It was a master-class on how not to carry out a robbery. The story went national. I thought, at the time, God, what have I done? When mastermind Bruce Reynolds was arrested in 1968, he allegedly told arresting officer Tommy Butler that those sentences had had a detrimental effect. Hatherill's list was unerringly accurateall the major gang members who were later jailed were identified, except Ronnie Biggs. His tip-off to police was later described as the one big clue in the hunt for the gang of thieves, including Bruce Reynolds and Ronnie Biggs, who had stolen the equivalent of 45million from an overnight mail train. The police knew that Field had acted for Gordon Goody and other criminals. The BBC says they will be shown on BB1 before the end of the year leading to speculation they will fill one of the prime Christmas slots. It was just a funny passing remark.. "[31] Reynolds died aged 81 on 28 February 2013 after a brief illness. In April 1965 he fled Wandsworth prison - to help his evasion he moved to Australia and Brazil where he was never caught despite arrest attempts, extradition requests, and even an attempted kidnap. Detective Chief Superintendent Ernest Malcolm Fewtrell, head of the Buckinghamshire Crime Investigation Department (CID) was born on 29 September 1909 and died on 28 November 2005, aged 96. Wilson's funeral on 10 May 1990 was attended by Bruce Reynolds, who reported seeing Edwards, Roy James (who got into a verbal argument with the press), Welch (hobbling on crutches) and White (who went unnoticed due to his ability to blend into the background). The gang did not use any firearms; Jack Mills, the train driver, was beaten over the head with a metal bar. Our Picture Shows . Biggs could not be extradited because there was no extradition treaty between Britain and Brazil, and additionally he became father to a Brazilian son, which afforded him legal immunity. Getaway and planned clean-up. Cordrey was the first of the robbers released, but his share of the theft had almost entirely been recovered by the police. It was the police officer Id spoken to the day before and he remembered what Id told him. Source: Ancestry.com. Bruce Richard Reynolds was born on 7 September 1931 at Charing Cross Hospital, Strand, London, to Thomas Richard and Dorothy Margaret (ne Keen). Leatherslade Farm, between Oakley and Brill in Buckinghamshire, hideout used by gang, 27 miles from the crime scene, Tuesday 13th August 1963;. Member Since: April 2004. Without a thought, she said: Hes on the Great Train Robbery. With the meager details provided, Read used a detective agency to track down the driver at a town 20 miles south of London, and found that he was still alive, although somewhat senile and being cared for by his wife. [99] He was 26 years old at the time of the robbery. Mills had constant trauma headaches for the rest of his life, before dying of leukaemia in 1970. By November 1965, Wilson was in Mexico City visiting old friends Bruce Reynolds and Buster Edwards. At the time I regretted it but over time that feeling has faded. Also, he did some (criminal?) This will open up two options for you. Editors' Code of Practice. However, he crashed several cars and his chances of becoming a driver quickly faded. A stunning Buckinghamshire venue on the banks of the River Thames has seen its popularity jump for couples enjoying wedded bliss. [113] Ronnie Biggs quickly spent his share getting a new life. Thomas Marius Joseph Butler MBE (21 July 1912 20 April 1970) was a Detective Chief Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police in London. This documentary was shown in cinemas and on-demand in October 2014. The 11 men sentenced all felt aggrieved at the sentences handed down, particularly Bill Boal (who died in prison) and Lennie Field, who were later found not guilty of the charges against them. Danny Pembroke was an ex-army man who was a South London taxi driver and a South Coast Raider. He went to jail for short spells for numerous offences. ][non-primary source needed] In 2010, he wrote the afterword for Signal Red, Robert Ryan's novel based on the robbery,[78] and he regularly commented on the robbery. Williams convinced Butler to pull Pembroke in for questioning and in return for releasing him and not charging his friends with more serious crimes, 50,000 was to be returned. Butler raided them three times but he never found the train money. I think the first four or five months after the robbery I was particularly frightened, even though I was a young, fit farm worker. [96] He later wrote two articles in the Sunday Telegraph, which published the first one on 6 March 1966. For other uses including films, see. He died aged 79 from a heart attack, at home and in his sleep on 28 February 2015. Some items from inside it, including the Monopoly set, are on display at the Thames Valley Police museum. Other associates (including Ronnie Biggs, a man Reynolds had previously met in jail) were added as the organisation evolved. Mills and Whitby were then brought into the carriage, handcuffed together, and put down beside the staff.