The Great Train Robbery (13 page)

Charles Gervaise Lilley, CRO No 27967/42, born 11 January 1921, a printer of 112 Knapmill Road, Bellingham, London SE6, has made a statement in which he supports, in the main, Welch. This is not surprising as Lilley and Welch are, I understand, firm friends. However, he is unable to say what Welch did between 10.00 pm, 7 August and 9.00 am, 8 August 1963.
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Two days after the
Daily Mirror
report, Tommy Butler sent the Post Office Investigation Branch a list of the eighteen names on his ‘suspects list’,
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which included the ten names referred to by the
Daily Mirror
. This list appears to be somewhat of a ‘pick and mix’ that drew together information from a number of sources, some reliable and others not. Indeed, as the Flying Squad began working through the list, nine of the ‘suspects’ were found to have cast-iron alibis – indeed, one had even been dead for nine months:

Mr Butler’s Confidential List 16/8/63:

On Tuesday 13 August 1963, Mary O’Rourke, a sales assistant at Coronel, a lady’s dress shop in Church Street, Reigate, Surrey, became suspicious of a woman customer who bought a quantity of clothing and paid in twenty-six dirty £1 notes. When Miss O’Rourke asked the customer for her address, she refused to give it and left the shop.

According to DS McArthur’s report:

The conduct of the woman was sufficiently suspicious to cause the shop assistant to follow her and note the number of a small grey sports car the woman got into as REN 22. On returning to the shop she immediately contacted the police. Police Constables 401 Donald Cooper and 183 Gerald Bixley located the car and kept observations on it and subsequently saw a man who gave his name and address as James Edward Patten of 66, The Woodlands, Beulah Hill, Croydon, SE19. He was accompanied by the woman who had been in the dress shop. After some conversation he satisfied the Police Constables and drove away.

Further enquiries were made by Reigate Police and it was learned the couple had been to a number of other shops and purchased goods. At one shop Patten had given his name as Mr Ballard, Clovelly Caravan Site, Bexhill Road, Boxhill, Surrey. This site was visited and it was learned that a man giving the name of Ballard had, on 11 August 1963, bought a caravan there. The caravan was searched and £136 in £1 notes was found in a jacket pocket.

Observations were kept on the caravan by Dorking police officers and on 18 August, Harry John Browne, CRO 32240/45, was stopped entering the caravan. He was interviewed but there was insufficient evidence to arrest him.
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During police questioning, Browne gave the following explanation for his presence at the Clovelly caravan site:

I am on sick benefit, but have worked for about 1½ years, on and off, in the Betting Office of M & M Regan, 38, Aldergate Street, EC1 (In their office).
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I have known Jim Bollard for about 2½ years. I think I got to know him in a pub or club in London. I met him casually in a number of Clubs and Pubs and he and his wife came to my home on a few occasions. He was betting at my shop before he took the café. Seven to eight months ago he took over an empty shop at 37, Aldersgate Street, EC1, and turned it into a café and he’s run it as such ever since.

I used the same Clubs, so I have met him on and off in such places over that period. I’ve met him in The Starlight Club; Stratford Place; Regency Club, Great Newport Street; and others. Last Friday evening, 16 August, 1963, I went to
t
he Starlight Club, with Terrence Durnford, Mr Regan (John), Fred Allen, where we met some girls and had a drink. At about 10.15 pm I met Jim Bollard at the Club. He was with a friend, Bob. I don’t know his surname. We were all talking in general about holidays and Jim said that my wife, two kids and I could use his caravan at Boxhill for a week if we would like to. I had heard then that he had a caravan somewhere, but this was the first time he had one at Boxhill.

I said that if it was a nice day on Sunday I’d take the wife and kids down to see if she liked it and if she did we’d spend some time there (I intended going back on Sunday evening for clothes if we were to stay). I asked him for the key and he said that the lady on the site in the lodge had the key, and I could collect it from her. He asked me, that if I went on Sunday, I could save him a journey by collecting a refrigerator from the garage proprietor, Mr Collins at Boxhill.

