’ campaign focus on acknowledging the experiences of families of missing persons and the impact it can have on their lives.
For more information on the campaign visit www.missingpersons.gov.au
