THE SANDBAGGERS "Enough of Ghosts" 1980
The SANDBAGGERS was a UK series set during the Cold War. The series follows a small unit of the SIS, which deals with various intelligence gathering problems. (Or eliminating said problems) The cast includes Roy Marsden, Ray Lonnen, David Glyder, Liz Bennett, Richard Vernon, Bob Sherman and Jerome Willis. The series ran for 20 episodes between 1978 and 1980.This is the 9th episode of the production run.
Roy Marsden is in charge of a covert action section of the UK Secret Service, the SIS.
Things are starting to quiet down at the SIS after the death of Sandbagger David Beames on a mission in Bulgaria. The low alert status soon changes when Marsden's ex-father in law and Cabinet contact goes missing. The man, Alan MacNaughtan was in Brussels to attend a top NATO briefing. The man, his car and driver all disappeared on their way from the hotel to the NATO meeting.
Alerts go out for possible leads on the disappearance. Could it be the work of the KGB, or some terrorist group like "The Red Army Faction" or the "Baader-Meinhof Gang"? SIS is on the horn to various other security services like the CIA and the West German GSG. The driver is soon found alive and trussed up and dumped in an industrial area. All he can say is he was jumped by several men.
The plot now jumps to MacNaughtan and his captors, three German speaking men. MacNaughtan is told that if he behaves he will not be harmed. MacNaughtan assumes that the offer is false and it is one of the West German terrorist groups. These groups, "Red Army Faction" etc, were known for grabbing up government types and seldom releasing them alive.
SIS boss, Marsden, sends both of his Sandbaggers to Brussels to work with the locals and NATO types. The best lead comes from the West German anti-terrorist unit, GSG. They tell SIS that there is a small group of German terrorists hiding out in Belgium. The problem is that they are not sure about were. They will keep the Brits advised on any leads.
The West Germans soon have a solid lead on where the terrorists are hiding out. The West Germans, the UK bunch, and the Belgium Police raid the safe house and grab up a half dozen of the Red types. There is no MacNaughtan present though.
Marsden is now on scene and thinks there are several rodents at play here with the package of cheese. And Marsden turns out to be correct. The West Germans had actually grabbed up MacNaughtan. The West Germans wanted the Belgium Security Forces to move faster on the Red Types. They figured that a NATO type vanishing would speed up matters. It did. MacNaughtan is of course released unharmed and was not ever in any danger.
Marsden is less than amused with the GSG move, but, sees it as a play to file away for his own use if needed at a later date.
The more of this series that I see, the better I like it. Superb writing and acting from start to finish.
The SANDBAGGERS was a UK series set during the Cold War. The series follows a small unit of the SIS, which deals with various intelligence gathering problems. (Or eliminating said problems) The cast includes Roy Marsden, Ray Lonnen, David Glyder, Liz Bennett, Richard Vernon, Bob Sherman and Jerome Willis. The series ran for 20 episodes between 1978 and 1980.This is the 9th episode of the production run.
Roy Marsden is in charge of a covert action section of the UK Secret Service, the SIS.
Things are starting to quiet down at the SIS after the death of Sandbagger David Beames on a mission in Bulgaria. The low alert status soon changes when Marsden's ex-father in law and Cabinet contact goes missing. The man, Alan MacNaughtan was in Brussels to attend a top NATO briefing. The man, his car and driver all disappeared on their way from the hotel to the NATO meeting.
Alerts go out for possible leads on the disappearance. Could it be the work of the KGB, or some terrorist group like "The Red Army Faction" or the "Baader-Meinhof Gang"? SIS is on the horn to various other security services like the CIA and the West German GSG. The driver is soon found alive and trussed up and dumped in an industrial area. All he can say is he was jumped by several men.
The plot now jumps to MacNaughtan and his captors, three German speaking men. MacNaughtan is told that if he behaves he will not be harmed. MacNaughtan assumes that the offer is false and it is one of the West German terrorist groups. These groups, "Red Army Faction" etc, were known for grabbing up government types and seldom releasing them alive.
SIS boss, Marsden, sends both of his Sandbaggers to Brussels to work with the locals and NATO types. The best lead comes from the West German anti-terrorist unit, GSG. They tell SIS that there is a small group of German terrorists hiding out in Belgium. The problem is that they are not sure about were. They will keep the Brits advised on any leads.
The West Germans soon have a solid lead on where the terrorists are hiding out. The West Germans, the UK bunch, and the Belgium Police raid the safe house and grab up a half dozen of the Red types. There is no MacNaughtan present though.
Marsden is now on scene and thinks there are several rodents at play here with the package of cheese. And Marsden turns out to be correct. The West Germans had actually grabbed up MacNaughtan. The West Germans wanted the Belgium Security Forces to move faster on the Red Types. They figured that a NATO type vanishing would speed up matters. It did. MacNaughtan is of course released unharmed and was not ever in any danger.
Marsden is less than amused with the GSG move, but, sees it as a play to file away for his own use if needed at a later date.
The more of this series that I see, the better I like it. Superb writing and acting from start to finish.
