The search for two missing sisters in Toukley | Forensic Files

[Music] the 1950s was the decade that saw the birth of the suburban dream in Australia
that was the time where employment levels were extremely high and there was a very good standard of living across
the country the economy was booming which is what made it so attractive for hundreds of thousands of people to
migrate here after World War Two the Holmes family was one of many who moved to Australia from England after the war
they came here to escape the destruction to a place they thought would be much safer and would offer a better quality
of life [Music] grace and Kathleen Holmes were sisters grace was 18 years old Kathy was 11
years old they moved to Australia from England with their parents Eleanor and Clarence Holmes and their brothers Doug
and Frank Holmes they arrived here on the 27th of March 1950 Clarence served in both world wars
during World War two the Holmes family lived - just outside of London and we're victims of the German Blitz suffering
from heavy bombing but they survived they lived six months huddled in a bomb shelter
Clarence was wounded in the war and he decided to move his family to Australia for a better chance in life once World
War Two had ended they arrived in Sydney on Grace's 18th birthday the family rented two rooms on Williams Street in
Kings Cross Sydney Grace was able to find work at a clothing factory to help with expenses in July 1950 they made the
move to to Cle on the New South Wales Central Coast they rented a room on Pierce Avenue for three pounds and ten
shillings a week which is about one hundred and seventy three dollars in today's money Clarence was a painter and
decorator and he was able to find work in Newcastle about one hour's drive north of to Cle - Klee is 107 kilometers
or 66 miles north of Sydney it is near a large residential area in popular holiday spot - Klee is surrounded by the
ocean on the eastern side and on the other side by Tuggerah and budge away Lakes - large interconnected lakes
divided by narrow strips of land Grace and caffee were healthy and able to take care of themselves
grace was described as being particularly strong they often put on a pair of boxing gloves inspired with
their brothers Grace and Kathy were both extremely close and were rarely out of each other's company
on Tuesday the 29th of August 1950 Grace and Kathy spent the day at home with their mother Eleanor they shared lunch
together which is cold tongue mashed potato and peas the girl's father Clarence was away
working in Newcastle about 1:00 p.m. the girls left the house and went down to the local shop to buy some lollies they
returned home about 1:15 Pam grace got changed into a green striped cotton frock and whites and shoes
she wore a pair of light colored glasses into hair ribbon Kathy put on a green coloured short pleated skating frock
into black stretch shoes Greg grabbed the small red striped hand tail and they left home together at 1:30 p.m. both
bills were in good spirits and perfectly happy when they left home they told their mother they were headed to the
nora head lighthouse which was a few miles away at 1:00 p.m. that afternoon the three Massey brothers Bruce Raymond
and Alan left to their home in to Cle to go shooting in an area nicknamed by the
locals the jungle the jungle was a thick scrub overgrown bush area that ran along
the edge of tiger lake a quiet and very isolated spot they walked south along the lakes for sure heading about 90
metres down past the spot known as Duncan's Hut Duncan's hut was a fisherman's hut that had nearly been
overgrown by the jungle and was on the verge of collapse it was a popular place for underage drinkers and for other
things people wanted to do away from prying eyes from that point 90 meters south of
Duncan's hut the Massey's headed east making their way into the centre of the jungle they walked north up through the
thick of the jungle they had a double-barrel shotgun with them on their hunt they walked about 90 meters back
past Duncan's Hut through the jungle and then made their way back out onto the lake for sure
the Massey brothers continued walking north along the foreshore until they came to a small Creek there was a piece
of timber laid down over the creek people used as a bridge to get across when they arrived at the creek
brace and Cathy Holmes were trying to walk across the piece of timber the girls were headed south down the lake
for Shore the opposite direction to the Massey brothers the Massey's had never met grace or Cathy before the time was
now about 3:30 p.m. Raymond Demasi grabbed the girl's hands and helped them both across the creek
they thanked him and continued south down along the lake for Shore the Massey brothers crossed the creek themselves
and continued north about 100 metres past the creek they ran into a man by the name of William Biddle
he appeared suddenly out from behind some oak trees William berdal was 25 years old he was
also a native of England but he had been living in Australia since he was three years old he had previously worked in a
coal mine in the lift go 200 kilometres or 120 miles west of to Cle he had moved
