Gentle Johnny Ramensky: The Extraordinary True Story of the Safe Blower Who Became a War Hero

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He escaped from Peterhead in 1952, and three times in 1958, feats that really did elevate him to the status of living legend. Even Peterhead Prison, where he famously spent many years, has created an exhibition in their museum to chart the different aspects of his life and career. He did after claiming he had been refused permission to attend his wife's funeral, though some say she was still alive at the time.

The tough regime there turned him into a fitness fanatic and he was an accomplished gymnast by his release in 1924. Dennis Whitcombe, now in his 90s and living at Cwmbran recalled his Scottish commando colleague: “Johnny Ramensky was one of our number, a pleasant bloke you never would have guessed was one of the most notorious safebreakers in British history. He changed his name, first to Johnny Ramensky, then John Ramenski and finally John Ramsay and it was 1934 when he became known to the public after breaking out of Peterhead for the first time. It is not too much of a leap of the imagination to suggest that these might have been some of the artwork and jewellery taken by Ramesky when Rome fell to the Allies? Gold is said to have disappeared from Rome, so who knows? It is one of the many mysteries surrounding Johnny’s life.” He was one of our number, a pleasant bloke you never would have guessed was one of the most notorious safebreakers in British history. From time to time, he would disappear for several days. Most of the time, we didn’t know precisely what he had been asked to do, although it wasn’t hard to catch the general drift of things.They called him ‘Gentleman’ and so he was. But he was a hero, too.”Again, it was a loud blast and his getaway was hampered because the haul was largely in old half-crown coins.

It was also said that the classic World War Two adventure novel The Guns of Navarone.by best selling Glasgow author Alistair McLean - and Hollywood movie adaptation - was based on some of Johnnys commando exploits.

‘He canna live on neeps for nine days’

Freed again in 1964, Ramensky blew the safe at Woolworths in Paisley. But it was an American safe and he used too much explosives and the blast blew out every window in the building. Unfortunately, the explosion was so loud that officers in the local police station heard the blast. Again, it was loud blast and he hampered making his getaway because the haul was largely in old half-crown coins. He had no chance of outrunning the police. In 1925, Johnny received his first adult jail sentence. He was given 18 months for an amazing 16 housebreaking charges, all of them carried out within a matter of months after his release from Polmont. Roddy McMillan, noted Scottish actor, wrote Ramensky Must Go Free sometimes given as Let Ramensky Go. [4] [8] Further reading [ edit ]

Now, don’t tell anyone that you have seen me. You can tell your mother, but don’t tell her until the night. ANOTHER journalist wrote: “Probably no figure is better known in Scotland today than Johnny Ramensky. And it is undoubtedly true that almost all people, regardless of the rights or wrongs of his case, felt some sympathy for the man who detested prison so strongly that he broke out of Scotland’s strongest jail five times.” His 1934 escape had followed the death of his young wife die when he was refused permission to attend the funeral. On the contrary, he said with a pleading voice: “I’ve got a wee grandson, but I have never seen him.

His capture caused a hubbub

He carried on chatting to the lads and asked them their names and ages, although they later reported he had spoken gently and without any threat. This time he was sentenced to two years inside. On his release, he was caught on a shop roof in Ayr, which resulted in another year inside. The driver attempted to reverse close up against the side door, but was unable to manoeuvre properly because of the crush. One of his defence lawyers described his client having “a lifelong compulsion to break into whatever he was out of, and out of whatever he was inside”. A huge manhunt was mounted, and he was caught the following day, having travelled 22 miles in foot,

In October 1938, he was sentenced to five years penal servitude for safeblowing and attempted safeblowing. I went to speak to this small, squat man with blue eyes who told me his name was John Ramsay from Rutherglen. He initially worked down the coal mines, similar to his father who had been a clay miner, and it was there he became familiar with the uses of dynamite. [3] [4] Criminal career [ edit ] It was while in Peterhead in 1943, as war raged across Europe, that Ramensky's life took a dramatic turn. It was while in Peterhead in 1942, as war raged across Europe, that Ramensky's life took a dramatic turn.

Johnny was stoical about his fate

With little cash, Yonas turned to crime and by the age of 16 he found himself in Polmont Young Offenders Institution, near Falkirk, for burglary. Each man has an ambition and I fulfilled mine years ago. I cherish my career as a safe-blower. In childhood days, my feet were planted on the crooked path and took firm root.