Monkton is a village in Kent 6 miles south-west of Margate.
| 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 Robert Willett | Farmer |
17 Jul 1941 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Thomas Mathew Willett | Farmer |
03 Jan 1942 | 03 Dec 1944 |
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.
Monkton Patrol
The main target for this Patrol was Manston Aerodrome.
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.
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.
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".
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