[11]. In the IVS 2012 documentary film The Great Train Robbery, Nick Reynolds (son of Bruce Reynolds) said "the guy who was paid to basically go back to the farm and burn it down did a runner. There was one time I noticed a Land Rover and some men in the back go up to the farm. He was born on 30 June 1932 to Bill and Mabel Wilson in Battersea. Journey took about 45 minutes as we marvelled at each stage from Bridego Bridge, Mentmore, Cublington, Whitchurch, Quaiton, Ashendon and lastly Brill (near Leatherslade Farm). Police found the farmhouse five days later, empty except for one mailbag containing pounds 628 10s. Reynolds, then aged 47, was helped by Gordon Goody to get back on his feet, before Goody departed for Spain. The gang then made off to Leatherslade Farm near Oakley with somewhere in the region of 2.6m, the bulk of which was in 1, 5 and 10 notes. Our free newsletter brings you updates from across the county each day. The severity of the sentences caused some surprise. Yes, I did regret getting involved, he says. Both gang members stated that they believed Boal was "stitched up" by the police.[101]. Tipped off that Interpol was showing interest, he moved to Melbourne working as a set constructor for Channel 9, later escaping to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after police had discovered his Melbourne address. Walk up this track for 100m and on reaching a wooden gate, enter the public bridleway on the left hand side. In fact had police heeded three earlier calls from a cowman, John Maris, who said there was something funny going on at Leatherslade Farm, the gang would have been rounded up even more quickly. They arrested him at Littlestone while he was at home. He retired on the last day of the trial at Aylesbury. Given that the police had insufficient evidence against Pembroke, either at Leatherslade Farm or definitive connection with either of the two gangs, Butler was prepared to let him go. I knew then that this was the hideout of the train robbers that the police were looking for. [67], While there has been a lot of mystery surrounding several of the gang who were not imprisoned, in reality, the police knew almost the entire gang almost instantly. This gang, although very successful in the criminal underworld, had virtually no experience in stopping and robbing trains, so it was agreed to enlist the help of another London gang called The South Coast Raiders. On 29 January 2016, Goody died of emphysema at the age of 85. What was the name of the farm in Great Train Robbery? But I knew even then they were a professional gang whod coshed the train driver, so I think I knew what I was letting myself in for., Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. [63][64] Arrested on landing, after detention and a short court hearing he was sent back to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. In later years, the robbers generally came together only for the funerals of their fellow gang members. His reward worth more than 250,000 now came from grateful banks and the Royal Mail. For The Greatest Train Robbery" and 'Big Tickle Puts The Scream Too High', Ronald Biggs recorded vocals on two songs for, In 1991, Ronald Biggs sang vocals for the song "Carnival in Rio (Punk Was)" by German punk band, Following the extradition attempt, Biggs collaborated with Bruce Henry (an American double-bass player), Jaime Shields, and Aureo de Souza to record. Just behind the foreground horse is Diana Smithers, Erasmus Smithers' wife. Frank Monroe, one of the three robbers who was never caught, temporarily gave Reynolds a job, but did not want to attract undue attention by employing him for too long. Roy James The money was driven up to Aylesbury and taken into custody by Detective Superintendent Fewtrell, who wondered how his London colleagues could know how much money there was. Leatherslade Farm had been bought just weeks before and the farm worker had seen an old Army truck and Land Rovers going to and from the isolated buildings. On 6 August 2009, Biggs was granted release from prison on "compassionate grounds", due to a severe case of pneumonia and other ongoing health problems. Chris Moncrieff reports. The gang, all wearing balaclava masks, had carried out the raid with military-style precision in less than 45 minutes, stopping the train at Ledburn, Bucks, with a fake red light, then forming a human chain to carry 128 sacks holding 2.6million worth 45million today into a waiting truck. The white notes quickly became far more conspicuous to use, making it harder for them to be spent. Fifteen men were helped by two accomplices - an insider who still remains anonymous to this day and another person who ensured a hiding spot at Leatherslade Farm in Bucks. Tommy Wisbey and Big Jim Hussey [5] After the robbery, the gang hid at Leatherslade Farm. Williams said that the train driver's assailant was not some phantom figure lurking in the criminal underworld, and that he traced him, identified him and took him to Scotland Yard where, with Tommy Butler, Williams questioned him. He took a while to learn how to live harmoniously with his wife Rene (his daughter Marilyn having moved out upon his return). We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. [37][pageneeded] In his final years he ran a flower stall outside Waterloo station in London. It seems that while he was an older man, he still had to apply for two weeks leave of absence from his job. I remember one in particular that threatened my family and myself. Justice Fenton Atkinson concluded that a miscarriage of justice would result if Boal's charges were upheld, given that his age, physique and temperament made him an unlikely train robber. [82], Wisbey later explained: "We were against drugs all our lives, but as the years went on, towards the end of the '70s, it became more and more the 'in' thing. