UK UK - Corrie McKeague, 23, Bury St Edmunds, 24 September 2016 #11

[AtaraMalka]

We have been told countless times this is normal Corrie behaviour by both the family and his CO. The answer therefore IMO will be in how and with whom he normally spent his weekends off. This will therefore be known by these people who knew him best. This is where the answer must lie imho.

Agree that who he spent his time with at weekends is probably crucial.

It still bothers me that he was so vulnerable, though. Normal 'Corrie' behavior is not really safe behavior, IMHO.

 

[Shiressleuth]

Agree that who he spent his time with at weekends is probably crucial.

It still bothers me that he was so vulnerable, though. Normal 'Corrie' behavior is not really safe behavior, IMHO.

Well everyone was aware of the behaviour (lifestyle as mentioned by his departing CO) and it was accepted, it seems. Did any adjacent area phone mast get checked e.g.Thetford, Haverhill, Ipswich and Cambridge. I.e NSE and W ? Why do you say he was vulnerable? In what way do you mean? Because he was drunk? His last drink must have been almost 3 hours earlier unless he was drinking in the doorway?

 

[katemess]

I would think that if someone innocently gave him a lift and harm came to him afterwards, that that person would come forward and let them know where he was dropped off.

 

[Pooks101]

The Army base was almost empty today as most people are on block leave over Christmas and New Year already. I was also out over the weekend - my local town is usually full of soldiers - and it was empty! I'm not sure how/if security is being stepped up, purely because of the time of year... there's no training going on at the local firing ranges and holidays have started so there's only minimal staff about.
Not sure this answers your question, my brain is a hive of useless information!

Interesting, Pooks.

So what does that mean in terms of the actual rules of conduct of military personnel themselves? Does it change anything about their training, or what they are permitted to do off-duty? Or is it just a case of being more careful generally speaking?

 

[AtaraMalka]

Well everyone was aware of the behaviour (lifestyle as mentioned by his departing CO) and it was accepted, it seems. Did any adjacent area phone mast get checked e.g.Thetford, Haverhill, Ipswich and Cambridge. I.e NSE and W ?

They certainly do seem to have accepted it, yes - whether reluctantly or otherwise we don't know. It seems to me odd that such potentially dangerous behavior was accepted, but there you go.

I would have thought they'd have been very through with phone masts for quite a radius, in the absence of other 'hard facts' - but I don't know.

 

[Shiressleuth]

They certainly do seem to have accepted it, yes - whether reluctantly or otherwise we don't know. It seems to me odd that such potentially dangerous behavior was accepted, but there you go.

I would have thought they'd have been very through with phone masts for quite a radius, in the absence of other 'hard facts' - but I don't know.

I would be interested to know what you thought of the CO's tv interview broadcast on his last day in the job? He is being promoted and will be a liaison in DC I believe next year.

 

[AtaraMalka]

The Army base was almost empty today as most people are on block leave over Christmas and New Year already. I was also out over the weekend - my local town is usually full of soldiers - and it was empty! I'm not sure how/if security is being stepped up, purely because of the time of year... there's no training going on at the local firing ranges and holidays have started so there's only minimal staff about.
Not sure this answers your question, my brain is a hive of useless information!

So interesting, Pooks.

Do do you know what happens if a soldier stays out of the base for the week-end or overnight? Do they have to phone in at any point or ask permission first?

 

[PurpleWitch]

I've had a thought tonight. What if Corrie met up with a girl from a traveller family, and got caught with her. There's a travellers site at Mildenhall at Beck Row where there were searches recently.

 

[AtaraMalka]

I would think that if someone innocently gave him a lift and harm came to him afterwards, that that person would come forward and let them know where he was dropped off.

Most probably, though sometimes even a completely innocent person withholds info.

Thats ts partly why I've got a bee in my bonnet about the military thing. People close ranks, protect themselves and each other, and might be more reluctant to come forward in certain circumstances. Likewise with the police.

But I agree that on balance an innocent lift looks like a less likely option here.

 

[SLD286]

I walked through the Horseshoe the other night and took this photo. It's roughly how Corrie was facing when he walked out of CCTV coverage. Two things strike me: at least one of the bins not locked as rubbish is wedging it open. The second is the open door in the white panelling in the far corner. I'd never noticed it before and I lived in the centre of Bury St edmunds for 6 years (live just outside now). Whilst I was looking at my phone someone jogged past me and up the steps to the door, there's a staircase beyond it. Don't know if it's a flat or offices up there, but the door has number '26' beside it. Doesn't seem to be 26 Short Brackland, I've been trying to work out where it leads to, it's not Superdrug as that's to the left. If it's the next property to Superdrug, that's Carphone Warehouse.

 

[Shiressleuth]

I walked through the Horseshoe the other night and took this photo. It's roughly how Corrie was facing when he walked out of CCTV coverage. Two things strike me: at least one of the bins not locked as rubbish is wedging it open. The second is the open door in the white panelling in the far corner. I'd never noticed it before and I lived in the centre of Bury St edmunds for 6 years (live just outside now). Whilst I was looking at my phone someone jogged past me and up the steps to the door, there's a staircase beyond it. Don't know if it's a flat or offices up there, but the door has number '26' beside it. Doesn't seem to be 26 Short Brackland, I've been trying to work out where it leads to, it's not Superdrug as that's to the left. If it's the next property to Superdrug, that's Carphone Warehouse.

What a good spot. I think you should let the police and the family know about this.
Ps. It didn't look like corrie did it?

