First and foremost, my thanks to my friend, Flying Squad colleague and fellow author, Paul Millen, the former Scientific Support Manager for Surrey Police and arguably the world’s finest crime scene investigator, for his exceptionally kind and thoughtfully written foreword to this book.
My thanks also to Brigadier Henry Wilson for his unflagging support, together with my deep appreciation for the staff at Pen & Sword Books: Matt Jones, Lori Jones and others too numerous to mention. A special thank you to Jon Wilkinson for his superlative and imaginative designs for the jacket covers which undoubtedly sell the books and to George Chamier, whose sharp-eyed editing is easily a match for those old-time First Class Detective Sergeants who wielded a red pen – only he does it with much more humanity.
I owe a debt of thanks to all those backroom people without whose help I should have stumbled at the first hurdle: Bob Fenton QGM, Honorary Secretary of the Ex-CID Officers’ Association; Susi Rogol, Editor of the London Police Pensioner magazine; Mick Carter, secretary of The ReCIDivists’ Luncheon Club; Chloe Guy-Pearson, Searchroom Assistant, Suffolk Record Office and Alan Moss of History by the Yard (whose encyclopaedic knowledge of the Metropolitan Police leaves my jaw permanently dropped).
I’m deeply obliged to the following who gave so unselfishly of their time in the compilation of this book: Stuart Bailey; Geoff Cameron; Kenneth Davies; Bernie Davis; David Hewett; Maurice Marshall; Geoff Parratt; Alex Ross; Graham Seaby; John Spears; John Troon; the late Lou van Dyke; and Tony Yeoman.
I’m most grateful to those who provided me with photographs: Bernie Davis; Mick Gray; David Hewett; Maurice Marshall; Geoff Parratt; Alex Ross; and John Troon. Other photographs are from the author’s collection, and whilst every effort has been made to trace copyright holders, the publishers and I apologise for any inadvertent omissions.
My thanks go to my daughter, Sue Cowper, and her husband Steve for rescuing me from the minefield of cyber cock-ups, as well as the love and support I have received from their children, Harry Cowper, Emma Cowper B. Mus, Jessica Cowper B. Mus – plus my other daughter, Barbara Jerreat, her husband Rich and their children, Sam and Annie Grace, my sons Mark and Robert, but most of all my wife, Ann, who for over 55 years has stood by me.
Dick Kirby
Suffolk, 2019