Military Detention Colchester From 1947 by Carole McEntee-Taylor

Author:Carole McEntee-Taylor [McEntee-Taylor, Carole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783400591
Google: 43VUnwEACAAJ
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Limited
Published: 2014-06-02T03:10:35+00:00

Chapter 12

‘Don’t let this bloke get away!’ 1968 – 1970

Rod Rodway, ex 3rd Royal Green Jackets: ‘It must have been in the late 1960s when I had the misfortune to be detailed to escort a prisoner from my battalion to the centre. I remember a formidable structure of concrete and barbwire and as I walked into the reception area I was immediately struck by a sense of depression and oppression. Although the staff were friendly enough to me, being of or above their rank, they instilled a sense of fear into me! It was only a visit of about twenty minutes, but I was really glad to get out of there and I certainly never wanted to return as an inmate!’

Harry Angier escorted two prisoners to Colchester:

‘I have forgotten the exact year, but it was either 1967 or 1968 when I and another soldier were detailed to escort two prisoners from Germany to Colchester. We were due to go on a three-week leave to the UK when we were told but we were also informed we would gain two extra days leave. You don’t argue with military orders!

‘The two prisoners were well known to me as we all came from the same town in Wiltshire. They had spent quite a long time, on and off, in the guardroom within the barracks in Germany for constantly being bad boys. They were not being sent to Colchester because they were extremely naughty, but because they kept escaping from the guardroom. This earned them the nickname “The Great Houdinis” by the soldiers in the barracks. They went to Colchester in order to receive some severe discipline.

‘We left the barracks one misty morning for Hanover Airport, handcuffed to the prisoners. The handcuffs came off once we were on board the plane, but were put back on once we landed at Gatwick Airport. The next mode of transport was a train from Gatwick to London. We stayed handcuffed together on the train as, although I knew them very well and sort of trusted them both, I thought it was too risky if one of them decided to run off suddenly. This would have resulted in our leave being cancelled, being sent back to Germany and being severely reprimanded.

‘The prisoners had packed one very large suitcase between them as they lived in the same street in their home town. They requested that I look after it for them as they didn’t want the contents falling into the wrong hands at Colchester. This I decided to do because I was sort of pally with them.

‘We had been given orders to stop overnight in London and were to take the prisoners to Whitehall and hand them over to the Welsh Guards guardroom where we were to stay the night. As my parents were living in Dagenham, Essex, I asked if I could spend the night with them and also take my two suitcases to their house so that I wouldn’t have to carry them to Colchester and back.

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