2nd March 1960, Wednesday

[Graeme]

Day number 9186Site Date Map

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Bad Nauheim, Germany
James Whitmore/Life Pictures

[Alan]

Beautiful. Famous photos I've seen and some photos there that I've never seen.

[Alan]

Sunday August 11, 2002
The Observer


'The Elvis I met was very gracious and gentlemanly,' says Ian Ghee. 'I suppose that without his manager he felt relaxed enough to just talk to people. He didn't play the big star with us and he let me take as many photos as I pleased'. Ghee, a retired photographer now in his sixties, met Elvis Presley for a magical one-and-a-half hours on 3 March 1960, the one and only time that the singer touched down on British soil.

It was meant to be a closely guarded secret among personnel in US Air force Unit 1631, based near Prestwick, Ayrshire (now HMS Gannett) that Sergeant Elvis Presley would be landing from Frankfurt at 7.30 in the evening. The landing was planned in order to refuel the plane before his long return flight to the US at the end of a two-year spell in the forces. At just 25, Elvis was already enough of a superstar to send American airforce wives and daughters into a state of nervous excitement. According to the few reporters who were allowed to cover the story, Colonel Russell Fisher, the base commander, felt the arrival of the young singer to be something of an awkward responsibility.
Retired freelancer Neil Drybrugh recalls that the three military men escorting him were possessive and slightly uncomfortable: 'They only let Elvis say a few words to us before he was ushered into a car and taken off into the officers' mess,' he says. 'I remember, too, that there were murmurings about the Colonel spending an awful lot of time with someone who was, after all, of a lower rank.'

Anne Murphy, then 16, was one of a few lucky locals with contacts on the American base who got wind of Elvis's planned visit.

'At first, the father of the American family I babysat for just said that there was a VIP coming in that evening. When he told me it was Elvis I could hardly believe it and told my other Elvis-mad friend to dress American, and we walked out to the airport. The base was a very exciting and glamorous place which had the best record shops, sold milkshakes and fries and other very un-Scottish things. As teenagers, we quite often tried to get in there. This time we were told to wait at the barrier. Thankfully we had a good view of the plane when it landed and he came out and stood on the top of the steps and waved at us for a good few moments. I'm telling you he was a very handsome man.'

Elvis's physical presence is something everyone who met him that night mentions - even Scotsmen in their sixties and seventies who don't usually talk about the flawless skin, shining black hair, exceptionally broad shoulders and slim waists of other men. The photos taken that night confirm that Elvis smouldered with a quite exceptional beauty, and, without the constraining influence of 'Colonel' Tom Parker, was able to mingle with the public.

Elizabeth Steel's mother worked as a cleaner on the base and she remembers being taken, aged 10, to stand among the children of US servicemen.

'Although I am ashamed to say that for me at the time it was a toss-up between Cliff and Elvis, once I found myself close to him it was very, very exciting. I moved forward right up next to him and touched his arm and found myself screaming and shouting. I couldn't help myself.'

A friend of Anne Murphy's (who even after 40 years does not want to be identified) found herself equally overwhelmed by the sight of Elvis on that day. 'She quickly climbed over the barrier and threw herself spread-eagled on to the bonnet of the car that was taking Elvis to the officers' mess in the American barracks across the road,' Murphy recalls. 'Then suddenly the military police were on her and put her firmly back behind the barrier.'

Actually, Elvis wasn't in that first car, but in the one behind, followed closely by a 23-year-old Ian Ghee, who was employed as a photographer by American Air Sea Rescue. Ghee was accompanied by his brother Robert, who had been asked along to help with the loading and carrying of flash bulbs and who was given a camera so that he looked the part.

'I couldn't believe it because although my brother was never an Elvis fan, I watched as he moved forward and confidently introduced himself to the star and shook his hand,' says Ghee. 'When Elvis drove off, we followed in a car, after a conversation with the Americans about whether or not I should wear Elvis's cap and act as a decoy. Robert and I were among only a handful of people allowed in the NCO bar over the road from the military airport. Inside, I was amazed to see that Robert was continuing his conversation with Elvis as if they were old friends.'

Robert, who, like his brother still lives near the airport, can be clearly seen in the photos shaking hands with Elvis and laughing with him, and although he denies this he appears to be eavesdropping on Elvis as he made a phone call. He says Elvis seemed to be speaking to Priscilla, because he was saying 'darling' a lot and he'd just met her in Germany where her father served in the military. Robert asked Elvis what he knew of Scotland (he is meant to have said, 'Where am I?' as he got off the plane) and Elvis apparently admitted that he didn't know much about the place.

Robert recalls that he told him about the beauty of Scotland and then ribbed him a bit about his medals. Elvis told him that he had enjoyed the experience of being in service but that he was looking forward to making music again and maybe starring in a movie with Frank Sinatra. Robert then asked the star to sign a bit of brown paper that he had in his pocket (on which he had written down the measurements of a window) and which he has kept in pristine condition in a box in the attic and passed on to his son.

National and local newspapers would no doubt have made more of the 80 minutes Elvis was in Scotland if they could have known it was going to be the only time Elvis made it to Britain. Nowadays, the airport has a rather tacky 'Graceland' bar in honour of the visit - although the photos of Elvis mingling with the crowd, which once hung on the walls, have all been nicked.

