Ken Gano wrote:
Most Americans are surprised that the average English constable on patrol is
unarmed, but I always have thought that was quite a good measure of the
respective societies.
In the run-up to Christmas 1965 and as a young (and very wet behind the
ears) UK police reservist, I was seconded with three colleagues - all of us
in uniform and unarmed on a Turkey Patrol. This required us to spend four
hours "on observation" sitting in one of four large wooden huts on steel
wheels in a cold and frosty field with fifty odd rebellious and aggressive
turkeys in each hut! Around midnight, some 'ne'er do wells' approached,
intent on malice aforethought, and one carried a shotgun. Unfortunately, he
slipped badly in some unfrozen mud, fell down and in the process let off
both barrels. The predators took immediate flight in a Mark 10 Jaguar - as
we did as well, though not without a twinge of conscience. Paul and Mike
wanted to chase them in Paul's pre-war Morris 8 tourer, and then thought
better of it. After debate and because we were then frozen stiff, all
decided a return to the police station to summon reinforcements was the
better (and safer) option - and we all wanted to get there first. Clive
jumped into his Mini Cooper and shot off but only plunged into some even
deeper mud, the Morris 8 wouldn't respond to exertions on its starting
handle - and that left me to 'do the business' in Mum's Herald 12/50. In my
rush of adrenalin and anxious to impress my Serjeant, I fell into the car
and promptly managed to sit on my truncheon! I still periodically suffer
from the resulting injury and if anyone should ever see me walking as though
I have two farrowing sows between my legs - you'll know the reason why.
Looking back, if we'd been armed at the time, I guess one of us might well
have shot out the tyres on our own cars.
See what you've started, Mr. Porter!!!!
Jonmac
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