HC Deb 25 October 1955 vol 545 cc6-8W
81. Mr. Remnant

asked the Secretary of State for War what instructions were issued prior to 13th August, 1955, by the War Office in regard to the arming of sentries; and whether he will make a statement on the raid at Arborfield.

5 Mr. F. Maclean

Owing to incidents in which civilians have been shot or injured, sentries in the United Kingdom are not normally armed with loaded rifles. Instructions in force at that date permitted the employment of armed military guards in exceptional circumstances. Such circumstances were not considered to obtain at the time and incidents such as I.R.A. raids had not occurred for a considerable time in Great Britain. Since the raid my right hon. Friend has had general instructions issued for more stringent security precautions against the possibility of further incidents.

Following is a statement on the theft of weapons and ammunition onth August, 1955, fromth Training Battalion, R.E.M.E., Arborfield, Berks.

At about 2.15 a.m. on 13th August about a dozen armed men raided the lines of 5th Training Battalion, R.E.M.E. One was in battledress with R.E.M.E. and 5th Training Battalion shoulder flashes; the rest were in civilian clothes. They overpowered the un-armed sentry on the gate and the sergeant in charge of the guard who was alone in a room apart. The members of the guard in the main guardroom were also overpowered and forced into cells, and four sentries patrolling the lines were similarly dealt with. The raiders then forced the doors of the armoury and magazines and stole:—

Weapons—Rifles, 2; Bren Light Machine Guns, 10; Sten Carbines, 55; Sten Magazines, 359; and Pistols .38, 1.

Ammunition—52,315 rounds .303; 30,899 rounds 9 mm.; 1,332 rounds .38; and 1,300 rounds .22.

The raiders left in motor vehicles at about 3.30 a.m. leaving behind for a short time a small party to cover the guard. The guard commander, who was bound but not locked up succeeded in freeing himself and raised the alarm at about 5 a.m. All the weapons and ammunition were in due course recovered by the civil police.

The guard, including the sentries, consisted of two non-commissioned officers and sixteen privates. They did not carry arms or any kind of weapon.