feature In Days Gone By…
Tales of a Cambridgeshire Country Copper
My wife and I have lived in Melbourn for over 40 years and have made many friends.Almost half of my police service was spent as Sergeant of Melbourn section and I was responsible for all operational duties that have been the subject of the many articles appearing in the Melbourn Magazine. So subsequently the former police station has been special in my life. Recently I had the notion of looking around the police station site. I had a look into some of the windows and memories came flooding back. I remember in my day we had wooden flooring and when any of the officers came back to the station they were given felt pads to place under their boots so that as they moved around they polished the floor. That is why we became known as the ‘flannel foot policemen of Melbourn’. If any one incident stands out it would be the fatal air crash at Steeple Morden in 1967. Briefly, a Canberra jet plane from RAF Bassingbourn crashed onto a house in Steeple Morden. The late PC Baily from the village was the first on the scene. PC Ginn and I had just left Park Side police station in Cambridge and we were next to arrive. Unfortunately all the aircrew were killed. PCs Baily and Ginn did the majority of the inquiries concerning this incident proving that our section could deal with whatever was thrown at it. Between them they did an excellent job and HM County Coroner commended the section for its work. In another incident (I cannot recall the date) during the early hours of the morning I and some other officers were called out to a break in at one of the post offices in the county. I was the night county patrol officer. Two people were involved and one had been caught by the occupier. A search of the immediate area followed but nothing was found. It came to light that the offenders had in the past been stationed at a former barracks and had travelled from Liverpool, so transport had been required. There were lines of parked cars down both sides of the street. We walked along beside these cars checking them as we went, and I spotted an index number that seemed somewhat familiar. Then it came to me that it was similar to some of the cars used in the TV series ‘Z cars’. We surrounded the car and shone torches into the interior and discovered the other offender lying across the front seats. This proved to be another good arrest. On another occasion, in the early evening, a patrol crew responded to a call to a domestic incident in Oakington. As they arrived a shot was fired towards them. A car chase followed, continuing via Cottenham and Histon. I was in the Girton area and learned that the chase was heading towards there. I deployed police cars to set up a road block, and after hitting several of our vehicles the offender was arrested. One evening as I was taking a break at Parkside police
station when I was informed that a vehicle and its load had been hi-jacked from outside a house in Girton. I dashed to the control room in the basement and directed our vehicles from Melbourn, Papworth and Sawston to go immediately to the county boundaries. The Sawston car went to Flint Cross, and other cars were sent to other locations. Herts and Essex police were also notified. We waited and then PC Phillips in the Melbourn car broke the radio silence to say that he was right behind the hi-jacked van. Suffice it to say that the offenders were arrested with van and goods intact. The value was more than £50,000. As a result of this incident a number of officers, including myself, were awarded the Chief Constable’s Commendation, rarely given. I will just add that I am the holder of five such awards, three as a Constable, one as a Sergeant, and one as Inspector, in the above incident. Over the long period of time that I have been submitting my articles to the Magazine I have hand written them – but I was not the only one involved. My wife Muriel has supported my efforts and kept up my morale when I tended to flag. Our son Michael could always be counted on for advice and encouragement. The articles had to be typed up and this was undertaken by two excellent family friends, first Mrs Jean Prior and subsequently Mrs Lindsey Housden, to both of whom I am eternally grateful. I must also thank the Parish Clerk, Mrs Avril Mellor, who ensured that the articles reached the editor Mrs Ann Dekkers on time. As I draw my series of articles to a close I cannot believe how many I have written over the years. I started my police service in a village where most people knew each other and the local police officers. Even today PC Barton from the 1950s is still referred to as Dick Barton Special Agent after the radio series all those years ago. I have enjoyed writing the articles and reliving my experiences good and bad. I am proud to have been Sergeant of Melbourn for over 14 years. Muriel and I have received many complimentary comments about the articles and they have been appreciated. Thanks to you all. Ron Brooksbank melbournmagazine
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