Sitting further down the street was a car, its driver with a camera on the seat beside him. In the security office at the gate, Louden was watching the car. He had already made a note of its make and registration number because the driver was still sitting in the vehicle. The RAF truck rumbled out after having the paperwork stamped and headed towards Newcastle. The car driver photographed the driver of the truck and this was observed by Louden.
He picked up the telephone to Hamilton in the personnel office. “Right,” said Hamilton. “I think we should have a talk with this fellow. Put a trace on the car and then ‘phone the local office of the SIB and ask them to send a team out. We may as well have some support as I don’t want to lose him.” While waiting for Hamilton, Louden put in a call to their London office and gave the details of the car and requested a trace be made. He then telephoned the SIB with Hamilton’s request and explained the situation. He was told that they couldn’t help immediately but would do the best they could.
When Hamilton arrived at the office, they discussed the situation and decided that they should take the car and drive to come around behind the parked vehicle and then confront its driver. Louden drove out of the gate and turned away from the vehicle and took the first turn right and drove around the block to come out behind the vehicle. They parked a few yards back and Louden got out and walked to the car in front. He tapped on the window and the driver wound it down. Louden showed his identification and asked the man to get out. The response was to reach for the ignition key but Louden’s hand shot in and closed over the driver’s hand to prevent him starting the car. Meanwhile, Hamilton opened the passenger door and climbed in and put a gun in the man’s side. The driver froze and appeared to relax.
“Get out of the car,” said Louden, and he stepped back to open the door. As the driver climbed out, so did Hamilton. For a moment his back was turned to the driver. At this moment, the driver stood up and yanked the door shut. Louden, who had been holding the top of the door with one hand, was caught off guard and his fingers were jammed in the closed door.A knife slid down from the sleeve of the man’s jacket and into his hand. He made a lunge at Louden but Louden managed to deflect the aim at his stomach and took the knife stab in his ribs. He grabbed the man’s arm but the driver tore himself free and ran across the street. Hamilton ran around the car to check Louden, who waved him after the fugitive. Hamilton gave chase, dodging the traffic on the road.
Suddenly, a police car went past Louden and swung across the road and onto the pavement in front of the fugitive. Two energetic policemen leapt out and grabbed him. Hamilton caught up with them and showed his card. “That’s brilliant timing,” he said to them. “We need an ambulance for my partner who was stabbed by this man.” One of the policemen went back to the car and radioed for an ambulance. The fugitive was handcuffed and placed in the back of the police car. One of the policemen explained that they had received a request at their local Byker station from the SIB to provide support urgently. They were just in time to see what was happening.
Hamilton said, “Once my partner has been taken by ambulance, I’ll follow you down to your station. Can you arrange for the arrested person’s car to be driven down for examination, please?” The senior constable said he would arrange it. Hamilton hurried back across the road to Louden. He had freed his hand from the door and was holding his side, but blood was seeping through. Louden was leaning against the side of the car in obvious pain. As Hamilton looked for something to use as a pad, the ambulance arrived and took control of the situation. The ambulance officers strapped the wound and put Louden in the back and headed for the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), the bell clanging loudly. Hamilton took control of the camera from the fugitive’s car. The police car with the fugitive left and a third policeman climbed into the fugitive’s car to drive it to the police station. Hamilton followed him in his car.
Oblivious of all these happenings, the RAF truck had turned up Northumberland Street as though it was heading up the A1 north to Acklington. Past the Haymarket, the driver turned left into Claremont Road to cut back across to Cowgate and the Stamfordham Road to go to RAF Ouston. In the back of the truck there was talk of the coming weekend. They all expected to see the loading finished by lunchtime on Friday and then they would be free to head off. None of them were married but most had girlfriends or family in the area and wanted to make the most of the weekend before the detachment moved
