The Night 57 Squadron lost a Canberra

[ColinB]

The Night 59 Squadron Lost Canberra XH204-Trial and Redemption

John had a heavy cold when he arrived at Wilmslow and a few days going through the mindless routines of square-bashing convinced him that he should return to Gutersloh and face the music, get it out of the way and get on with his life. His current quality of life was pretty dreadful.
So on the evening of 6th November he packed some belongings and jumped over the fence to catch a 31 bus into central Manchester.
He found out that the next sailing date for Germany from Harwich was on the evening of Monday 9th November and on that date he reported with his 1250 to the ticket office at Manchester station and reported he had lost the return half of his ticket to RAF Gutersloh. He was issued with a ticket to London and advised to report to the RTO at Liverpool St for further ticketing to Germany. He told the same story at Liverpool St and was issued with a ticket to Harwich and advised to contact the RTO there.
In Harwich when he reported to the Sergeant in the RTO office he showed his 1250 and repeated his story. He was asked to wait and the Sergeant left the room with his 1250. The Sergeant returned with a Corporal, a Flying Officer and two RAF police He was asked “Are you 4168649 Junior Technician John Neville or are you 4235478 Junior Technician John Neville?”. He replied “Yes,yes”. He was arrested and escorted onto the ship to the Hook of Holland.
At the Hook he was met by F/Sgt Clitheroe and Sgt Hockey from the SIB at Sundern and driven back to Gutersloh where he was housed in the Detention Block (D Block) opposite the guardroom by the main gate along with two other prisoners.
He was in the next few days interviewed by F/Lt O’Niell and F/Sgt Clitheroe from the SIB in Sundern and he made a full statement 12 pages in length.
John was marched to the Mess each day to be fed and I well remember the cheering which took place. He was something of a folk hero especially amongst the National Serviceman. He also intermittently appeared in the NAAFI on some evenings apparently unescorted. He was bought many beers by the homesick and disaffected.
In this period his other kit was moved to D block along with the tools from his car, he now had two sets of uniforms with him.
The Court Martial was convened on 11th February and he was convicted and his services were no longer required. The findings were confirmed and he was transferred for a holiday at RAF Uxbridge which lasted with time deducted for that being served in D Block at Gutersloh until May 1958. He was on leaving paid a cheque for the time he was away from Gutersloh.
There were two really surprising things at the end of this affair, firstly that the evening trips to the NAAFI during his time in D Block were unaccompanied because they used his car tools deposited there to cut through the bars of a cell. This allowed the residents to go out in the evenings. This comfortable arrangement could have continued but the other two went out on the town and were discovered missing which caused search parties to be raised but they returned by taxi and demanded their beds back.
The major surprise was to find out that John had replied to a newspaper advertisement by English Electric of Preston for ex-RAF technicians to work on Canberra aircraft on RAF stations in the UK in their “out-working” teams. He was interviewed in late May and accepted for employment but could not start until September because he was under 21 years of age.
His first job in September 1958 was at RAF Upwood and for the next three years he worked on many other stations on both Canberras and Lightnings. He was accommodated in the Sgts Mess. He met many people he had known in the RAF. They must have been surprised to see him.