IN William Marshall's column about the Luddite (Tuesday, October 21) running four miles away from the organised trouble and escaping hanging due to the local church clock striking 13 strokes at midnight, is a story that can be matched with one down south in the early 19th century.

The place of the incident was Windsor Castle, Berkshire. The story was of a private soldier on guard duty. The "Twilight Watch" is what we soldiers knew as midnight giving way to the oncoming dawn.

It was stated at his trial that he was found asleep at his post at the strike of midnight. He pleaded not guilty to the charge for in his defence he said that he had heard Big Ben in London – 21 miles away ring 13 times. At first it was thought he was trying a ruse to escape the death penalty which was either hanging or being shot!

The Army officials went to the City to verify his claim and were told that Big Ben that particular night had indeed malfunctioned. Consequently he was cleared which left the Army authorities dangling in disbelief.

The soldier's eyelids may have been struggling but his ears were extra-sensory and his eventual life-saver.

This particular case, unlike W. Marshall's, can be authenticated. It was, I believe, only one of two occasions in Big Ben's history where it ceased to operate correctly.

Just to add a modern flavour to this unusual tale, can you imagine a soldier getting away with that explanation now? Hardly. For we all know, even when the world is asleep, how much noise there is.

But since at that time there were no motorways, cities rumbling and airports functioning, the said soldier had perfect evidence. Now with the noise from every possible place, it would be near impossible to hear the church clock in Windsor itself!

Clarrie Shaw