The sister of one of the victims of the Great Train Robbery has today said she believes her brother died at just 34 because he never recovered from the trauma of the attack.
Speaking exclusively to Chronicle chief reporter Belinda Ryan, Nancy Barkley said her brother, David Whitby, feared for his life during the actual attack and never got over the shock
And she told how the press and media reports continually focusing on the effect of the robbers and their families ‘really wind me up’.
“It just winds me up. I get madder and madder the more I watch it,” said Nancy Barkley. “People say they (the robbers) got 30 years and you don’t get that for murder. My brother never got married, he never had the chance of having children. He never had the chance of seeing his niece and nephew grow up.”
David Whitby, who lived in Crewe, was the co-driver of the train which was hijacked by the 15-strong gang on that fateful day on August 8 1963 – 50 years ago today.
The Great Train Robbery – as it has since been called – is often glamorised.
Films have been made about how the mail train, which was travelling from Glasgow to London, was hijacked in Buckinghamshire and the robbers got away with millions of pounds.
Films have been made about some of the gang members and their families – most notably Ronnie Biggs and Buster Edwards.
But what is often forgotten is that there were several victims in Crewe – the two rail workers, train driver Jack Mills and co-driver David Whitby – and their families.
Mr Mills was coshed over the head with an iron bar and left unconscious.
He died six years later at the age of 64.
His family said he never recovered from his injuries.
Mrs Barkley said: “They didn’t actually hit David. After Jack had been attacked they handcuffed them together and they had one of the robbers standing over them.
“My brother was 25 and he had led a very sheltered life. He was never the same after the robbery. He was so quiet – never the same.”
David Whitby was just 34-years-old when he died of a heart attack.
“Personally I think this (the robbery) contributed to it,” said Mrs Barkley.
She told how her brother was terrified when he went back to work after the robbery.
“When he went back to work the first time and they went through the spot where it happened the driver with him let drive the train,” she said.
“He said there was no way he was going to stop. He said he went through there at about 90 miles an hour.”
