New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione visited the Hunter Valley on Friday to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the death of a Dungog police officer and attend the unveiling of a plaque in his honour.

Sergeant William Bowen died on March 4, 1916, three months after he was attacked by a mentally ill man who had barricaded himself inside Dungog hospital.

The man had barricaded himself in the committee room, ordered that all patients be killed in the hospital, and then armed himself with surgical instruments.

Dungog police officer, senior constable Mitch Parker, said sergeant Bowen suffered serious injuries as he bravely tried to protect the Dungog community in December 1915.

“There was a patient of the Dungog hospital who had smashed a number of windows and items within the nurses quarters and a wardsman attempted to restrain him and he got viscously assaulted,” he said.

“Police were sent for and the sergeant, who was living in the police lock-up which we still have today, went up the hill to the hospital.

“By this stage the man had barricaded himself in the committee room and he ordered that all patients be killed in the hospital, and then armed himself with surgical instruments of the day — mostly steel and glass.

“Sergeant Bowen, who was 55 years of age at the time, had been in the police for 30 years, forced his way into the room.

“He successfully arrested and apprehended the male, notwithstanding some injuries himself,” he said.

“They brought him back down to the police lock-up and his health just deteriorated from there.

“Several months later he was sent to St Vincent’s Hospital and was seen by a world-renowned surgeon. Unfortunately he passed away in St Vincent’s Hospital before they could ascertain what was wrong with him.”

Read more: ABC News.