There had always been an unofficial rule since the troubles started. As long as the "family" kept a low profile and kept their criminal ways to a minimum the local police would keep out of Rainbow Hill.
However recently the local watch commander had been causing trouble by poking his nose into the affairs of Costello and his gang, lorries had been impounded and goods confiscated.
It was time to send a message to the local government that this interference would not be tolerated.
Dawn on the 18th saw a heavily armed masked gang emerge on the wooded hill over the Brickfields Road Checkpoint, with the intention of routing the local BUF Section and their Supporting Police allies.
The lay out of the checkpoint was well known, Costello had even managed to get hold of plans of the force dispositions so he knew the weak points.
Unfortunately this correspondent ran out of film so the actual events could not be recorded.
The Brickfield Road Checkpoint as seen from the hill above King George V playing fields. The supporting trenches on the railway embankment can be seen towards the rear of the table covering the neighbouring parish of Astwood.
The approaches to the Brickfields checkpoint with the Platoon HQ and HMG position on the right of the picture.The masked raiders swept down from the hill over running the lead slit trench and engaging in vicious hand to hand on the slit trenches built into the railway embankment on the far left of the checkpoint.
The HMG and Astwood trench was able to pour fire on to the advancing raiders which momentarily halted their advance, with a number of their gang members killed or wounded, Costello seriously considered withdrawing from the table as he did not wish to be identified as the assailant.
Things got worse when members of the Astwood Defence Association appeared on the far table edge passed through BUF lines and heading straight for the masked raiders.
Members of 1 Platoon the Astwood Defence Association (ADA)
Members of 2 Platoon the Astwood Defence Association (ADA)However as they fed their way through the BUF trenches they turned on the fascist defenders killed several and forcing the remaining troops to flee the position.
The Rainbow Hill men seeing the tide turning pushed on driving the remaining government troops from the table fleeing through Rainbow Hill tunnel.
Unopposed the raiders torched the checkpoint.
A good night for Costello, casualties were light and no one was alive to report his involvement. As far as the local Police and BUF were concerned this was an attack by the Astwood Defence Association things could not be better for the family.
