大象传媒

It was now 1948 and a New year. There was quite a lot of snow about. We were still operating as Special Police. The Yugoslavian Patrol on the Autobahn were armed. They had all been Prisoners-of-War and they had two Officers and also two German Shepherd dogs. They operated at night. On a daily basis they checked the vehicle park on the Autobahn. The Yugoslavian Patrol noticed wheel nuts loose on some vehicles. They drew this to our attention, so that night we lay in wait. Also the guard kept watch on the vehicles. but nothing happened. It was such a waste of a night's watch and also our sleep time. On the way out, we found a man that was carrying stolen petrol. On the third night, Kaufman, Jock Muir, Jock Ervin, John Jones and Billy Southgate kept watch. Two men were with the guard and the other two was with Kaufman and myself. We heard a motor but no lights, approaching, and we waited until they were on the Autobahn removing vehicle wheels. We had counted six men in all, when the wheels were removed. Three of the men came back into the woods, the others started to bring the wheels to the fence. Then we struck, all that was needed was one shot in the air. We were all carrying side arms. Three of the men were arrested and their case was taken to the High Court at Dusseldorf on the Rhine.
We were called to the railway sidings at Wermelskironen. It had been reported that six wheels had gone missing from the large carrying trailers. The documents stated that every trailer left the siding of departure at UpLarden. The night before, when checking, for the six wheels that had gone missing, we visited the Railway Police, but we could not find no answer. We continued to do our work. Corporal J Steward was due back from leave, he was under escort. The two civil men were dressed and they said to us "We are S I B Sergeants",which was Special Investigation Branch. They then said "What do you know about dud five pound notes?" We then told the S I B that months ago, we had been offered the five pound notes but we had turned them down as we had heard, a long time ago about the Nazis printing dud pound notes. They then said to us "Why did you not report it" We said that we had not been sure as we had never seen any of them. Then they asked "Do we have a name and address?" We said that we did not know the address but we knew of a house in Romschild. Off we went to the house in Romschild and approached the house. But there was no-one at home, we went to ask their next door neighbours but they told us that they had gone away. We asked if the knew when they would be coming back, but they did not know.
We then drove back to our camp, we then asked what had happened to Jimmy. He had bought tobacco, to roll his own cigarettes. The shop assistant checked his five pound note and then called the Police in Edenburgher. Jimmy was arrested and the
S I B had been called in. Now Jimmy had to return home. It was there later when the Major had a call from Uplarden Police. They had told the Major that they wanted Kaufman and myself to visit them. The Major was taken back and we wondered why should they need to see us? We had to report to the Major's office and he began to question us about Uplarden Police. I said "Do you recall the missing tyres from the train?" He looked at me very puzzled but I told him " You have the report". He got his clerk to go through our report and then gave it to the Major. He then said "Ah, yes I now recall. The next day the Uplarden police said"We have not found your tyres, but we do know who stole them and he has been murdered. He was a railway worker and he had left Uplarden to travel to Munchengladbach, but there was no record of him arriving. He had been found with his head smashed in. The Munchengladbach Police and ourselves then investigated the murder. It turned out that this man had travelled to Munchengladbach by road in a lorry and then sold the tyres. He and his friend had a disagreement and the friend ended up smashing his head in. He had hit him over the head with the starting handle of the lorry and he drove back up to Uplarden. The story was that the friend was having an affair with the murdered man's wife. The two of them were found guilty of his murder and he got life and the wife had 15 years. So this was now another case closed.
I had been talking to some Redcaps, the Military Police, at the High Court at Dusseldorf and they told me that they had stopped a German girl, with a pram because the coat, that she was wearing was made of W D Blanket. They said that this was W D property, she turned round and said "Yes" and she then took the baby out of the pram and said "so is this" then she ran away.
Our Unit had divisions of a Bus Company near Cologne and Wuppertall Beer Brewery. The list for 1948 was never ending.
