Paper Trail Pro Podcast

Podcast 5: The Myth of the Orange Pimpernel

In this Paper Trail Pro podcast, we examine the Myth of the Orange Pimpernel.

Secret British archives prove that Gusty Spence did not escape from police custody when he was the most wanted Loyalist in the north of Ireland. The police simply released him and helped create the Myth of the Orange Pimpernel.
Government Line

This podcast documents the realisation by the British political and military elite, including the British Prime Minister himself, that Gusty Spence had been arrested as planned but released by the RUC police force, undermining the whole British Army operation.

This podcast also proves that the Chief Constable at the time was forced to investigate Spence’s release by his police force and report back to the British government. Meanwhile, the British Prime Minister, Edward Heath, was alerted prior to a meeting with Taoiseach Jack Lynch. Heath was advised to follow the line that allegations of Spence’s escape were being investigated.

Since then, the government line taken was that it was a police mistake and that Spence had not been identified by the officers on duty, and that there was no disagreement with the British Army.

This line was a complete lie.

Listen to the podcast above or read about it here.

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