FIFTY YEARS AGO Thursday March 11 1971

Marines scare: contact made with ‘missing’ commandos

Carradale was buzzing with excitement this week when it was discovered four Marine commandos had been missing for days in the hills of Kintyre.

The Marines, who were taking part in an exercise, were to have reported back to a vessel berthed at Carradale harbour, to be taken back to the barracks.

The original number of ‘missing’ men had been 12, but eight gradually found their way back to the boat, an Admiralty MFV.

Villagers were concerned about the safety of the Marines, who were not accounted for.

A Marine spokesman told the Courier at Carradale on Tuesday evening that four men were still ‘missing’. Minutes later, the MFV steamed away from the village, minus the men.

A Land Rover had earlier searched a wide area in vain for them. On Tuesday morning, three Marines called at the village bar and asked for sandwiches. An employee said they were obviously very tired and had just come from the hills.

Contact was established with the missing men in the early hours of yesterday. They had been in the hills and were discovered by a Land Rover which had been searching for them.

The men were yesterday trying to make their way back to the base at Plymouth. It is understood they have not been seen since the weekend.

The men had, in fact, being separated for a time but had managed to meet up with each other, too late to catch the boat at a pre-arranged rendezvous.

Council brevities

❚ The cost of converting council-controlled coin-operated locks to take decimal currency was to be £500. Since the annual return from the locks amounted to only £39, the council has decided to dispense with them.

❚ Fees on the burgh putting green and trampolines this summer will be 3p (adults) and 2p (juniors).

❚ The council on Monday evening agreed to accept an amended plan of the swimming pool. The building will not now have a learners’ pool or wall of glass brick, but windows can still be fitted.