The Yugoslavs did help us a lot. We were told to watch one of their Officers. On passing the entrance to the Park, he was driving out and we stopped him. We asked him "Why are you visiting the Patrol?" He came up with a story but we had noticed that the flaps was tied back. When you opened them and inside was four wheels with tyres. He was arrested and placed under guard at our camp. He was later charged with stealing and he got time. The Judge, that sat at the High Court in Dusseldorf was a bit of a character. Whenever he was sitting on the Bench, judging a case, if you watched him, his wig went one way then the other way. Then when you looked at his face, you knew what was coming and he needed a 15 minute break as he needed his tot of Rum!He was a retired Naval Commander but he was always fair in his dealings.
I met Sergeant Major E Cox one morning. I did not know him well and he never bothered us. He asked me "Can I have a word with you" I said"Will you have a word with the Transport Sergeant Meggson" He replied "A waste of time, I have spoken to him about his drivers complaining" "Sorry" I said "It is on his own head" He replied "Yes".
It was Saturday once again and we were all at the Cafe Belton drinking and dancing, more drinking than dancing! Sergeant Meggson turned up in his jeep, he parked it at the rear. He then entered the cafe and began drinking and dancing. I heard one of the lads say "This is it". Out they went and drove the jeep away and left it in a wood near Ramschild. Before the evening had finished , I had been called away. When Sergeant Meggson returned to the camp, I was in the Regimental Police box, Meggson walked in and said "My jeep has been stolen" I said to him "Are you reporting it missing" He said "No, but I will get another on Monday from the Vehicle Park" We said again"So you will not be reporting this missing?" The answer was "No".
The lad had informed Kaufman about the jeeps were about, he rode out on a motor cycle and found the jeep. He then phoned the Major. On Monday morning, Meggson had to report to the Major and he got a telling off! Meggson thought that that would be the last that he would hear about it, but on the Tuesday morning, when I handed in my report, Meggson was put on a charge. He received a severe reprimand.
We had heard of vehicles, leaving the route near Wuppertall and it was said they were unloading stole W D Property. We had been on a raid the night before at Wuppertall and we had found bales of suiting cloth for the Black Market. Our two German Police confiscated the bales of cloth and had arrested two men and women. We then returned to Wermelskrenen Police station. The four prisoners, were then handed over to be investigate. The two Officrs received a pat on the back.
Saturday night, Johnny Kilmartin and his girlfriend, Gertrude also Corporal O'Leary, the ration storeman. He issued rations to the families. Corporal Jock MacIntire he had sold beer, choolates, sweets and tobacco etc., We all drank together but both N C O's kept their distance. You could talk to them but they seemed to be on their guards at all times. Johnny was always drunk every Saturday night, he and the others knew that I was able to leave the camp without permission with transport. So I always arranged transport to Lennep, where the girls lived. I also took Johnny and Gertude home, which was a distance of 10 miles. I believe that the Major knew about this but he never questioned me about it!
The Major and Captain Adlington R A had Mercedes cars and other Officers had Volkwagens. The wheel nuts were all spot welded, to stop the wheels being stolen. If ever you left your car, there would always be the chance that on your return, you would find the wheels missing.
1948 was now drawing to a close. We had a wonderful Christmas Party and I think, I am right in saying, that most of the camp were drunk. Some of the N C O's were at German friend's houses. I spent the afternoon of Christmas Day with my friends the Kaufmans. I returned to the camp about 1.00 a.m.
The next morning, we were searching the woods because one of the guards had spotted lights during the night. We did not find anything to worry about, but we did find an Orphanage and it was full of children. There were boys and girls and Felix said" These are the offsprings of the German Super race and they are all mad as hatters" We said "You must be wrong". But Felix said "No, if you will speak to that woman, she will tell you they are from the blond men and women, the Super race of the S S and other women that had been picked specially to breed for the New Germany".
Now we were looking forward to 1949.

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