 

[Miss_French]

Thanks Jean-Claud and Miss French

Just about security really. Is it normal for personnel to be out alone at night? Throw in large amounts of alcohol and the person is every vulnerable. I sort of find it hard to believe that this is considered safe and responsible conduct...

Again, I'm not criticizing Corrie or anyone else. For the purposes of ths case, I'm interested in whether this conduct was within usual Air Force parameters or not.

Firstly, I'll repeat what I posted a while back about how Corrie could have been left to drive in; Friday nights it was usually meet in the bar after work & a couple of people would volunteer to drive into town. The arrangement would be "we're leaving from this place in the car park at X o'clock" and if you weren't there, tough, you didn't get much leeway. Those who had been drinking would want to get off into town, and if you're sober and driving it could get rowdy if you hung round. If anyone had missed a lift, they either caught up by taxi or didn't bother.

Once in town there would be some kind of plan for which bars & clubs to visit, sometimes a takeaway at the end of the night. People would wander off, but just within a bar to chat someone up and there would be falling asleep in a corner seat; somehow even the less popular in the group would get rounded up and we'd move on together. I don't even recall stories from other sections on the bases where people had wandered off.

Ok, some of the lads had to be persuaded not to go off with a girl from a bar, and I had to see a groom safely back to base on his stag night, but there were always some sensible heads on and we looked out for each other. If I had heard anything about any of my guys sleeping in doorways there would have been something said!

 

[SLD286]

Here's a close up. The grey button on the right of the door is a light switch. The faded notice on the wall warns not to climb up as there are spikes.

Sorry don't know why it's sideways, trying to correct...

 

[MidsummersDay]

I walked through the Horseshoe the other night and took this photo. It's roughly how Corrie was facing when he walked out of CCTV coverage. Two things strike me: at least one of the bins not locked as rubbish is wedging it open. The second is the open door in the white panelling in the far corner. I'd never noticed it before and I lived in the centre of Bury St edmunds for 6 years (live just outside now). Whilst I was looking at my phone someone jogged past me and up the steps to the door, there's a staircase beyond it. Don't know if it's a flat or offices up there, but the door has number '26' beside it. Doesn't seem to be 26 Short Brackland, I've been trying to work out where it leads to, it's not Superdrug as that's to the left. If it's the next property to Superdrug, that's Carphone Warehouse.

I've just done a double take at these photos as your post was interesting to say the least. The double take was because I didn't see the dark car parked up side on!!!
Could Corrie have done the same thing?!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Shiressleuth]

Here's a close up. The grey button on the right of the door is a light switch. The faded notice on the wall warns not to climb up as there are spikes.

Sorry don't know why it's sideways, trying to correct...

I have to say you were brave and you should be careful and maybe not be on your own. That's steps going up on the inside isn't it?

 

[SLD286]

Thank you for your concern, Shiressleuth, it was only 6.30pm and I'm a local girl, it's a really busy cut through and several people walked up and down when I was there, it truly wasn't scary. And yes, there are steps going up inside. I ccouldn't see how many doors were up there: at least one.

 

[Miss_French]

So interesting, Pooks.

Do do you know what happens if a soldier stays out of the base for the week-end or overnight? Do they have to phone in at any point or ask permission first?

There are restrictions on trainees and when they are allowed off base, but once you are working in the military proper, there's more freedom. If you are off-shift your time is your own; so if you work Mon-Fri the weekend is free; you can do your own thing, tho there will be a contact number on your records. if you want to take leave (ie time off when you would normally be working) you would submit the dates and adress/contact and that would have to be approved.

 

[AtaraMalka]

I would be interested to know what you thought of the CO's tv interview broadcast on his last day in the job? He is being promoted and will be a liaison in DC I believe next year.

Thanks, Shiresleuth. I thought, for what it's worth, that he sounded a bit guarded - mainly talking in platitudes like 'we hope to see Corrie home soon' and so on, and downplaying the idea that there was anything unusual about the situation. But obviously, there is something amiss, or Corrie wouldn't be missing.

Perhaps he's just being professional in keeping everything very factual and not indulging publically in speculation. I would have thought - or at least hoped - that behind the scenes however, the military is making their own investigations into what happened. Most armies and air forces go to the ends of the earth to get their missing people returned..

What do you think?

 

[MidsummersDay]

Thank you for your concern, Shiressleuth, it was only 6.30pm and I'm a local girl, it's a really busy cut through and several people walked up and down when I was there, it truly wasn't scary. And yes, there are steps going up inside. I ccouldn't see how many doors were up there: at least one.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[AtaraMalka]

Firstly, I'll repeat what I posted a while back about how Corrie could have been left to drive in; Friday nights it was usually meet in the bar after work & a couple of people would volunteer to drive into town. The arrangement would be "we're leaving from this place in the car park at X o'clock" and if you weren't there, tough, you didn't get much leeway. Those who had been drinking would want to get off into town, and if you're sober and driving it could get rowdy if you hung round. If anyone had missed a lift, they either caught up by taxi or didn't bother.

Once in town there would be some kind of plan for which bars & clubs to visit, sometimes a takeaway at the end of the night. People would wander off, but just within a bar to chat someone up and there would be falling asleep in a corner seat; somehow even the less popular in the group would get rounded up and we'd move on together. I don't even recall stories from other sections on the bases where people had wandered off.

Ok, some of the lads had to be persuaded not to go off with a girl from a bar, and I had to see a groom safely back to base on his stag night, but there were always some sensible heads on and we looked out for each other. If I had heard anything about any of my guys sleeping in doorways there would have been something said!

Interesting, particularly the very last part!