28th February 1939

Mainlanders arrested on explosives charges

Leonard Groves was arrested at a Jersey hotel by a local police officer, Clarence Grant, and handed over to officers who had flown across from the mainland. He was to answer a charge of possessing explosives, after police had discovered 150 detonators, four ounces of gelignite and a dozen safety fuses at his Kensington home. 

But Groves wasn’t the only one detained. George Darry, whose stash was a little smaller but still comprised eight detonators, five fuses and another quantity of gelignite, was arrested alongside him, and the two were flown back to Bournemouth post-haste.

The Western Gazette of 10 March quoted Dorothy Young, acting manageress of the Hotel de la Plage where the men had been staying, explaining that they had arrived on 7 February and asked her to place twenty £1 notes in the hotel safe for safekeeping.

The men were subsequently charged under the Explosive Substances Act following a break-in at a London office.