And a commemorative plaque, courtesy of local fan club 'The Elvis Touch', was presented to the airport by two members of Elvis's band, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana. The club also runs popular dances at the airport on important anniversaries - although this year they are going to Graceland, Memphis, rather then Graceland Prestwick to mark his death.

Elizabeth Steel still lives overlooking the airport and recalls the excitement of seeing Elvis even now, and her face still lights up at the memory.

Anne Murphy had a long and very happy marriage with her late husband, who always wore his hair in a black quiff, worked at Prestwick airport and who once won an Elvis soundalike competition. 'Not long before he died I won some money on the lottery. I told him that we were going on our first holiday abroad and pretended that we were going to Spain. In fact I took him on a trip to America that included Memphis. As we were going through the gates of the airport at this end, some of the baggage controllers recognised him and said, "Look who it is! Elvis of Glasgow airport," and he was really pleased. His first time on an airplane and he was called Elvis. He loved it. I'm so glad it happened before he died, because it made him really happy and in my mind it all started with that night that Elvis touched down in Prestwick.'

      

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There to greet him officially, were base commander Colonel Russell Fisher, chief executive officer Major Ed Miller and admin officer Major Ben Bacchus.

Liet-Col Ed Miller, now retired, said at his Ayshire home:'I remember it well. I got the job as Sgt. Presley's escort, probably because I was a professional musician before the war'. 'He was an extremely pleasant, sincere young man who took the time and trouble to speak to everyone he met'. The lucky few fans who were in the right place at the right time were left with the memory of a lifetime.

A fan's memories

Fewer than 200 people saw him but for some, such as Ann Murphy - then aged 16 - it changed their lives.

Here, she tells Lesley Roberts about her historic meeting.

'I used to babysit for a Sergeant Phelps at the US airbase. I was at work one day when he turned up at my house and told my mum that Elvis would be at the airbase that night and I should go if I wanted to see him.

My mum ran to a phone box to call me at work. I couldn't believe it. I loved Elvis. I had all his records.

On the bus home, I was telling everyone I was going to see Elvis that night but they all thought it was just a rumour. They probably thought I was crazy. I changed into my American jeans, lumberjacket, bobby socks and blue suede shoes and cycled the three miles to the airport base.

I dropped in at my friend Muriel's and she said she would come too but I couldn't manage to give her a 'backie' so we skipped and ran all the way. When we got to the base there was a small group of people already there, standing at the barrier in front of two huge Cadillac cars.

Muriel and I were right at the barrier. We were so excited and suddenly the plane was in front of us. The door opened and there was Elvis. He was so handsome in his uniform. He waved and we started screaming. He shouted: 'Where am I?' and people shouted back: 'Prestwick' - but I was shouting: 'I love you'.

He came down the stairs and looked fantastic with that beautiful smile. We could hardly believe we were looking at him. We could nearly touch him. Then Muriel did an amazing thing. She jumped over the barrier and threw herself on the car. A couple of huge military policemen scraped her off and put her back over the barrier.

The next thing we knew, he was away. We went to the cafe where the young folk hung out and told people we had seen Elvis. They were all laughing at us but the papers the next day proved it.

I suppose that day changed my life. I went on to marry my own Elvis. I met my late husband Andy at the dancing and he was a great jiver. He had a black quiff hairstyle and was known as the Prestwick Elvis. He used to sing Elvis songs all the time and won a talent contest as Elvis. When I had a win on the football coupons in 1997, I took Andy on a surprise trip to America. We went to Nashville and he made a couple of records - Blue Suede Shoes and All Shook Up - then we went to Graceland and Las Vegas. He was like a wee boy.

Looking back, it was as if I was meant to win that money because Andy died nine months later.

He was buried in his midnight blue suit and his blue suede shoes.

So my daughters - Angela and Andrea - were really brought up by Elvis. They're both big fans and so are my grandchildren. I'll never forget the day I saw my idol face-to-face. I might have been a naive, Scottish 16-year-old - but it changed my life forever. It might have been 50 years ago but feels like yesterday'.

Elvis being welcomed to Prestwick by the officers at the U.S.A.A.F. base	Meeting fans in the N.C.O.'s mess	In the N.C.O.'s mess. Directly behind Elvis is Robert Ghee, the photographer's brother
Elvis chats to young fans through one of the terminal doors Sheets of paper were pushed through the space between the doors for Elvis to autograph	Meeting fans in the N.C.O.'s mess	Meeting fans in the N.C.O.'s mess
Elvis meets the local press at a low-key press conference	Elvis meets local fans at the perimiter fence and signs autographs	Elvis at the microphone before making a short speech

Elvis says his farewells to Ed Miller before leaving for the U.S.A.

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Elvis and Priscilla emerged from the house at about 11.10 am
      

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A U.S. military policeman escorts Priscilla Beaulieu, 16, after she broke through a barrier trying to bid her boyfriend Elvis goodbye at Rhine-Main airbase in Frankfurt/Main, Germany

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[ColinB]

Slightly less cropped version

New angle

New angle

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