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. He was sentenced to six years in jail. Comments have been closed on this article. Taking place a day later than originally planned, the gang set off from Leatherslade Farm near Oakley, Buckinghamshire at around 1am on Thursday 8 August 1963. Something went wrong, please try again later. The final changeover had not been completed by the time of the robbery. John was working in Oakley, a quiet Buckinghamshire village 25 miles away. Leatherslade Farm. [85], Bob Welch [77], Bruce Reynolds A film was made about him in 1988 called Buster where he was played by musician Phill Collins. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. However, afraid that he would be betrayed, he did a deal with Frank Williams and paid back 47,245. I pointed it out to them and they returned after less than half an hour., One of them told him: Youve really started something now!. ][non-primary source needed], After the train heist, Reynolds escaped to Mexico with his wife, Angela, and young son, Nick Reynolds (who later became a member of the band Alabama 3, whose song "Woke Up This Morning" was the opening theme of The Sopranos[30]) and lived lavishly with his share of the take, approximately 150,000. The squad later had to work out rotations whereby one member would go home to rest as otherwise they were getting only three hours of sleep per night and had no time to eat healthily or see their families. As a result, the plan for leaving the farm was brought forward to Friday from Sunday (the crime was committed on Thursday). The robbers stole 120 mail bags and piled them into a waiting truck before fleeing to Leatherslade Farm to share the loot. He had to bring in bank clerks to count the damp and musty money to determine the final sum.[109]. 2,631,684 was stolen (although the police report says 2,595,997). [103] This allowed him (with Ronald Payne of The Sunday Telegraph, who was involved in the paper's coverage of the case) to be the first of the investigators to write a book The Train Robbers on the robbery investigation in 1964. He disappeared from the public eye. They were meticulous about closing gates, which seemed unusual during the day between milking times. Consequently, many bank robbers are caught the same day. Steve and Becky Camp farm near LaCrosse, Washington, in an area receiving about 12-14 inches of annual precipitation. This man had betrayed him to the police and had absconded with the money. 2,631,684 is a figure quoted in the press, although the police investigation states the theft as 2,595,997 10s, in 636 packages, contained in 120 mailbagsthe bulk of the haul in 1 and 5 notes (both the older white note and the newer blue note, which was half its size). RM2HJ9RKB - Leatherslade Farm, between Oakley and Brill in Buckinghamshire, hideout used by gang, 27 miles from the crime scene, Tuesday 13th August 1963. Bruce published his autobiography in 1995 and died in 2013, the year that marked the 50th anniversary of the Robbery. As I arrived on the track which passed between the farmhouse and the outbuildings I was struck by the scene in front of me. He was rejected by the Royal Navy because of poor eyesight, and then tried to become a foreign correspondent, but his highest achievement in that vein was to become a clerk at the Daily Mail. Bruce published his autobiography in 1995 and died in 2013, the year that marked the 50th anniversary of the Robbery. [52] On Friday 16 August 1963, two people who had decided to take a morning stroll in Dorking Woods discovered a briefcase, a holdall and a camel-skin bag, all containing money. Friends of some of the robbers had come up with an alibi but they needed to discredit my evidence. Much of Jimmy White's money was taken from him. Leatherslade Farm, between Oakley and Brill in Buckinghamshire, hideout used by gang, 27 miles from the crime scene, Tuesday 13th August 1963;. The Great Train Robbery took place 50 years ago today in the Buckinghamshire countryside where the Glasgow-Euston overnight mail train was stopped and relieved of millions . After the discovery of the farm, members of the gang including those involved in the purchase of the property and other backroom boys were picked up one by one. On this bridleway, ignore two wooden gates opposite on your left and right. Over half of this consisted of the shares of Roger Cordrey (141,017) and (allegedly) Brian Field (100,900). Several of the posers have been identified as members of the Thorne family, who were Smithers in-laws. This robbery was the audacious raid that Gordon Goody and Charlie Wilson were acquitted of. The gang