Page 15 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

The Lost Paragons – John F Plimmer

John Plimmer retired from the West Midlands
force as Head of CID following a 31 year
illustrious career in which he was responsible for
the investigation of more than 30 murder
inquiries, all of which were detected successfully.
During a 4 year period working for the Regional
Crime Squad and Security Forces, Plimmer
participated in the introduction of professional
training and support for covert agents in the
West Midlands and other parts of the country. His
experience in dealing with undercover
operations linked him with overseas agents in
Holland, Belgium, Spain, Morocco and Germany.

John takes the reader inside the minds of crime squad detectives, describing
in depth the pressures and tribulations individual officers experienced
throughout their daily lives, leading up to the disbandment of the most
creditable and successful major crime investigation squad in the country.
Never before as such an in-depth exercise taken place to reveal the true
problems and difficulties faced by a police force already under siege from
the Judiciary and national media.

John Plimmer was on duty on a dark and damp November night on the 21
st
November 1974, in Birmingham’s city centre. Much has been written about
the incidents of that dreadful night. The Tavern in the Town and Mulberry Bush
were public houses, both situated in New Street, filled to capacity with mostly
young revellers, enjoying the warm atmosphere of relaxation and merriment,
unaware of the devastating atrocities that were to take place. Bombs were
exploded in both establishments, causing the deaths of 21 people with 182
other innocent victims being left seriously injured.
Minutes after the explosions, John was in the midst of the horror, helping to lift
the injured and dying out of one of the places that had suffered so much
carnage. Young men and women mostly, some with horrific life threatening
injuries, others more fortunate. But all suffering severely from shock.

A total of twenty one people lost their lives that night, ten in the Mulberry Bush
and another eleven in the Tavern.

Whilst not directly involved in the arrest and interview of the six men arrested
that night, he was present when the men made their first and subsequent
appearances in court, required as he was to see if he could recognise any of
the men from his visit to one of the establishments earlier that evening. Whilst
not recognising any of them, he was able to confirm no facial injuries were Page15