ENCLOSURE 3.
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105
Question put by ir. Calthrop to P. S. Al62, Williamson, Officer in Charge, Aberdeen
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How was it that after the first evacuation of Aberdeen which took place on the morning of the 19th December, Police were not waiting for you at the Dairy Farm Pokfulum in accordance with the instructions you had given P. S. A55 Fitzpatrick and L. S. Al45 Goldie before they had left the Station with their respective parties ?
P. S. A162, Williamson, states:-
I cannot say.
That the Folice were anxious to get into town is the only explanation I can think of. I told them to wait till 14.00 hours and if I did not arrive to go to Pokfulum and telephone for instructions. I understand that the mistake occurred o ing to P. S. A55 Fitzpatrick. He left the Station with the second party but overtook the first party and reached the Dairy Farm first. He did not remain at the Dairy Farm Hill so l. S. Al45 Goldie, arriving there with the first party and not finding him decided to push on to town. Both parties were on foot. I noticed thartwo police constables of L. S. A145's party were knocked down by blast or direct shell when some shells hit some lighters below the road about 3/4 mile from the Station at the foot of Bennett Hill, just my side of the military line. The men knocked down got up immediately and carried on. They were unhurt. I saw them afterwards they returned to Aberdeen.
Taken by me - L. H. C. CALTEROP,
Senior Superintendent of Police, 23/1/43.
Question put by r. Calthrop to P. S. Al62, Williamson, Officer in Charge, Aberdeen.
In your statement you recorded that during the first evacuation of Aberdeen which took place on the morning of the 19th December, you were subsequently informed that P.3. A55 Fitzpatrick had boarded a lorry Just
Is this correct and outside Aberdeen and left his men to themselves. can you give further details ?
P. S. Al62 Williamson states :
I was
This is correct, I believe, though I did not see it myself. informed so next day by Mr. Chiu Kwan Ait, the interpreter, who left in the second party. I have questioned L. S. A145 Goldie who states he did not see it. I saw A55 myself trying to stop a lorry but it refused to stop. When I saw the two police constables knocked down I noticed
The two parties, though one A5S some 60 or 70 yards ahead of the party.
left a quarter of an hour ahead of the other were not far apart, some some 200 yards only, presumably the first party had been held up some- where. Pergeant Fitzpatrick must have boarded a lorry somewhere about Bennett Hill or after there. I myself picked up the interpreter and detective 1. S. C Lai kwong who had waited as they did not like the firing. The remainder of A55's party and Al45's party had gone on. Bath the interpreter and the detective noticed A55 boarding the lorry Both were annoyed by himself and leaving the remainder of the party. at this. I have never received a satisfactory explanation from A55 con- cerning this. I do not know where the remaining members of the party went
only Al45's party arrived at No. 7.
Taken by me - L. H. C. CALTHROP,
Senior Superintendent of Police, 25/1/1943.
P. S. A162, williamson, adds :-
If A55 boarded the lorry by himself I can only agree it was cowardice. The Inspector on Duty Upper Levels told him the following