Edward Alan Strouts

Edward Alan Strouts was a chicken farmer from Benenden. A brief look at his background gives us some idea why he was recruited into the Auxiliary Units, and also suggests he might have been involved in other secret work. He spoke fluent German, was married to Ursula Gercke, the daughter of a First World War German submarine commander, who left Germany after Hitler came to power, was an amateur wireless operator, and regularly flew to France, Germany and Switzerland in his own open-cockpit Tiger Moth.

His daughter, Hazel Honnywill-Strouts, still lives on the same farm. She has his Farmers and Countryman Pocket Diary for the years 1939 - 1945 in which he kept extensive notes concerning his chickens and other business. According to the diaries he knew the Hocken Brothers, from Glassenbury, and John Foreman, from Headcorn, and Sonny Hall, from Biddenden.

There are also several entries referring to Percy Pattenden and onions. However, Mrs Honnywill-Strouts doesn’t recall her father ever growing or dealing in onions. Was this the patrol’s codename? Other entries refer to Snow White, Sparrow and Cherries. Also after the war a couple of the Patrol members went and talked to Strouts wife about his involvement in the Patrol and the only thing she could think off was that he always used to speak to Percy Pattenden on the phone and they always used to mention onions which used to confuse her ! This could well have been them talking about the Patrol.

Also a rumour went around the patrol that the reason Strouts was in it was because he had a private pilots license and if the Germans had invaded him and Chester-Beatty would have gone to the plane and flown off up country to safety ! This was only ever a rumour though.

There are a few entries relating directly to his clandestine activities. It would appear Mr Strouts was a member of the Sissinghurst Home Guard before being recruited to the Auxiliary Units, probably in November 1943. Entries refer to meetings and night exercises at Rose Cottage, the home of Alfred Chester-Beatty Jn; rendezvous at the Woolpack (Pub or Corner?), probably where they were picked up from before being taken to Angley Wood, The Garth or Rose Cottage; Sunday training at The Garth; and collecting petrol from George Mann at Leda Cottages. The last Auxiliary Unit entry is for Wednesday, September 27, 1944, when he reported to the “Army Hut at Cranbrook.” This is more than likely Wenman’s Cottage at Angley Wood