to to Cle two years earlier he lived with his mother and stepfather his sister and two stepbrothers he worked as
a well digger as well as a praana and fisherman the massive brothers were keen fisherman themselves and they got
talking with berdal about fishing for several minutes the Massey brothers described berdal is wearing shorts and a
white athletic singlet he wasn't wearing any footwear after their conversation william Bertil walked south in the same
direction as grace and kathy the girls were always home before 5:00 p.m. every night they helped Elinor prepare dinner
and set the dinner table by 5:30 p.m. Elinor became worried she sent her sons Frank and Douglas here to see if they
could find the girls by 7:30 p.m. there was still no sign of them Elinor sent Doug and Frank up to notify family
friend Fred Jackson and ask for his help Fred Jackson was an estate agent and quickly got to work helping Elinor
Clarence was still away in Newcastle working Fred Jackson organized the search party and about 60 local
residents volunteered they searched the tucker lake foreshore in surrounding areas but they couldn't find any trace
of the girls they didn't notify the police until about 1:30 a.m. that next morning Wednesday the 30th of August
sergeant Kempton was familiar with the location the girls had gone missing and he headed up the search team for the
police sergeant Kempton split the search parties into two he led one party down south to a location known as the
entrance 13 kilometres for 8 miles away they performed a search heading back north towards the girl's home at to Cle
the other search party was led by Fred Jackson and his friend Stuart Brennan to locals who assisted them included a man
by the name of Robert Bertil and his son William Bertil this search team headed straight to the jungle area of Tupper
Lake they searched the foreshore the scrub and the bushland down to about 500 meters south of Duncan's huck after
searching for several hours both search teams started to feel that if the girls were still alive and had just been lost
in the jungle area they would have been able to make their way to the water's edge by now a feeling came across the
group that they were looking for bodies robert and william berdal were instructed to get in a boat and start
searching the water's edge along the lake foreshore other members of the search party were sent further south to
meet up with the team headed by sergeant Kempton Stuart Brianna and Frank Jackson
continued paying attention around the jungle and in particular around Duncan's Hut they kept a lookout for any tracks
leading into the jungle they may have missed it was in a spot about 50 meters north of Duncan's Hut they found a
disturbed patch of sand there were bloodstains and a deep impression similar to the front portion of a
barefoot in the sand they also noticed the button and a pair of glasses this spot was about 40 meters east of
the water's edge of the lake they continued searching and it was about 30 meters east of this disturbed sand area
but they found that the bodies of Grace and Cathy lying face down in shallow swamp water behind a log that area was
referred to as the swamp because after rain shallow pools of water would always form and it had been raining heavily the
previous two days the spot where the girls were found was in total about 70 meters east of the water's edge of tiger
lake Stuart Briana and Fred Jackson walked to the lakes edge and called out to the Bertels
it was still out on their boat searching about 200 meters away the Bertels came ashore and brown and Jackson got in the
boat and returned to to Cle they made no mention to the Bertels that they had found the girls bodies the reason for
this was that they didn't want other people knowing and going to have a look at the crime scene disturbing evidence
in the process upon returning to to cleave the police were notified under the officer in charge of the
investigation detective Whalen along with dr. England the government medical officer started making their way to to
flee from Newcastle Eleanor Holmes was notified of the girl's death by Fred Jackson she
collapsed and had to be carried home newcastle police found Clarence at work and notified him he made the journey
back home in the meantime sergeant Whelan who had led the southern search party actually came across the crime
scene as well he left one officer to guard the scene and he returned to to Cle where he learned the girls had
already been found and detectives were already on the way detective Whelan and dr. England arrived about 1:30 p.m. it
didn't take long for news to spread in the small town and the Massey brothers realized the two girls they helped
across the creek were the ones that had been found dead they notified the police
they had seen them about 3:30 p.m. and that a man by the name of William berdal wasn't too far behind them at the time
the creek where the Massey's had seen the girls was about five hundred meters away from where their bodies were later
found so the police had become aware that William Bertil appeared to have been following the girls on the Tuesday
of their murder but they didn't mention it straightaway first detective Whelan sergeant captain and
dr. England hopped in the Bertels boat and got them to take them across the lake to the crime scene it was about a
mile walk along the foreshore track to get to the scene by boat it was much quicker as they could get directly there
they made an examination of the scene both Grace and Kathy had died as a result of severe head injuries Kathy was
partially covered with branches the spot 30 metres away from the bodies where there was disturbed stand-in bloodstains
is the spot where they felt the girls have been killed the killer then dragging their bodies over into the
swamp both girls had bruises scratches and dirt on one arm consistent with being
dragged at this site they noticed the deep impression appeared to be caused by foot and they also noticed two other
impressions close by which looked to have been left there by someone nearly a number of other footprints were found in
the vicinity of this site and over around the swamp area where the girls were found these footprints had an
abnormality about them in that whoever made them appeared to have a deformity on their right foot after examining the
scene detective Whalen approached William Bertil who was standing nearby leaning against a tree Bertil was five
feet eight inches tall he had a strong build weighing in about 90 kilos 198 pounds as far as berdal was concerned he
was just part of the volunteer search team and was helping police get to the scene via boat detective Whalen
questioned him in relation to being in the area nearby the girls the day before I am Detective Sergeant Waylon of
Newcastle Police I'm making inquiries in connection with the death of the home skills yes I brought you over in the
boat have you been around this point very often I used to come around appointed but haven't been around here
for about a month but what were you doing around here about a month ago mr. Winterbottom lost a fishing net and I
used to come around here to see any fisherman that would haul around here trying to find his net for him are you
quite sure it's a month since you around here yeah I'd be about that well I've received information he was seen around
here yesterday afternoon how many saw me at least three that I know of at the present time and there may be more I've
not had time to complete my inquiries that would be the Massey's I've been informed that the Massey's did see you
coming around this way yesterday evening but surely before they saw you they saw
the two girls whose bodies we've now found a short distance ahead of you headed in the direction of where they
were found I didn't come around either where did you come to right around that bend
berdal pointed north indicating to Detective Whelan that he didn't go anywhere near the crime scene which was
about five hundred meters away from where the Massey saw him when the Massey's met the two girls it was at the
creek with a piece of timber used for a bridge did you come across that Creek yes I crossed the bridge but only just
across to the point over the bridge and then I went back well why did you go back after you had crossed the bridge I
was only walking about I got tired and I went back home well why were you at the
lake yesterday afternoon I just went for a walk what were you wearing what I'm wearing now but a different singling
jumper I had a green jumper Oh would you mind if ever look at the singlet you were wearing no berdal hindered
detective wailing his singlet Whelan made an examination of it then handed it back to Buddha
this is the Singler I was wearing did you tell anyone you'd been around here yesterday when you knew the two girls
were missing and you were taking part in the search for them no they didn't ask me what time did you return to your home
after you had been here yesterday evening I don't know what time it was time doesn't mean anything to me
anything mechanical I can tell you about but it was before dark who did you see when you returned home I saw my mother
and my sister where were they my mother was at the back looking for me why did you say she was looking for you she
asked me where I'd been why would she ask you where you be we think a lot of one another
and they get worried when I'm out well what did you tell her I told her I had been out for a walk would you come with
us and show me the point that you came to yesterday berdal walked north along the foreshore to a spot about 100 metres
south of the creek and timber breach so a spot about 400 meters north of the crime scene this spot is where berdal
informed Whelan that he had come to and that he had gone no further Bertil was barefoot at the time and
Waylon noticed that the footprints he was leaving or a close resemblance to the footprints he observed around the
crime scene Myrtle had a deformity on his right foot the right foot prints at the scene
showed a similar deformity he also noticed similar looking footprints nearby at where Dahl's teeny they were
heading south in the opposite direction Whalen believed these were Bertels as well and he was lying about how far
