Monkton Patrol

A.K.A. (nickname)
Gherkin
Locality

Monkton is a village in Kent 6 miles south-west of Margate.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant Reginald Friend Linington

Farmer

17 Jul 1941 03 Dec 1944
Private Geoffrey Mackney Fuller

Farm manager

03 May 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Frank Pettman

Works manager - builder

17 Jul 1941 03 Dec 1944
Private Richard Douglas Rose

Tractor driver

24 Jan 1943 03 Dec 1944
Private Thomas Eric George Spanton

Farmer

27 Jul 1941 01 Jun 1943
Private Bertram Henry Spanton Stephens

Farmer

13 Jun 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private Thomas Mathew Willett

Farmer

03 Jan 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Robert Willett

Farmer

17 Jul 1941 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

The OB was under the barn floor at Gore Court Farm, Monkton. The farm was owned by Tom Willet, who was a First World War pilot. After the war, the bunker was filled with concrete. Later, the farm was sold to Rees Davies, Conservative MP. Another OB was Smith’s chalk pit at Monkton, now a nature reserve.

The Patrol's first OB was built by the Tunnelling Company but soon collapsed so the Patrol rebuilt it themselves at Monkton Chalk Pit, now a nature reserve. No signs are left of this OB. It could well have been destroyed when material from the quarry was excavated to build a new runway at Manston Aerodrome in 1944. A letter sent to Captain Gardener dated 12 April 1943 describes the OB as "very fine, with small steel shelter annexes and all conveniences".

The chalk pit was owned by the Willet family, Tom Willet was a Special Duties Branch operator from his home at Gore Court. 

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Gherkin training schedule (from Captain Gardner papers)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Gherkin training schedule (from Captain Gardner papers)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Gherkin training schedule (from Captain Gardner papers)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Gherkin at stand to practice (from Captain Gardner papers)
OB Image
OB Image
OB Image
Caption & credit
Gore St Farm barns Monkton
OB Image
Caption & credit
Monkton Nature reserve OB
OB Status
Destroyed
Location

Monkton Patrol

Patrol Targets

The main target for this Patrol was Manston Aerodrome.

Training

Shooting practice was done at Quex Park, home of Sergeant Linington, as well as The Garth. They also trained alongside Manston (Savoy) Patrol. Sergeant Norman Steed, the leader of the Savoy Patrol, remembered meeting up with Sergeant Reg Linington and his men at the Patrol's OB site in Monkton Chalk Pit. 

Exercises were also carried out in and around Thanet, with local Army units 'acting' the part of the enemy. It is not known if anyone from this Patrol attended training at Coleshill.

County heats for the County Patrol competition took place 12 Sept 1943. The top ten scoring Patrols competed to represent Kent on Sunday 19th September. Gherkin was in the top ten. "Gherkin did a very good show in Drill and Explosives but fell off just enough to loss (sp) points on the other three events". They came 5th overall scoring a total of 33.

Weapons and Equipment

Captain Gardener's papers list Gherkin's training contents as; 1 box of paraffin incendiaries, 5x10 minute pencils, 5x 1/2 hour pencils, 10 pull switches, 1 1/2 pounds polar gelignite, 1 large incendiary, 1 smoke bomb, 3 magnesium incendiaries, 10' F.I.D, 10' Cordtex, 2' Bickford, 10' Orange Line, 5 detonators, 1 rubber bag and clamp.

Other information

Sergeant Lingington was asked to meet a visiting party of the Director General Home Guard and his Deputy along with Colonel Douglas and Captain McNicholl at the OB on Wednesday 13th Oct 1943 at 10.40 hours. "They will be wearing mufti". 

References

TNA ref WO199/3391 and WO199/3390

Hancock data held at B.R.A

Phil Evans

Adrian Westwood

Norman Bonney for Captain Gardener's papers

Ron Stilwell