THIS week in Down Memory Lane I recall an interesting and historically important figure who stood as candidate for parliament in Thurrock 66 years ago this week!

He wasawar hero. Having been wounded and captured at Calais in 1940, he was the first British officer to escape from Colditz Castle. I am sure you have seen the film, the person being Airey Middleton Sheffield Neave, DSO, OBE, MC, TD. He was later recruited as an intelligence agent for MI9, where he was the immediate superior of Michael Bentine.

He then served with the International Military Tribunal at the Nuremberg Trials. Being a qualified lawyer who spoke fluent German, he was given the role of reading the indictments to the Nazi leaders on trial.

Having left the Army, Airey Neave came to live in Thurrock from 1947, and stood for the Conservative Party at the February, 1950, election here. His family had lived in Essex for several generations and with his military service of 14 years, he was described as “a fighting man”.

I believe he lived in Chadwell St Mary during the lead-up to the election, and I would be interested to find out any details of where this was and any memories of him in the district. His Thurrock Conservative manifesto was endorsed by his wife Diana, who by this time had two children, Marigold and Patrick.

She suggested that “Thurrock women have the future in their hands. They know best what is best for their husbands and children ”. However, her husband lost the election to Hugh James Delargy, who continued as MP for Thurrock until his death in 1976. Neave went on to Ealing North in 1951 and was finally elected as MP for Abingdon in a by-election in June 1953.

Many will recall that Airey Neave was killed on March 30, 1979, when a magnetic car bomb fitted with a ball bearing tilt switch exploded under his car as he drove out of the Palace of Westminster underground car park–another fascinating character who has been involved in Thurrock’s unique heritage.

DOWN MEMORY LANE is written by local historian JONATHAN CATTON, in partnership with Thurrock Museum. Memories, photographs or objects relating to Thurrock’s past will be gratefully received for the museum collections. Contact by letter at Thurrock Museum, Thameside Complex, Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DX, make a personal visit, or email Thurrock.Museum@thurrock.gov.uk