John I had a very similar experience. We came back to the UK after 12 years abroad (Germany, Holland, Kenya & Holland) to join Reckitt & Colman. After 2 1/2 years as European Engineering Director Benkiser bought them. They made me redundant with a big mortgage & 4 kids. I worked as a consultant flat out till I got a "real job" again. The redundancy was untouched & I paid off the mortgage with it.
The freedom to act after that was amazing & coercive management control didn't work on me.
3 redundancies later I am happily retired.
Changing jobs & taking the redundancy after the first wasn't an issue due to having a secure base.
