Within a few days the "Sunday Mercury" was onto the case, and the row will also surfaced on Radio 4's You and Yours in the next week or so.
This week John recalls a Cold War mystery from his policing days at RAF Perton just outside Wolverhampton...
RAF Perton had a short active life, andin 1947it became home to hundreds of Eastern European refugeesincluding thePolish Resettlement Corps.
� ���������
� ��������
� ��������
The Cold War was at its height, and the fears of the many nationalities living on or near the airfieldwere of the Russians - they had suffered enough under the Nazi yoke, and didn't fancy more of the same under Communist rule.
Scares were frequent, and in 1951, the government ordered all eastern European aliens on the register -no missing asylum seekers in those days -to report at the nearest police station, which was Tettenhall. Anyone with poor documentation, was referred to Willenhall Police Station for expert interrogation.
During this time, two White Russians reported that a twin engine plane had landed at Perton. No onebelieved the story, it was considered too far fetched, but itwas widely circulated amongst the eastern European community.
Now I can confirm for the first time that the story was true.
During September 1951, I was on duty, on cycle patrol, along Perton Lane, and entered the main entrance by the Stone Cottages.
It was about 11.30pm and a clear night.
To my utter amazement, I saw a twin enginedplane come from the direction of Compton and land.
I clearly saw a man with a suitcase get into the plane, which was taxiing slowly.
Before it took off, I made a note of the number and headed immediately towardsthe police pillar in Wergs Road to report what I had seen.
On my arrival at Tettenhall Station at a quarter to two in the morning (the shift was6pm-2a.m.) the Sergeantimmediately made me write down what I had seen inthe Occurrence book.
This I did and went home to Tettenhall Wood.
At 9a.m. I was asleep when my wife woke me and told me I'd been ordered to report back to Tettenhall Police Station immediately.
When I did so itsuddenlyseemed as though I'd been plunged into the pages of a spy thriller, as I was interviewed by the Detective Chief Superintendent of the CID and special branch officers.
The registration number I had taken was a Russian civilian marking, and of course confirmed the original reports by the White Russians.
No press release was authorised, and dire warnings were given to all Tettenhall Police Station staff of the provisions of the Official Secrets Act. Sequel? There isn't one.
Despite weary months of observations nothing further was seen, and thematter was placed in the hands of the Special Branch in London never to be heard of again.
But now and again I still wonder who was being taken away, and where to?
One for John Le Carre maybe.
JohnP Mellor. (PC 290 Staffordshire County Police, Tettenhall Sectional Station 1950-1955)
