MALCOLM Campbell was an unmarried miner living with his brother and sister on the outskirts of Woolgoolga. Suffering from what was then called ‘delusions’ that he was dying from cancer, he disappeared, leaving a farewell note in his hut, last seen on Sunday 10 March 1935.

An extensive search of the region was undertaken.

Nine days after his disappearance Constable Marsh, his Alsatian dog and Robert Schofield were out looking, when the dog found the body.

It was lying in about two feet of water in a swamp bordering Darkham Lake, between Darkum Creek and Woolgoolga Cemetery.

On its back, clothed in a dark flannel shirt, trousers and boots, a straw hat was lying beside it and sadly, in what was clearly a suicide, Campbell had cut his throat from ear to ear, severing his windpipe.

No vehicle could get near the spot where the body was found, owing to the swampy nature of the area, so Constables Marsh, Ulrick, Dew (on holiday) and Mr Herbert Cox carried it about 50 yards to higher ground, on an improvised stretcher made of poles and bags.

Swarms of black beetles covered the corpse with other insects which crawled onto the men from the decomposed body.

On-site and seeing what the men had to go through, the Coroner added a rider to his verdict commending them for the way they did it.

Referring to the dangerous nature of the undertaking, he pointed out the likelihood of infection that might set up blood poisoning and added that it was only their efficiency and devotion to duty that enabled them to get the body to a position where it could be examined.

The Coroner also stated he was convinced that the body could have lain in its hidden position for any length of time had it not been for the action of Constable Marsh’s Alsatian dog.

Malcolm Campbell was buried in a lone grave, in the scrub beside a fairway at Woolgoolga Golf Course.

By Karen FILEWOOD