realised the police were using a "dragnet tactic", and with help from the public, would probably discover the farm much sooner than had been originally anticipated. As Mills grappled with one robber he was struck from behind by another with a cosh and rendered semi-conscious. Most of the gang were captured, tried, and imprisoned, but Edwards evaded arrest with his 150,000 share of the stolen money. Charlie Wilson, on the run with his family still back in England, visited them for six weeks, so three of the train robbers were together in exile for a time. Because a 30-minute time limit had been set by Reynolds, eight out of 128 bags were not stolen and were left behind. ][non-primary source needed]. The gang departed in their Austin Loadstar truck some 30 minutes after the robbery had begun and, in an effort to mislead any potential witnesses, they used two Land Rover vehicles, both of which bore the registration plates BMG 757A. However, in November 2012, Hussey made a death-bed confession that it was him, although there were suspicions that this was repayment of a debt, to divert attention from the real perpetrator.[97]. Ring-leader Bruce Reynolds went on the run to the South of France, Mexico and Canada. The robbers escaped with 2.6 million the equivalent of 46 million today. The train was heading to Glasgow with Post Office staff who would sort the mail as the train crossed the country - one carriage, in particular, was of interest to the robbers as it contained envelopes with high amounts of cash inside. I was one of the first reporters on the scene. The fitting of radios was also considered, but they were deemed to be too expensive, and the measure was not implemented. We'll also send you alerts about important breaking news. In terms of how I view people, it made me mistrust people. Three hours later two constables on motorcycles casually showed up and asked if I knew the location of Leatherslade Farm. The gang then headed along minor roads, listening for police broadcasts on a VHF radio, the journey taking somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour, and arrived back at Leatherslade Farm at around 04:30, at around the same time as the first reports of the crime were being made. A quantity of Irish and Scottish money was also stolen. The Post Office Investigation Branch (IB) had to establish the amount of money stolen, 2,595,997.10s.0d. A furniture van was parked alongside the prison walls and a ladder was dropped over the 30-foot-high wall into the prison during outside exercise time, allowing four prisoners to escape, including Biggs. ], It is clear that while Reynolds claims to not have known his real name, 'Flossy' was not just a participant in the Great Train Robbery, he was a core part of the gang who participated in the London Airport robbery. Biggs said he had to escape because of the length of the sentence and what he alleged to be the severity of the prison conditions. The escape was planned by recently released prisoner Paul Seaborne, with the assistance of two other ex-convicts, Ronnie Leslie and Ronnie Black, with support from Biggs's wife, Charmian. [110] It is hinted in several books that the deals done by Williams were responsible for his being overlooked for promotion and that Williams was unhappy that his efforts were not recognised by Butler, but were instead hidden from superiors. Other stars include Luke Evans, Jack Roth, Neil Maskell, Paul Anderson, Martin Compston, Del Synnott and Jack Gordon. But it should have been called the Great Bungled Train Robbery. [48][pageneeded]. John Wheater was released from prison on 11 February 1966 and managed his family's laundry business in Harrogate. Field was called upon to assist in Goody's defence in the aftermath of the "Airport Job", which was a robbery carried out on 27 November 1962 at BOAC Comet House, Hatton Cross, London Airport. Fewtrell was assisted and later succeeded in the investigation by John Woolley, who served in the Buckinghamshire Constabulary from 1959 to 1984. The locomotive was scrapped at Doncaster Railway workshops in 1984. Tommy Wisbey was luckier than most of the others, in that his loot had been entrusted to his brothers, and when he emerged, he had a house in South London and a few other investments to keep him going. Something went wrong, please try again later. Specialist in Crime (1972), Ernest Millen, Specialist in Crime (1972), Ernest Millen, P.208, The Train Robbers (Piers Paul Read) (1978), The Train Robbers by Piers Paul Read (1976). He was known variously as "Mr Flying Squad", as "One-day Tommy" for the speed with which he apprehended criminals and as the "Grey Fox" for his shrewdness. For a while the most famous farm. Thus the proceeds of the greatest cash robbery in British history were quickly used up, with few of the robbers receiving any real long-term benefit. The London side of the investigation then continued under Detective Chief Superintendent Tommy Butler, who replaced Millen as head of the Flying Squad shortly after Millen was promoted to Deputy Commander under George Hatherill. They also sought to identify what money had been taken so that the relevant banks could be notified. Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind of the 1963 Great Train Robbery, has died aged 81, just months before the 50th anniversary of Britains most spectacular heist. Read more: 8 things you used to be able to do in Buckinghamshire but can't anymore. I was scared, right enough.. [53], On 11 February 1964, there was a sensation when John Daly was found to have no case to answer. Realising the police were hunting for them the group fled the farm and paid someone to burn it down to destroy the evidence. One of the robbers had spent months befriending railway staff and familiarising himself with the layout and operation of trains and carriages. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Pops/Dad a.k.a. It has been said that he bore a striking resemblance to John Thaw, who was the star of Inspector Morse, which, perhaps coincidentally, was a television series about a detective in the Thames Valley Police Force (the modern-day successor to Buckinghamshire Constabulary). The final sum recovered was 47,245 that was found in a telephone box in Great Dover Street, Newington, South London. The last of the robbers released, (after serving about one-third of his sentence[70]) Wilson returned to the life of crime and was found shot dead at his villa in Marbella, Spain, on 24 April 1990. Frank Williams (at the time a detective inspector) claimed that at least three men who were directly involved are still at liberty and enjoying their full share of the money stolen and the profits from the way they invested it, one of them being the man responsible for the attack on the train driver. EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. In this publication, the Camps discuss their strategy for . Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind of the 1963 Great Train Robbery, has died aged 81, just months before the 50th anniversary of Britains most spectacular heist. Lennie Field was allowed to think that the plan was to hijack a lorry load of cigarettes. Brian Arthur Field was born on 15 December 1934 and was immediately put up for adoption. He retired on the last day of the trial after the verdicts were handed down at the then compulsory retirement age of 55. The train was hauled by English Electric Type 4 (later Class 40) diesel-electric locomotive D326 (later 40126). Sometime after his release from prison he married Sian, from Wales. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). contact the editor here. View from above the Bridego Railway Bridge, now known as Mentmore Bridge, where the Great Train Robbery took place (Image: Getty Images) . This group included Tommy Wisbey, Bob Welch, and Jim Hussey, who were already 'accomplished train robbers'. But the train had to be moved forward a short distance from the signal to Bridego Bridge, where vans were waiting to be loaded with the loot. Seven of the defendants Ronald Biggs, Charles Wilson, Douglas Goody, Thomas Wisbey, Robert Welch, James Hussey and Roy James were jailed for 30 years each. It was scheduled to arrive at Euston at 04:00 the following morning. Field drove a new Jaguar and had a house, "Kabri" (an amalgam of Karin and Brian [Field]), with his wife at the Bridle Path, Whitchurch Hill, Oxfordshire, while his boss owned a battered Ford and lived in a run-down neighbourhood. Daly was clever in avoiding having a photo taken when he was arrested until he could shave his beard. The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway doubled as the Sears Crossing while other scenes were shot in Bradford, Shipley, Howarth, and Goole. And the former engine driver they recruited for this part of the job had no knowledge of how to drive this type of engine. Stan Agate. His suspicions raised by strange behaviour at a nearby property, John had become convinced he had found what the country was looking for the secret hideout of the Great Train Robbers. In May 2001, aged 71 and having suffered three strokes, Biggs voluntarily returned to England. [79] In 2011 he updated his autobiography, Odd Man Out: The Last Straw. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Four were sent to prison for terms of between 20 and 25 years. The revelation was made on his deathbed at St Christophers Hospice in Sydenham, south London. [100] His family are now trying to have his name cleared, as they believe, based on evidence not used in the original trial, that Boal was at best an accomplice after the fact with no knowledge of the robbery, and that it was likely that Cordrey told him nothing about the provenance of the cash. The investigation was detailed in a report by Assistant Controller Richard Yates that was issued in May 1964. Together, the criminals hijacked a Royal Mail train carrying 2.6m from Glasgow to London on the West Coast Main Line, making off with cash that, in todays money, would be somewhere around 46.3m. [60][pageneeded][non-primary source needed][unreliable source?]. The legal action was part of a defence strategy by three of the gang Wisbey, James Hussey and Robert Welch who claimed they had never been at the farm and their fingerprints were only found because they had turned up two days afterwards.

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