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P.C. David Green

Old & Grey

Old & Grey

master brummie
As this is a Birmingham History forum and this is the Police section I thought I would mention a really nice guy who used to walk the beat from Steelhouse Lane. As the title says his name was P.C. David Green, or Dave as I knew him. When he was on duty either afternoon/evening or night shift he always stopped for a chat. He got to know the people on his beat and he was really well liked.

On Thursday 17th July 1975 at around 10:10pm he came up to me in Bull Street and after our usual banter he said "I want a quiet night! I think I'll go down Needless Alley and nick a drunk.", these were the last words he said to me.

About 40 minutes past and then there were Police cars every where. Three customers of mine ran past and one yelled "A copper got it." and then the town centre was locked down.

I closed up and headed in, as I went down the bottom end of Bull Street one of Dave's mate's was up on the canopy, I called up to ask what had happened and he said "Dave's been stabbed." I asked how bad to which he replied "He didn't make the ambulance."

It felt like a kick in the stomach, I had only been talking to him a short time before.

The next evening the tension in the air was tangible as the same shift came on duty. The boss I think his name was Inspector Somerville, I did hear his nickname was The Snake. Said that his officers were not going to let this affect them. They would go on duty as normal.

I went to his funeral in Northfield with a large wreath from all the Hot Dog men who knew him. It was a very sad occasion,but at least we were able to say goodbye to a very brave policeman.

What got me really annoyed was there was a left wing news rag that said that Dave used to walk the city with a police dog to antagonise a particular section of the community.

They said this so many times that some sections of said community thought it was true. I never saw Dave with a dog of any kind.

There was a bloke who used to walk around the town in a blue police raincoat with a Shepherd. He was very odd he would talk into a cigarette packet and make out it was a radio.
 
My old dad was a Birmingham City Police Officer way back 'C' Division, and it made me think 1975 murder even then was a very rare thing, but much more common place today.
paul
 
I never met David but I did one day visit his parents to offer my thanks.

Following David's death, they kept on eye on the newspapers and, if they saw a report of an Officer injured, then they would send them a paperback and a brief note.

After one of my many minor 'mishaps' on returning to work a few days later, I was handed a small package that had been addressed and posted to me.

Now, bearing in mind that this was in the late 70's, and an unexpected package arrives, my response of, "I'm not expecting anything!" soon cleared the Parade Room.:friendly_wink:

It was opened very, very, carefully.:encouragement:
 
Hi all, regarding this thread, I was David's partner in the job for several months at Steelhouse Lane. We shared quite a few incidents on nights in the town centre and I have a lot of memories of my time there.

The group inspector was an ex traffic officer, Tom Somerville, strict but fair.

Prior to the tragedy we used to patrol in pairs in the City on nights but someone in the powers above decided it would be better if we split up as it looked like more officers were on the street.

Across the road from the nick was the General Hospital and it was usual on nights to drop in when it was quiet and have a chat and a cuppa with the nurses on duty.

On the night in question I was posted to cover the Newtown area. Plodding around the numerous high rise flats and a quick cup of tea at the ambulance station was normally how that beat was covered.

A call went out that a fight was in progress at one of the night clubs in town and all units were dispatched. I made my way on foot back towards the town centre.

Whilst on route another call came over the radio that a policeman was in trouble in the High Street. I think the radio sergeant at the time was Jack Hague.

All officers diverted to the assistance call.

I reached the rear entrance to the General hospital and made my way towards the front as an ambulance pulled in. The doors burst open and in raced the staff with a police officer, blue shirt drenched in blood, on the trolley. As he passed me I heard one of the nurses state that she thought it was me and mentioned my name. I stood there in shock and could not even muster up a response to put the record straight.

I could sense the officer had gone but I did not at this stage recognise it was Dave.

Within seconds it seemed a doctor came through the plastic door covering shaking his head, I went over and asked him if the policeman was alright and he told me he had gone.

I stood there for a minute, regained myself and went across to the Police Station where I sought out the group inspector Tom Somerville. I told him what had happened and he said it could not be true and we both went back over the hospital so he could confirm the death.

