Johnny Ramensky

Johnny Ramensky, also known as John Ramsay and Gentle Johnny (April 6 1905 – November 4 1972) was a Scottish career criminal who used his safe-cracking abilities as a commando during World War II. A popular song about him, The Ballad Of Johnny Ramensky, was written by Labour MP Norman Buchan and recorded by Hamish Imlach. Though a career criminal, he received the nickname "Gentle Johnny" due to the fact he never used violence when being apprehended by the law. [ [http://www.hazelwhyte.com/Scottish_Music/Ballad_Johnny_Ramensky.html The Ballad Of Johnny Ramensky] ]

Early life

Ramensky was born Jonas Ramanauckas, the son of Lithuanian immigrant parents, at Glenboig, a mining village in North Lanarkshire, near Coatbridge. He initially worked down the coal mines, as his father had, and it was there he became familiar with the uses of dynamite. During the depression of the 1920s following the first world war Ramensky's family were forced to move to the slums of the Gorbals, in the south side of Glasgow.

Criminal career

Throughout his life, Ramensky demonstrated great strength and gymnastic skill which he used to begin a career as a burglar, followed by graduating to safe-cracking, also known in the underworld as a Peterman. During his criminal career, Ramensky maintained that he never targeted individuals' houses but only businesses and he became famous for never resorting to violence despite being arrested numerous times, resulting in the nickname "Gentleman (or Gentle) Johnny". Detective Superintendant Robert Colquhoun, one of his old adversaries, when taken ill, was sent a message by Ramensky wishing him a speedy recovery, suggesting he had been working too hard in pursuing him.

Having been denied a licence to attend his wife's funeral, Ramnesky began another series of feats which led to part of his fame. Ramensky was the last man to be shackled in a Scottish prison cell, as well as the first to escape from Peterhead Prison, going on to escape and being ultimately recaptured a further four times. He spent more than forty of his sixty seven years in prison. [ [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=2614629 The Scotsman] ]

Military

Whitehall contacted Ramensky while he was serving a sentence in Peterhead Prison, offering a pardon if he were to put his expertise to good use with the British army. He enlisted with the Royal Fusiliers in January 1943, becoming an instructor in the Commandos.

Ramensky, using his safe-blowing skills, performed a number of sabotage missions, being parachuted behind enemy lines to retrieve documents from Axis headquarters, including Rommel's headquarters in North Africa and Goering's headquarters in the Schorfheide. This culminated during the Italian campaign, where 14 embassy safes were blown in only one day, for which he was decorated with the Military Medal, though there is some debate as to whether he accepted it or not. [ [http://www.sunnygovan.com/PLACES/Gal5/FamousScots/JohnnyRamensky.html Johnny Ramensky awarded Military Medal] ]

Death

Ramensky was unable to give up his safe-cracking lifestyle and spent the time after the war in and out of jail, eventually dying in Perth Royal Infirmary after suffering a stroke in Perth Prison, where he was serving a one year sentence after being caught on a shop roof in Ayr. [ [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=2614629 The Scotsman] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/061123.asp Gentle Johnny] , at the National Archives of Scotland
* [http://www.firstfoot.com/Great%20Scot/ramensky.htm Johnny Ramensky] , FirstFoot.com
* [http://peterman.org.uk/fourpetermen.htm Famous Scottish safe-breakers]