South Yorkshire Times, January 23rd, 1960
Mexboro’ R.A.F. Officer Detained After Accident
Although relieved to learn that their son was released from a Spanish gaol on Wednesday, Mr. and Mrs. F. Baxter, of Cemetery Road, Mexborough, have not been unduly alarmed about his detention since December 30th.
Mr. Baxter, headmaster of Doncaster Road Junior School, served at Gibraltar with the Royal Navy during the 1st World War, and is well acquainted with Spanish judicial procedure.
When they learned that their son, Flying Officer Peter Baxter (23), had been detained pending enquiries into a motoring accident they were not greatly worried because they knew that the normal practice is to hold a driver until a report is submitted about the condition of the injured pedestrian. In this case, a seven-years-old girl was involved, but Mr. and Mrs. Baxter were relieved to hear that she was only slightly hurt and was soon “running about again.”
According to letters from Peter, the long delay appears to have been due to the absence on holiday of the judge to whom the report had to be submitted
Quite Cheerful
“His letters have been quite cheerful” said Mr. Baxter, who added that he knew the prison where Peter will have been held at La Linea, which is only a short distance from Gibraltar “just over the border in Spanish territory.”
“I have no doubt that he will have been regularly visited by his R.A.F. pals,” said Mr. Baxter.
Flying Officer Baxter has been serving at Gibraltar for several months with R.A.F. Coastal Command. A former pupil of Mexborough Grammar School he joined the R.A.F. as a career and took his flying training in Canada. The accompanying photograph was taken when he was awarded his “Wings” at a Graduation Exercise at Manitoba in 1956. Flying Officer Baxter was release on bail of 50,000 pesetas to face a driving charge later and on Wednesday his parents received a wire from him stating “Quite Well. Writing.”