I still have the actual copy of the telex message sent regarding the incident, the newspaper cuttings and the Order of Service for Dave's funeral.

It was said at the time that Dave had some tickets for a flight for him and his girlfriend for the following weekend.

A sad part of my Police career in the early days.

May Dave rest in peace.
 
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tackleman said:
Hi all, regarding this thread, I was David's partner in the job for several months at Steelhouse Lane. We shared quite a few incidents on nights in the town centre and I have a lot of memories of my time there.

<snip>
A sad part of my Police career in the early days.

May Dave rest in peace.
Click to expand...

I must have been wrong about who was in command that terrible evening, things happened so fast and as you can imagine knowing who was where was not easy to find out being an outsider as it were.

I may have met you as you walked the streets, there were so many of the lads from Steelhouse Lane that passed me on there way out, and in. I will never forget Dave and as you say may he rest in peace.
 
Hi again, yes you are probably right, we may have met up on one of my night shifts. I can remember several times having a tea and burger in the mobile unit that used to be at the top of the lane near to the old railway station. One of your lot helped me out when I was struggling to detain a couple of blokes in a taxi one night. They had been smashing in the shop windows and stealing goods from the displays. As I tried to hang onto them both I remember a chap running across and giving one a ' tap ' on the head which kept him quiet for a bit so I could cuff the other one. Some good nights spent at the Lane.
 
Yes they caught him a few days later hiding in a caravan, he was a young lad who got 14yrs and when led down the steps he gave a clenched fist salute to his mates in the gallery. No hope there then.
 
Sounds familiar, because of the liberalisation of the judicial process in the United Kingdom since the 1970's, this sort of reaction is now common place. If you think that only 14 years earlier, he would if over 18, been executed for the killing of a, "police officer in the execution of his duties".
 
Interesting and sad thread. I believe there is still a small plaque to PC Green on the public side of the front office at Steelhouse Lane, he is also remembered on the memorial to officers who died in service. This, until recently was at Lloyd House (headquarters) but due to refurbishment has been relocated to the Police premises at Tally Ho! on the Pershore road.
 
todays Birmingham Mail
40 years today;

Pc David Green was just 20 when he was knifed in the heart as a summer’s night turned to tragedy on July 17, 1975.
The lone officer was surrounded by a gang after he took a knife from a 19-year-old following a disco at the Rainbow Suite on High Street.
Pc Green was stabbed by a second man, aged 20, as those involved fled.
A carving knife was later found buried in a flowerbed near Rackhams department store.
Paint sprayer Desmond Arnas Wilson, of Nineveh Road, Handsworth, was jailed for life for the officer’s murder at Birmingham Crown Court in January 1976.
Two other youths were also convicted of assaulting the policeman.
 
I will see if I can get a picture of the plaque PC Green has and post it. I understand Steelhouse lane will cease to be a police station in a year or so as the refurbishment of Lloyd house is completed and the front office moves to that location.
 
Green.jpg
My first attempt at loading a picture on this forum. I visited Steelhouse Lane Police station and the plaque is still on the wall. There is a little flower pot below it but sadly nothing in it so I decided to not to show it but the plaque in well maintained. I understand Steelhouse Lane will close as a police station next year and not sure where this will move too, perhaps the refurbished Lloyd house?
 
thank you for posting a photo of the plaque david...lets hope it is put up at wherever the police move to...

lyn
 
Thank you for the picture of the plaque I will never forget that night, and I hope it will be placed where there's a large footfall. People need to know just how much our police risk when they walk the streets.
 
Old & Grey said:
As this is a Birmingham History forum and this is the Police section I thought I would mention a really nice guy who used to walk the beat from Steelhouse Lane. As the title says his name was P.C. David Green, or Dave as I knew him. When he was on duty either afternoon/evening or night shift he always stopped for a chat. He got to know the people on his beat and he was really well liked.

On Thursday 17th July 1975 at around 10:10pm he came up to me in Bull Street and after our usual banter he said "I want a quiet night! I think I'll go down Needless Alley and nick a drunk.", these were the last words he said to me.

