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was designed specifically to facilitate his escape which led
through, again based on Intelligence, Tivoli Gardens up into
Hannah Town, into lower St. Andrew, into upper St. Andrew
over into St. Mary and then into St. Ann.”
13.28.
We have already reported that the movement of 2JR along
Industrial Terrace into Java where Coke was thought to be, was considerably
slowed by the effective fire of gunmen. As a consequence, the plan to establish
a cordon around Tivoli Gardens was derailed by the conditions of combat and the
associated risks to the security forces. According to SSP. Donovan Graham:
“Persons who were placed in the cordon were given specific
instructions to pay attention to the waterways – not to be
deployed in the waterways – they were to pay attention to
the waterways.”
13.29.
Similarly, creating a buffer zone and blocking entrances and exits of
Tivoli Gardens to and from the North was delayed because of heavy resistance
from gunmen. It was in this area that Pte. Green was shot fatally.
Lt. Col. Ogilvie explained to Lord Gifford that his Battalion staff was to seal off
the Northern boundary on Spanish Town Road and 40 police officers and 100
soldiers were assigned the task using three different directions. But he said –
“Because we could not get in place at a fast enough pace,
an opportunity may have been provided to facilitate Coke’s
escape.”
13.30.
However, although CoP Ellington thought that Pte. Green’s death
delayed the creation of a buffer zone, his opinion was not shared by Maj. Henry.
He was not convinced that the death of Pte. Green necessarily caused a critical
delay in the progress of Bravo Company. As Maj. Henry expressly said -
“The original plan for Platoon #4 to move South was
hindered not by the casualties but by the fact that they had
to withdraw to MSOC to secure the facility and they were
under sustained fire from all directions. The death of
Pte. Green and injuries to two other Privates was not the
cause of the operation being held up.”