Hockley Patrol

Each of the Patrol went to Coleshill House for training. Bert Cocks recalled that the staff were all of the really tough sort. He described how the were shown drawings of the high estate walls and ditches, then dropped individually 3 miles away, with instructions to find their way back to the main house. He managed well, until confronted with the high walls around the estate, and already wet and tired he decided to try and sneak through a small arched gateway in the wall, but a member of the staff was waiting for him behind the wall! Michael Ford recalled being taught unarmed combat at Coleshill as well as how to use explosives.

The Patrol also travelled up to Suffolk to train, using gravel or clay pits on the outskirts of Eye. Later they used a disused quarry near Ballard’s Gore in Essex.

Another exercise involved the South Essex Patrols cooperating to lead an Army Patrol (the Scout Section perhaps?) across the district guided by members of each Patrol. Rochford Patrol delivered the lieutenant and 10 men to Bert at the edge of Trinity Wood and he led them through the pitch black woods relying on the gradient of the land and his knowledge alone. The lieutenant was very impressed and said so as he was handed over to the Rayleigh Patrol.

On another occasion, Bert was leading the Patrol in the dark and suddenly came across a newly erected stile. He turned to let the rest of the Patrol know, but in the dark, Jack Rodwell walked straight into him and they clashed head, Jack falling to the ground unconscious. Cold and wet, they covered him with their jackets, until he fortunately recovered a short while later.

The Patrol put on a demonstration for visiting “big-wigs” working with Rochford Patrol. The four visiting officers, guided by Jack Ford, saw a a mock-up tank, which was blocked by a tree being cut down in its path and demolished by a pre-laid mine. Other displays of booby traps were made and an attack across a series of lakes in an old brickfield by Canewdon Hall Farm. This didn’t go too well for one of the Rochford Patrol who fell in up to his neck, swallowing mouthfuls of muddy water. He had to be wrapped up and spared the rest of the exercises.