Defence of the Royal Family at Balmoral

County Group
Locality

Some Auxiliers were called upon to protect the Royal Family while they were at Balmoral. The first request for their presence was July 1944 and they received letters of thanks from the King dated 1 Oct 1944. It is not known who served at what time between those dates.

It is thought that Auxiliers from East Linton, Dunbar, Allerdean and West Fallodon Patrols went to Balmoral but it is not yet known for sure who attended as getting time off work and farm/crop management had to take priority for some men.

The story was reported in the post war newspaper.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Captain Robert Edward Cathcart

Builder

1944 1944
Lieutenant Joseph William Lambert Carmichael

Gentleman farmer

Unknown Unknown
Major Robert Charlton Hall

Bank manager

Unknown Unknown
Lieutenant Wilfred Bradley Summer 1943 Sept 1944
Sergeant Matthew John Robert Aitchison

Coal hewer

Unknown Unknown
Sergeant Tom Catto

Draper

Aug 1944 Aug 1944
Sergeant Leonard Crackett

Mining

Unknown Unknown
Sergeant John Melrose Purves Graham

Farmer

Unknown Unknown
Sergeant John Robert Pringle

Shepherd & farmer

Unknown Unknown
Corporal William Mackenzie

Teacher at boys school

Unknown Unknown
Corporal T. McLeod

Baker

Unknown Unknown
Corporal John Philipson Robson

Mole catcher

Unknown Unknown
Private Matthew Arkle

Stockman & horseman assisting uncles

Unknown Unknown
Private Henry Arkle

Farmer

Unknown Unknown
Private James Thomas Barrass

Miner

Unknown Unknown
Private Michael Brown

Farmer

Unknown Unknown
Private Alan Cockburn

Farm worker

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private George Hedley Dixon

Horseman / farmer

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private Ivor William Hutton

Gamekeeper

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private James Jarvis

Coal mine hoist labourer 

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private George Johnson

Motor mechanic

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private James Shell Moore

Farming

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private Richard Albert Needham

Mining electrical engineer

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private James Nesbit

Horseman on farm

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private John Fenwick Potts

Farmer - arable & stock

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private William Rankine

Plumber

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private Jimmy Sives

Trapper

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private John Sives

Trapper

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private Bernard Francis Smith

Varied

July 1944 Oct 1944
Private Alfred Septimus Stephenson

Farmer

July 1944 Oct 1944
Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Request for Auxiliary Units at Balmoral (from TNA ref WO199/294)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Major Hall Balmoral thanks letter
OB Image
Caption & credit
Jimmy Sives, Unknown and John Sives Dunbar Patrol at Balmoral
OB Image
Caption & credit
Auxiliary Units at Balmoral
OB Image
Caption & credit
Evening Telegraph 30 April 1970 Cathcart at Balmoral
References

TNA ref WO199/294

Stephen Lewins