Bury St Edmunds nostalgia – John Profumo known for his affair with Christine Keeler visits military depot

In today's nostalgia we go back to 1962 when an infamous government minister, known for his involvement in a sex scandal, visited a military depot.

Mr John Profumo, Secretary of State for War at the time, 'dropped in' by helicopter to the East Anglian Brigade Depot in Bury St Edmunds.

The visit came a year before Mr Profumo resigned after his affair with 19-year-old Christine Keeler, a dancer also romantically involved with a Soviet naval attaché, came to light.

On the day Mr Profumo visited Bury, he had flown in from Ipswich having spent Easter with John Hare, Labour Minister.

He first went to see the the Sergeant's Mess and the cookhouse, and then spoke to several recruits whilst they were having their meals.

He later saw recruits at work in the gym and on the assault course.

Before he flew back to London he said: "The suggestion has been made that to get recruits there has been some lowering of standards.

"This is entirely untrue, in fact quite the reverse. There men are of high quality."

Mr Profumo resigned in 1963 after rumours started swirling that pillow talk between him and Miss Keeler could have divulged British intelligence that the 19-year-old could have then been passed on to the Russian spy.

Later, Mr Profumo began a career in Philanthropy and in 1975, was named Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his charitable work.