European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 8, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Lie if Resit till Here Are they now by Maris Ross up staff writer somewhere on thursday this week on aug. 8, and perhaps precisely at 3 02 . Bruce Reynolds and Ronalds Biggs May be toasting them selves in Champagne. It was at 3 02 ., aug. 8, 1963,that Britain s great train robbery be Gan when a fixed red signal stopped the Royal mail train speeding from Scotland to London. Armed me swarmed aboard and got away with mail bags containing 2,631,748 pounds or More than $7,368,000 at the 1963 rate of Exchange. Only a Small fraction of the stole Money has yet been recovered. And Only Bruce Reynolds and Ronald Biggs of the 12 men involved remain at Large. The other 10, if they celebrate this fifth anniversary at All will have to Settle for prison Tea. No Champagne for them. At Scotland Yard detective chief superintendent Thomas Butler head of the famed flying squad will no bother much about the anniversary. All he wants is to get the last of the gang behind bars. The Hunt has become a Persona thing with him. He should have re tired last year on passing the age of65, but he specially requested an Extension of duty to clean up the january Butler flew to Canada surrounded a House and arrested great train robber Charles Wilson who two years previously had been spirited out of jail while serving a 30-year term. Six of the train robbers Are now work ing out this Long sentence. A further four men Are serving 14 to 18 years. Biggs should be doing 30 years As Well but he went Over the Wall in 1965and has not been seen since. Reynolds a 45-year-old antique dealer is the Only Man to evade capture entirely since the theft. If the great train robbery had a Mastermind he was probably it. He has been reported half a dozen cities in Europe and America but each time the police have got on his Trail too late. They still follow up every tip from the Cream Salesman Neville Parker 30, who bears a slight resemblance to Reynolds was minding his own Busi Ness in a Nottingham England restau rant just a few weeks ago when some body thought he was the wanted Manana rang the police. There i was having a Nice lunch of roast Lamb with my girl Friend when in walked these four policemen be said. They took me to Headquarters so i could establish my the crime was so daring so efficiently carried out and grand in scale that the sporting instincts of theortis were aroused. Quite a few wed not have cared if the gang had in j " away. The Money was to be burned at the Bank a and because the notes were old tattered. Mils for one would give the raid never the have he was the Driver of the Royal Malone of the travelling Post offices3l Speed through the night while of m ,�1 Board Wade through the piles to maintain Britain s one Day service. Into Len 57 was the Otey in Sivh n the ambush he was beaten s on the head with an a n Bai a was so shaken that he will never thursday August 8, 1968 a of Apap still at Large and drinking Champagne Are Ronald Biggs left and Mastermind Bruce Reynolds. Drive a train again. Three years after the event he went Back to his first full time work handing out uniforms Ata railway clothing store. If Rumor is True the great train robbery has even resulted in murder. The body of John scotch Jack buggy a Small time Gambler was fished out of the English Channel a year ago. Hews shot Rumor has it because he Dis covered who was holding a 100,000pound $240,000 Cut of the loot and demanded a share. At least some of the great train robbers now divided among Britain s three top Security jails will be Rich if old men when they come out provid ing their share is still where they left it. For others the crime did not pay. James White when captured in 1966 and sentenced to 18 years said he had spent most of his Cut on paying to keep Mouths shut Ronald Buster Edwards sentenced to 15 years sur rendered himself to Butler in 1966, having tired of fearing every Knock on the door. Reynolds and Biggs wherever the Yare have reason to fear the persist ence of this dedicated head of the Scot land Yard flying squad. In the words of a Scotland Yard col league he s not telling anyone when he s retiring. I think he d like to get everything cleared up so if the missing Reynolds and Bigg Sare Champagne types maybe they d better swig it while they can. Scotland Yard s Butler flew to Canada to capture robber Charles Wilson. James White caught in 66, said he had spent his loot buying the stars and stripes Ronald Edwards gave up fearing a Knock on the door 1 from police. Page 11