south along the foreshore he had walked the police had already checked with other searches about Bertels movements
Myrtle had not ventured up that fire on the foreshore during the search and he hadn't been in the area around the crime
scene in fact for most of he's searching had been done in a boat on the lake itself when berdal stopped at the point
he claimed was the furthest he had been he said this is where I came to then I went back are you sure of that
yes I only came here and then went back well you as a fisherman would know something about footprints wouldn't you
yeah so worried well I'm going to show you some footprints which appeared have been made by you and appear identical
with those footprints you've made what's walking to this spot with us firstly will you have a look at the prints you
made today Waylon pointed to the line of footprints berdal that made walking up north from the crime scene a variance
yes now have a look at these footprints was a proceeding south past this point would you say he's as far as you came
yesterday afternoon waylynn pointed out the other set of prints heading south along the foreshore
they appear to me to be identical with the footprints you made today no I won't admit that there may tracks I'd like to
show you similar footprints down here will you come with us yes Waylon walk back south a few hundred
meters along the foreshore to an area about 70 metres away from the crime scene Waylon pointed out similar looking
footprints to those berdal was making do you see these footprints yes they seem to be identical to yours do you still
deny you came this far south no I didn't come to this point but I didn't go any further and I didn't see the girls I
would like to show you similar footprints further on will you come with us yes Waylon took berdal to a spot
within 10 metres of the area where there was disturbed sand and bloodstains the spot where they believed the girls were
killed these are similar footprints to the ones I've already shown you I won't admit that they're my tracks I can show
you similar footprints on the point opposite Duncan's heart will you come with us
alright Waylon walked with berdal South about 80 meters down past the crime scene Waylon pointed out more footprints
that resembled Bertels but along with these footprints there were other prints made by a pair of sand shoes I've
already shown you footprints up near where we are the pinion the girls were killed
now these footprints on the sand I consider identical with your footprints I want you to have a look at them berdal
looked at the prints and said I'm not going to admit that they're mine do you see other marks here which appear to be
made by a sense shoe yeah they look like Sanchez grace was wearing Sanchez and I
am of the opinion that these marks were made by her and these footprints which are very similar to yours are very close
to the imprint of their shoes can you offer any explanation of the similarity of these footprints and yours I am NOT
going to admit that they are my footprints I haven't been on this beach for about a month and that was when I
told you that I came around about Winterbottom's there will you have a look at the
freshness of these footprints in my opinion they've been made within the last 24 hours and they are quite fresh
and will not be anything like a month old bird will remain silent for quite some time before saying well I might
have made them when I was around here on Sunday what were you doing around here on Sunday looking for Winterbottom's net
why did you tell me that you had not been here for a month when you were here on Sunday myrtle didn't reply after this
conversation a crime-scene officer detective Clark attended the scene at the site where the
girls bodies were found he located a broken wine bottle in the water next to them an examination of the broken edges
revealed that the bottle had been smashed very recently a blood-stained B bottle was located three meters away and
there are also bloodstains on a log adjacent to where the girls bodies were found there were no fingerprints on
either bottle back over at the spot where police believed the attack occurred Clark found that 'no button on
the scene came off the dress worn by kathy and it was near this button where there were two impressions in the scene
looked to be caused by someone kneeling Clark also noticed the deep impression in the scene made by the ball and toes
of somebody's right foot he made a plaster cast of that footprint he also took a plaster cast of the footprints
located close to the crime scene and the other footprint south of the scene near
Duncan's Hut he also took a plaster cast of the scene shooing prints from this spot
they then got William berdal to walk along the sand in a natural manner a plaster cast was made of his right foot
impression berdal suffered from hammer toe on his right foot meaning his toes were bent under in a claw like fashion
they dug deeply into the sand making the impression that toes were pointing down
instead of along the surface in a normal manner it was detective Clark's evidence that
Bertels footprint matched all the other footprints they suspected were his the ones near the crime scene the ones near
