Brian Robson. Desperate escape from Australia

In 1965, nineteen-year-old Brian Robson from Cardiff made a decision that today sounds like a film script. Desperate with homesickness and trapped by the conditions of an immigration program, he decided to mail himself by air freight from Melbourne to London. The journey in a wooden crate the size of a small fridge was supposed to take 36 hours. It lasted five days and ended in a completely different place.

An Emigration That Failed

Robson arrived in Australia under the assisted passage immigration scheme, a popular mechanism in the 1960s designed to populate distant Commonwealth regions. Young Britons received an almost free one-way ticket. In return, they had to commit to two years of work in the antipodes. The theory sounded appealing, but practice proved nightmarish.

The hostel in Melbourne assigned to him resembled, according to Robson, a „rat-infested hole.” Work as a railway ticket clerk was boring and isolating. Despite having several relatives in Australia, the boy felt completely alone. Homesickness for his native Wales grew with each passing day.

The decision to return came quickly. The problem concerned finances. To break the contract and return, he would have to reimburse the Australian government for travel costs. The amount was about £800. His salary was £30 per month. The mathematics were merciless. Under normal circumstances, return was impossible.

When a relative suggested he could hide aboard a ship sailing to Europe, Robson considered the idea worth contemplating. Ultimately, the idea fell through. Another relative financed a return flight to Sydney, but there the boy read about Reg Spiers, an Australian who had mailed himself in a crate from London to Perth. That’s when the plan was born.

Preparations and Risk

Two Irishmen from Melbourne, John and Paul, whose surnames Robson no longer remembers, agreed to help. One of them produced a fake invoice on company letterhead. Robson personally took it to Qantas, checking the possibility of sending a package by the fastest route. He was told the flight would take about 36 hours. In reality, the route was changed.

The crate had the dimensions of a small fridge. Robson packed two pillows, a torch, a suitcase, and two bottles inside. One for water, the other for urine. He couldn’t straighten his legs or turn around. The space was minimal, but theory said it would suffice for a day and a half.

Friends nailed down the lid. They tapped on the wood and asked if everything was alright. Robson confirmed. He heard „good luck” and was alone.

The first leg from Melbourne to Sydney proceeded without major problems. Robson felt slight discomfort but was convinced the worst was behind him. This was an illusion. In Sydney, airport workers placed the crate upside down.

Ordeal in the Crate

He stood on his head for 22 hours. The entire body weight rested on his neck. Blood flowed to his skull, causing throbbing pain and periodic blackouts. He tried to turn around, but the space was too tight. Each second stretched into infinity. The pain became unbearable.

Later, the plane took off again. Robson lost track of time. He didn’t know how many hours had passed or where he was. The wood of the crate muffled all outside sounds. Temperature in the cargo hold fluctuated. His body stiffened with cold, muscles contracted painfully.

After five days, the crate landed in a cargo hangar. Robson heard voices and thought he had reached London. With his hand he reached for the torch, but his fingers were so numb he dropped it. The noise attracted attention. Two men approached the crate. One looked through a hole in a wood knot.

Their eyes met. The man jumped back and shouted: „There’s a body in there!” Both fled. Robson heard their American accent and understood something had gone wrong. An hour later, chaos erupted. FBI, CIA, airport security, ambulance. The crate was opened in Los Angeles, not London.

Life After the Crate

Robson survived. Doctors were astonished that after such time in the crate and 22 hours upside down, his body hadn’t suffered permanent damage. Frostbite, dehydration, and shock were obvious. But his heart was beating, his brain functioning. Luck and youth played their part.

The story quickly reached the media. Australian and British authorities faced a dilemma. Robson had broken the law, but his desperation evoked compassion. Ultimately, no serious charges were filed against him. He returned to Cardiff, fulfilling his dream, though by a route no reasonable person would choose.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32151053
• https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/welshman-who-mailed-himself-home
• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/world/australia/brian-robson-crate-australia.html