Frederick Ward, alias "Captain Thunderbolt", menaced the roads between Newcastle and the Queensland border from 1864 to 1870. These two statements came from the local media of the day.
17 April 1868 - Two armed bushrangers, believed to be captain Thunderbolt and his partner, stuck up four German musicians and a lucky punter returning home from the Tenterfield Races, taking a total of £121.
The notorious pair began the day with an ambush of the Mail about 13 miles on the New South Wales side of Maryland. Thunderbolt grabbed the mail bags and returned them when he found no money. Soon after the incident, four German musicians passed the bushrangers on their way home from the Tenterfield races, The pair passed them but quickly turned around and threatened them with a loaded revolver, demanding they dismount. He checked their pockets and stole £16.
Some time later, a ration carrier from Maryland Station, also returning from the races with a substantial win of £105, was relieved of his takings by the pair. Thunderbolt has been on the loose for three years now and although he has committed hundreds of robberies, he has not killed any of his victims.
26
May 1870 - The notorious Captain Thunderbolt, also known as Frederick
Ward, was shot dead yesterday by a young police constable just outside Uralla in
north-west NSW.
Constable Alexander Walker and his partner Constable Mullhall had chased the bushranger had chased the bushranger up to Kentucky Creek after reports that he was bailing up travellers near Blanche's Inn: Walker shot Tunderbolt after he jumped from his horse.
Several different stories have come from Uralla as to the exact circumstances of Thunderbolt’s death. The bushranger was known in the area as chivalrous as he always treated women with respect, and reports maintain that he never robbed the poor.
During his long career of crime he never killed anyone. One story says he was riding with an accomplice whose horse was shot by one of tile constables. His partner fell into the creek and Thunderbolt turned to save him when Walker shot him in the chest and clubbed him over the head with his revolver, Another story said his horse Combo got bogged in the creek, allowing the constable the chance to shoot the stranded bushranger.
Constable Walker said he first gave the bushranger several chances to surrender peacefully.
‘He [Thunderbolt] stood on the bank until I came up; I said, “You had better surrender before you do any harm;” ... he asked, “Are you a married man?” I answered, “yes”; he then stood back with the revolver in his hand, and said “Walker, keep back: you are a married man; remember your family;”
I was then about 12 or 14 feet from him—the creek was between us; I said “Will you surrender;” he said “No, I’ll die first;”
I then said “All right, you or I for it;’ then faced my horse into the water; my horse went head first under, right under; whilst my horse was under the man made a rush at me, with revolver in hand; as soon as I saw that I fired at him; he went under the water; when he rose he made a grapple at me and I struck him over the head with my revolver; he again went down; as soon as he came up I saw blood oozing from his mouth; I then turned my horse and came out of the creek; I then dismounted, and went into the creek up to my waist, and pulled the man out; I drew him out on to the bank; I fancied he was dead.’
Thunderbolt generally travelled with a female companion who was not with him yesterday. Reports say she is half-Aboriginal and calls herself ‘Captain Ward’s lady’.