Duncan's Hut near the scene shoe impressions all of them the sensual impressions were confirmed as a match to
those worn by grace Holmes police escorted berdal back to his home at to flee the police requested that berdal
hand over the clothing he was wearing when he was seen by the Massey's berdal agreed and got undressed as he already
told police he was wearing the same clothes he handed over a pair of shorts the green jumper and a blue singlet
berdal then got changed into another set of clothes and was taken back to the police station detective Whelan visited
with the Massey brothers and got a more detailed statement from them while Whelan was off speaking to the Massey's
verdure remained at the police station being watched by another detective detective Dogen berdal suddenly started
talking to him now I remember why I went around jungle on Sunday two women came up from Sydney to see me about digging a
well on their property the three women my brother Albert and my sister Sally left to go home and view the place where
the well was to be put down I didn't go with him though I said I would follow later I soon left after them but I
couldn't find them so I walked at Duncan's heart and returned home detective Duggan made note of what
berdal had told him Whelan later returned and had a further conversation with burden I've seen Raymond Massey and
he informs me when he and his brothers were out talking to you you were wearing a plain white bond singlet and not the
blue thing that you handed to they also said you weren't wearing a green jumper at all only the whites
England a pair of shorts I was wearing the clothing I handed to you do you have a white singlet yes I only wear them
occasionally and what did he got on now birddog took off the sweater he was wearing and revealed a white singlet
underneath did you see anyone else apart from the message that afternoon yes I saw two young fellas shooting him one
had a bow and arrow did you know graceful Cathy no I have not met them and they saw them once up
around Fred Jackson's place he was having a sale that Walt passed and mr. Jackson pointed about to me after this
conversation detective Dogen informed detective Whelan about Bertels news story as to
why he was walking around the jungle and Duncan's hut on Sunday the 28th of August Whelan spoke with berdal about
that but you have already told me that you were there for the purpose of looking for mr. Winterbottom's net that
is not right this is the true story well where were you going to dig the will on
breeds property the Reid's property isn't in that direction no I found out later it wasn't with this information
detective Whelan returned to Bertels house berdal sister handed over a number of white singlets belonging to burton
she confirmed with Whelan that he only wore his wife singlets occasionally but that he had washed them all the morning
the girls bodies were found bernal sister and stepfather also answered a number of questions about Bertels
movements on Sunday the 28th of August with the information received from this visit Whalen spoke with berdal again we
have spoken to your father and your sister and they each say you were only away from home for about 15 minutes on
Sunday when you went out after the people who wanted to put the wheel down they said you definitely wouldn't have
had time to get to Duncan's Hut and he would only have been able to make it a quarter of the way they can please
themselves about that I still say I went around there the Massey's have also informed me that it rained very heavily
and was blowing a gale on Sunday night and arraigned all of Monday as well had you been there on Sunday like you say
your footprints would have been obliterated you got me now I want a lawyer are a few
things any more questions until I see a lawyer are you prepared to make a written statement of what you say
happened I won't make any written statement or answer any further questions until I see a lawyer
Berta was driven up to Newcastle police station and was charged with the murder of grace in Kathy homes during the
post-mortem some strands of hair were found clasp between the fingers of Kathy's right hand some glass matching
the broken bottle was also found on the bottom of Kathy's neck hair was taken from berdal to compare to the hair found
on Kathy but it didn't match it was later discovered that the hair actually belonged to grace the police also
conducted a visibility test walking along the foreshore of Tuggerah Lake they found that the girls would have
been in view of berdal for the majority of the time whilst walking along the foreshore Myrtle was found to have
superficial scratches on his right forearm a scab wound on his right knuckle and two fresh-looking wounds on
his right finger there were no fingerprints DNA wasn't a thing yet but no blood was found on Bertels clothing
there were no witnesses to the crime but bird was placed close to the scene walking behind the girls there was also
the footprint evidence and Bertels changing story during questioning and first the knowing being anywhere near