I intended going into his café tomorrow morning to let him know whether we were staying or not. This morning, when I asked the lady for the key I told her Mr. Bollard had given me permission to use his caravan, and she said she only had the shed key. I said I had got the refrigerator I had collected from Collins, and would leave it in the shed. I’ve never been to Bollard’s home and don’t know where he lives except that its somewhere in Mitcham. I’ve gathered that much in conversation with him.

I describe Jim Bollard as aged 35-36 years, 5’ 11”–6’; medium build; dark brown hair, straight with a kink at the front, greased and smart; oval face; fresh complexion; clean shaven; I think grey eyes; no glasses; good teeth. I’ve noticed no marks, scars or tattoos; London man, London accent. I described Bob 30 years; 5’11”–6’; medium build; dark hair; clean shaven; no glasses; London accent.
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In McArthur’s report he confirms that:

Subsequent enquiries identified Ballard/Patten as being James Edward White, CRO 26113/55. A search of the paneling of the caravan revealed a large amount in notes which was counted by the manager and a clerk of the Midland Bank, Dorking. The amount was £30,440. Some of the notes were identified as being part of the money stolen by the robbery. It was all handed over to Detective Superintendent Fewtrell on 20 August 1963.

On 19 August 1963, Detective Sergeant Wright of C3 Department went to the caravan and examined it for fingerprints. He took possessions of a number of articles on which he developed finger marks which have since been identified as those of White, and Lily Mercy Price, alias Sheree White. A thorough enquiry was made respecting the address given to the two police constables at Reigate. It was learned that the Pattens took tenancy of 66 Woodlands, Beulah Hill, SE19 on the 25 March 1962, at £295 per annum and paid their rent quarterly in advance. No payment had been made since the last quarterly payment commencing on 24 June 1963. Mrs Patten was last seen at the flat on 27 July 1963. On Monday, 29 July 1963, Mr Patten telephoned the daily woman and said that his wife had gone away on holiday. Nothing has been heard of them since at 66 Woodlands.

The Austin Healey car REN 22 was purchased by a man giving the name of John Steward, Rock House, Chaunston Road, Taunton, Somerset (false), at 5.30 pm, 9 August 1963, from Allery & Bernard Limited, 372/4, King’s Road, SW3, for £900. This was paid in cash in £5 notes. Steward has been identified as White. On Wednesday, 14 August 1963, a man since identified as White left the Austin Healey REN 22 at Zenith Motors Limited, 170 Aldersgate, EC1 for repair. He failed to collect it and on 21 August 1963, Police Constable C Bartlett, C10, New Scotland Yard removed the car to Chalk Farm Police Garage. James Edward White, CRO 26113/55 is still wanted for the robbery.
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By complete coincidence, Jimmy White was not the only robber who, on 9 August, decided to spend some of his new-found wealth on an Austin Healey sports car. Car salesman Dennis St John clearly recalled the chain of events:

I am a car salesman employed at the Chequered Flag Sports Car Specialists, Chiswick.

On Friday the 9 August, my attention was drawn to a man looking at an Austin Healey 3000.
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He returned later on that day. At a much later stage that day he went and fetched a woman. They both had a conversation with me. When he returned the second time I did not see what car he came in. He came into the showrooms alone the second time. I took him out for a demonstration run in a black Austin Healey 3000 index number NFC or NPC 222. After the demonstration run I had a further conversation with the man. He fetched a lady. I could possibly recognise the lady if I saw her again. The gentleman said they would buy the car. I believe the lady said to the man, ‘Have you driven it?’ I believe the man said, ‘No, but it will be all right’. I took them in to the office. I cannot remember whether either of them said anything to me.

I told them that the car was subject to a three month guarantee, but if, as they mentioned, they were going abroad the following day, we should like to service it before. I said, ‘Before you go, if you get time, at any time after 8 o’clock in the morning, bring it back to our workshop’. I cannot remember if I used the word ‘Abroad’. He said, ‘I will try’, when I mentioned bringing it in for service. I said, ‘Your name, Sir is?’ He said, ‘Would you invoice it to the lady’. I asked the lady for her name. She said, ‘Mrs Mary Manson’. She gave me the address 209 Mitcham Lane, Streatham, London, SW16. I wrote it down in the invoice book. The lady signed her name across a 6d stamp.