About 40 minutes past and then there were Police cars every where. Three customers of mine ran past and one yelled "A copper got it." and then the town centre was locked down.

I closed up and headed in, as I went down the bottom end of Bull Street one of Dave's mate's was up on the canopy, I called up to ask what had happened and he said "Dave's been stabbed." I asked how bad to which he replied "He didn't make the ambulance."

It felt like a kick in the stomach, I had only been talking to him a short time before.

The next evening the tension in the air was tangible as the same shift came on duty. The boss I think his name was Inspector Somerville, I did hear his nickname was The Snake. Said that his officers were not going to let this affect them. They would go on duty as normal.

I went to his funeral in Northfield with a large wreath from all the Hot Dog men who knew him. It was a very sad occasion,but at least we were able to say goodbye to a very brave policeman.

What got me really annoyed was there was a left wing news rag that said that Dave used to walk the city with a police dog to antagonise a particular section of the community.

They said this so many times that some sections of said community thought it was true. I never saw Dave with a dog of any kind.

There was a bloke who used to walk around the town in a blue police raincoat with a Shepherd. He was very odd he would talk into a cigarette packet and make out it was a radio.
Click to expand...
Old & Grey said:
As this is a Birmingham History forum and this is the Police section I thought I would mention a really nice guy who used to walk the beat from Steelhouse Lane. As the title says his name was P.C. David Green, or Dave as I knew him. When he was on duty either afternoon/evening or night shift he always stopped for a chat. He got to know the people on his beat and he was really well liked.

On Thursday 17th July 1975 at around 10:10pm he came up to me in Bull Street and after our usual banter he said "I want a quiet night! I think I'll go down Needless Alley and nick a drunk.", these were the last words he said to me.

About 40 minutes past and then there were Police cars every where. Three customers of mine ran past and one yelled "A copper got it." and then the town centre was locked down.

I closed up and headed in, as I went down the bottom end of Bull Street one of Dave's mate's was up on the canopy, I called up to ask what had happened and he said "Dave's been stabbed." I asked how bad to which he replied "He didn't make the ambulance."

It felt like a kick in the stomach, I had only been talking to him a short time before.

The next evening the tension in the air was tangible as the same shift came on duty. The boss I think his name was Inspector Somerville, I did hear his nickname was The Snake. Said that his officers were not going to let this affect them. They would go on duty as normal.

I went to his funeral in Northfield with a large wreath from all the Hot Dog men who knew him. It was a very sad occasion,but at least we were able to say goodbye to a very brave policeman.

What got me really annoyed was there was a left wing news rag that said that Dave used to walk the city with a police dog to antagonise a particular section of the community.

They said this so many times that some sections of said community thought it was true. I never saw Dave with a dog of any kind.

There was a bloke who used to walk around the town in a blue police raincoat with a Shepherd. He was very odd he would talk into a cigarette packet and make out it was a radio.
Click to expand...
 
#oldandgrey - Having thought hard and long about it, you are right, it was Tom Somerville who was the Inspector that night.. I have adjusted my post accordingly. Well done, good memory.
 
Old & Grey said:
As this is a Birmingham History forum and this is the Police section I thought I would mention a really nice guy who used to walk the beat from Steelhouse Lane. As the title says his name was P.C. David Green, or Dave as I knew him. When he was on duty either afternoon/evening or night shift he always stopped for a chat. He got to know the people on his beat and he was really well liked.

On Thursday 17th July 1975 at around 10:10pm he came up to me in Bull Street and after our usual banter he said "I want a quiet night! I think I'll go down Needless Alley and nick a drunk.", these were the last words he said to me.

About 40 minutes past and then there were Police cars every where. Three customers of mine ran past and one yelled "A copper got it." and then the town centre was locked down.

I closed up and headed in, as I went down the bottom end of Bull Street one of Dave's mate's was up on the canopy, I called up to ask what had happened and he said "Dave's been stabbed." I asked how bad to which he replied "He didn't make the ambulance."

It felt like a kick in the stomach, I had only been talking to him a short time before.

