THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

Further important developments have followed the discovery of an extensive plot to smuggle arms from Germany into Ireland. It will be recalled that Customs and Admiralty officials boarded two vessels which had just arrived in a Scottish port. Below a layer of barrels which contained lager beer were found other and larger barrels, which on examination, it is said, were discovered to be closely packed with arms of all descriptions – light artillery, machine guns, rifles and ammunition. These have now been landed.

50 years ago

The planned motor blockade of Heathrow Airport, London, yesterday was a failure. The organisers of CHAOS, the Close Heathrow Airport on Sunday’s campaign, expected more than 1,000 supporters to take their cars to choke access roads. “But in the end we must have had only 50 to 100,” said Mr Gordon Landsborough,” author and publisher, who dreamed up the new-style demonstration. He blamed the poor turnout largely on “British inertia” and the fact that many people were on holiday.

25 years ago

A man is expected to appear in court at Cupar today after a siege involving armed police in Newport yesterday. The tense hour-long drama ended on the Tay Road Bridge some distance from the Fife landfall when what appeared to be a shotgun fell into the river. The chase, during which at least one shot was fired, followed an incident at the Clydesdale Bank in Tayport, when a man allegedly held up the branch and escaped with a four-figure sum of money. At around 4.30pm the action moved to Newport where streets were sealed off.

One year ago

Angus passengers were ferried home by taxi after a train driver missed a platform. “Human error” was blamed for the mishap as the Edinburgh to Arbroath train stopped around 200 metres past the station at Monifieth. Bemused passengers were forced to wait as the driver tried to find out whether he could reverse back up the line. The request was turned down by management and the train continued on to Arbroath where four passengers who wanted to get off at Monifieth were taxied back, with Scotrail picking up the tab.