The price of the car was £835; it did not include anything in respect of insurance. The lady paid for the car. She paid for it in £5 notes. She took the notes from her handbag. They were in bundles of 100 with elastic bands round them. She handed me nine bundles. I counted them and returned some. I counted off seven £5 notes from the last bundle and then handed them back to her. I gave them the log book of the car and the signed stamped invoice. It is a copy of the invoice which I have produced. I made no arrangement for insurance for the car. The woman did not ask me to do so.
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Clearly suspicious, Dennis St John eventually decided to call the police the following week. Once they had had the opportunity to process the enormous number of leads and telephone messages that came in from the public during the days immediately after the robbery, it was decided that this was worth releasing to the media. The story about the black Austin Healey appeared in the press on the morning of 19 August and immediately brought forward several key witnesses. James Morris informed the police that a man answering to Reynold’s description had parked the car at the Cranford Hall Garage in Hayes, Middlesex. Leonard Robinson, a company director from Somerset, had spotted the car in Bristol at around 8.40 a.m. on 16 August.
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Even more significantly, a travelling salesman by the name of James Bryning, who lived at 12 Walpole Lodge in Culmington Road, Ealing, told the police that:

Since reading the ‘Daily Express’ this morning respecting the Black Austin Healey Sports car which was bought from the ‘Chequered Flag’ Chiswick, I am sure that this car has been parked outside my block of flats during the last week. I know for certain it was there Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I am almost certain the number of the Austin Healey was 222 NFC as stated in the newspaper.

I live in a third floor flat at Walpole Lodge. No 10 is opposite my flat on the same floor. I have seen the man who lives at No 10 Walpole Lodge, driving the car and putting it in his garage at the rear of the block of flats. I don’t know his name. He is about 5’ 7” tall, stockily built, with fair, short cropped hair and round face. He is well-dressed.

He has been in company with a woman, aged about 23 years, short, slim, dark hair, wearing coloured blouses and skirts. I have seen the man wearing dark glasses. I have not seen the Austin Healey during the week-end 17/18 August, 1963. I have seen the man in a green ‘Zodiac’ motor car. It looked like a new one.

During the last week I noticed quite a few men visiting the flat in the evenings. Also, another woman has been staying at the flat during last week. She was about 30/35 years of age, well built, light blonde hair. I have seen her in the Austin Healey with the man from No 10.
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As a result of Bryning’s information, DC Frank Cowling of the local Ealing ‘T Division’ police, to whom Bryning had initially reported the matter, visited 10 Walpole Lodge:

On Sunday 18 August 1963, at about 8 pm, I called at No 10, Walpole Lodge, Culmington Road, Ealing W5, and saw Terrence Hogan. I said to him ‘I am making enquiries to trace the owner of an Austin Healey motor car, Registration No 222 NFC; this car is believed to have been outside this block of flats recently’. Hogan said, ‘I don’t know anything about it. I have never had a Healey; my car is outside, the Zephyr.’ At that time I had no reason to question Hogan further. Outside the flats in Culmington Road, I saw a Green Ford Zephyr motor car, Registration number 591 FGX, which Hogan had pointed out as being his.
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At Scotland Yard, Cowling’s investigation report was read by Flying Squad officers who immediately recognised the name of Hogan:

The occupier of 10 Walpole Lodge is Terry Hogan, a friend of Bruce Reynolds.
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Hogan was, on 19 August, in possession of a green Zodiac, index number 591 FGX. Reference to Mr Morris’s statement will show that when Reynolds parked the Austin Healey at Cranford Hall Garage, Hayes, he walked along the Bath Road and got into a Ford Zodiac or Zephyr of the latest model which was of a dark colour.
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Both Manson and Hogan were questioned on 21 August at Scotland Yard. Hogan, when interviewed about the Austin Healey, and indeed his whereabouts on 7-8 August by DI Frank Williams of the Flying Squad, claimed that he had been in Cannes, and returned to England on 9 August. He was released without charge.
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Williams also reported that: