As part of Missing Persons Week 2023, police are appealing for public assistance into the disappearance of a Major in the Australian Army, last seen in Sydney more than 55-years ago.
Noel Ford, aged 34 at the time, was a Major in the Australian Army, having served in Vietnam. In December 1967, Noel travelled alone by car from his home in Queencliff, Victoria, with the intention to travel to Townsville in Queensland. During this trip, he was due to stop at Canberra, Sydney, Tamworth, Brisbane, and Mount Morgan.
Noel completed his stop in Canberra before travelling to Sydney. He was reportedly due to stay at the Rushcutters Bay Travel Lodge between Thursday 28 December 1967 and Tuesday 2 January 1968.
Whilst he was in Sydney, Noel caught up with a fellow Army Major at the Rex Hotel at Potts Point about 4pm on New Year’s Eve (Sunday 31 December 1967). The pair stayed for about two to three beers and spoke about the Army before parting ways.
After this meeting, Noel did not make his planned stops at Tamworth, Brisbane, or Mount Morgan – where he was due to meet his family. After he failed to arrive three days later, he was reported missing to Queensland Police by his family.
Later in January, Mr Ford’s green and white coloured 1965 Holden HD was founded parked at Bondi Beach, with his clothing located folded inside, but his wallet and car keys could not be found.
Despite the efforts of both Queensland and NSW Police at the time, Noel has never been seen or heard from since. Further inquiries have revealed that Mr Ford was never reported to the Coroner.
As part of Missing Persons Week 2023, Manager of the NSW Police Missing Persons Registry, Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim, is wanting to highlight Mr Ford’s case and to see if anyone may recall having any conversations with him during his time in Sydney.
“While we appreciate Noel disappeared 55-years ago, the Army family is such a tight knit one that there would be veterans based across the country who may remember catching up with him when he was in either Sydney or Melbourne,” Det Insp Sim said.
“Noel’s story is one which is important to highlight during Missing Persons Week, as the Ford’s are one of many families who go decades not having answers about what happened to their loved one.
“The theory is that Noel entered the surf at Bondi Beach potentially drowned. In his case, there are no human remains. There’s no unidentified body to examine.
“Members of Noel’s family have provided familial DNA samples to NSW Police, so if and when a bone or any remains are located – we will be able to analyse the DNA profile available.”
Missing Persons Week is an annual national campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding missing persons and runs between Sunday 30 July to Saturday 5 July 2023.
This year’s national Missing Persons Week focuses on unidentified human remains cases across the country. This year, State Crime Command’s Missing Persons Registry has received 42 reports, and 20 confirmed reports, of unidentified bodies and human remains found in NSW.
Of those 20 confirmed reports, the Missing Persons Registry has successfully identified nine of those people through varying investigative techniques, including advancements in the science of DNA.
For more information on the campaign, visit www.missingpersons.gov.au.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