the crime scene saying the closest he had gotten was 400 meters away but then changing his story went footprints
similar to his were pointed out to you that was the basis of the case against Bertil
while waiting to stand trial police were provided with information from bird or soul mate Robert Humphries Robert gave
evidence that he asked Bertil did you do it to which he says bird or replied yes
but they've got to prove me guilty because I can't have people saying my family had a murderer unit
Robert Humphries was in jail for dishonesty and fraud offenses and cellmate confessions are notoriously
unreliable Humphries gave evidence at the cranial inquest however he was not called by the prosecutor in the criminal
trial the trial was held at the Central Criminal Court in Sydney from the 11th to the 20th of December 1950 the trial
was for the murder of Kathy Holmes our only even though the prosecution had the same case and same evidence for both the
trial for Grace's murder was going to be held separately detective Clark gave evidence about the footprints there were
minor differences in the plaster casts taken of Bertels footprints and those taken from near the crime scene
Clark testified that despite the differences they showed the same characteristic of the deformed right
foot and he was satisfied they were a match he put the minor differences in the plaster casts down to the different
quality of the sand from which they were taken the defense called their own expert witness who testified that
Bertels footprint was not a match to those ferrand near the crime scene at all after hearing all of the evidence the
jury returned with a verdict not guilty the case was deemed too circumstantial and the footprint evidence too
complicated and unreliable for the jury berdal was held in custody until the trial of grace Holmes however given
there was no new evidence that would be presented in that trial the prosecution elected to drop the charge Bertil was a
free man the police believed they had the right men but they simply didn't have enough evidence to satisfy a jury
but Clarence Holmes kept hearing other things from members of the community he was quoted in a newspaper years after
the trial saying ever since the day of the murder we have been disturbed by a succession
of rumors which various people have recounted to us we have been told that a dangerous sex maniac escaped from a
mental health hospital at Morissette or Maitland a couple of days before the murder and he was captured in the to Cle
district on the date which our girls were found then there was the strange suicide of one of the crown witnesses
who assaulted his wife and left her for dead and then hanged himself just before
the trial did he know anything about our girls murder we don't even know what evidence he was supposed to give
Clarence Holmes went on to plead to the government to offer a reward to help solve the murders after which he said
nothing could ever replace them but the knowledge that their killer had been brought to justice would be some
satisfaction to us I'd shoot the man if I knew who he was the escaped patient from the mental
health hospital was one of many rumors that was circulating at the time but it was totally false no patients had
escaped no reward has ever been offered no other suspects have ever been publicly named William Bertil remainder
in the to clear area for a number of years after his acquittal after which it's not known where he moved to or what
he did with the rest of his life it's almost as if he disappeared [Music]

Case 32: Grace and Kathleen Holmes

The 1950s was the decade that saw the birth of the suburban dream in Australia. It was a time where employment levels were extremely high and there was a very good standard of living across the country.

NOTE: The interviews played in this episode are a re-enactment of actual transcripts. Detective Whalen played by Sam McCool. William Birtle played by Craig Forest.

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Anonymous Host Production, scoring – Mike Migas Additional scoring – Andrew Joslyn

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Brief Summary

The episode details the tragic murder of sisters Grace and Kathy Holmes in 1950 and the investigation that followed.

Key points

The Migration to Australia. The Holmes family moved to Australia after World War Two for a better life.
A Day of Innocence. Grace and Kathy enjoyed a day out, unaware of the impending tragedy.
The Search Begins. As night fell, Elinor's worry turned to action, leading to a search party.
Tragic Discovery. The search party found the bodies of Grace and Kathy in a swamp.
The Investigation Unfolds. Detectives began piecing together the events leading to the girls' deaths.
Detective Clark's Findings. Detective Clark uncovers crucial evidence at the crime scene, including footprints and bloodstains.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

They came here to escape the destruction.

The Holmes family's motivation for migrating to Australia.

0:37WatchNov 19, 2018

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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