A friend of my parents, a Mr Stark, was the Chief Board of Trade investigator in Scotland. He investigated the "liberation" of the cargo from a grounded merchantman in the Western Isles, later to to become well known  as the "Whisky Galore" affair. However prior to his taking up the appointment he had been head of Special Branch in Renfrewshire. One night he was called out to go to Eaglesham Police Station to investigate and report on a German airman being held there. On arrival at Eaglesham it was clear that this was no ordinary prisoner and arrangements were made to transfer him in the morning. He was then escorted to Maryhill Barracks and handed over to military custody. In all Stark probably spent about 8 hours in contact with Hess. When he told the story in later years he added his assessment that "Hess was mad as a hatter".

Stark was a big (weren't they all!) scottish policeman who hailed from highland stock. He displayed the straightforward shrewdness that seemed to characterise the police of that era. He was a good "thief taker" and after the war rose to become deputy Chief Constable of Renfrewshire. I listened to his stories and I listened when others spoke of him, all respected him although some may have feared him. I know people who guarded Hess in Spandau years later and all they tell me would appear to back up Stark's original assessment:

Mad as a hatter!

exmpa