The next evening the tension in the air was tangible as the same shift came on duty. The boss I think his name was Inspector Somerville, I did hear his nickname was The Snake. Said that his officers were not going to let this affect them. They would go on duty as normal.

I went to his funeral in Northfield with a large wreath from all the Hot Dog men who knew him. It was a very sad occasion,but at least we were able to say goodbye to a very brave policeman.

What got me really annoyed was there was a left wing news rag that said that Dave used to walk the city with a police dog to antagonise a particular section of the community.

They said this so many times that some sections of said community thought it was true. I never saw Dave with a dog of any kind.

There was a bloke who used to walk around the town in a blue police raincoat with a Shepherd. He was very odd he would talk into a cigarette packet and make out it was a radio.
Click to expand...
 
I was standing in the 33 Bus queue outside the Odeon New street cinema that evening having just put a girlfriend her bus outside Bogarts. Three lads ran up from high street past boots and went down towards corporation street. There was commotion coming from High street. The lads were " shorty boys". I have since learnt that the killer was amongst that group. The bus came and I got on it. It was the next day when I heard the news I found out about it.
 
I have only just read this thread, don't know how i missed it.
I see that the Inspector on duty was Inspector Tom Somerville, from the time he was young police officer in the 40s he was a colleague of my Dads. Tom was injured in the late 50s by a patient from Highcroft hospital who broke into a gun shop and shot Tom, if my memory is correct it was by the Horse trough in Aston.Luckily Tom made a brilliant recovery.
I last saw Tom in 1995 at my Dads funeral he told me he had written a book about his time in the force and had mentioned my Dad and their time as Pro-cons together at Victoria road.
I have never been able to find the book.
 
Alberta said:
I have only just read this thread, don't know how i missed it.
I see that the Inspector on duty was Inspector Tom Somerville, from the time he was young police officer in the 40s he was a colleague of my Dads. Tom was injured in the late 50s by a patient from Highcroft hospital who broke into a gun shop and shot Tom, if my memory is correct it was by the Horse trough in Aston.Luckily Tom made a brilliant recovery.
I last saw Tom in 1995 at my Dads funeral he told me he had written a book about his time in the force and had mentioned my Dad and their time as Pro-cons together at Victoria road.
I have never been able to find the book.
Click to expand...
I was a Constable at Queens Road from 1979 to 1986. At that time the firearms training unit was based there. I was told the story of the shooting by Sergeant 5345 Frank Brown. He joined 1963. I believe that I met Tom Somerville because Frank told me the tale how it all occurred by the Manor tavern pub Wainwright st at Portland St Lichfield road. I believe it would have been 1984 and Mr Somerville was about to retire from Firearms training.
 
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Alberta,

I've only just read this thread too because it was created whilst I was offline for three weeks. I've failed to find any book by Thomas Somerville relating to the police force, so either he never got around to getting it published, or it was published privately without an ISBN. However the incident referred to in your post #23 was reported in the Birmingham Daily Gazette dated 5 May 1951 and I reproduce it below.

Maurice

Somerville.jpg
 
Maximillian, you may have come across my Dad at Queens road, not sure of the dates but he did his 30years, I think he started 1948/49, he was on the beat,on the motor bikes and in later years was Gaffers driver and then as a civilian he was Vehicle controller at Queens Road, Tom'Dad' Moore.
 
Dave was my friend. We joined the cadets on the same day in 1971 and played rugby together he was a very swift winger and I played outside centre. Dave would have scored lots more tries if I had a better pass.
I was on nights the day he was murdered and we just had to get on with it.
Later on after an assault his mum sent me a book in the post, again due to the troubled it was received with suspicion and opened carefully. It contained a lively welwishing comment from Mrs Green. The Superinrendent at my station thought she was a racist for sending me the book, I've no idea how he made that link but that's what we were up against then.
The Angry Mountain by Hammond Innes.
 
For information, the plaque to PC Green mentioned earlier in this thread is now held in the police museum which is next door to where he worked at Steelhouse lane.
Steve R
 
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