Sibton Patrol

County Group
Locality

Sibton is a village 4 miles south of Halesworth.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant George Leggate Nimmo

Cowman

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Corporal Eric Samuel Newson

Cowman

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private William Francis Lambert

Tractor driver

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Robert John Lambert

Tillage contractor

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private William Mackie

Farmer

Unknown Unknown
Private Billie A. Mann

Farm labourer

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Walter Paton

Cowman

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

The OB was built into the steep bank of a small stream skirting the edge of mature woodland (Kendall’s Wood) near South Green / Grove Farms.

The main chamber and entrance shaft are intact but the emergency exit tunnel has collapsed and was later excavated. The main chamber measures: (L) 3.65 x (W) 2.45 x 2.40m (at highest point) and is orientated NNE/SSW. The drop down entrance shaft measures 0.75 x 1,00 x 3.00m deep (approx). Length of emergency exit tunnel is 6.00m

Other physical remains are corrugated iron sheets originally used for lining the walls of the emergency exit tunnel. These were removed during excavation and dumped beside the entrance opening. 3 concrete counterweights, pitched, with pivots made from gas piping: 0.45 x 0.40 x 0.15m (approx). There is also a field drainage pipe across one corner of entrance shaft presumably carried phone cable or coax aerial cable.

The OB consists of a 12ft Nissen hut resting on a base of red brick, with both end walls as well as the drop down entrance shaft built from red brick. The entrance shaft cover is missing. Steel rungs (badly corroded), set across one corner, provided access.

The entrance shaft and main chamber are intact and in good condition, the curved corrugated iron roof of the main chamber is corroding from the base upwards.

A (broken) field pipe is set across one corner of the shaft approximately one metre below ground level. The pipe is set into the wall above the entrance doorway. It runs in the direction of a nearby tree and in all likelihood carried either a phone or a coaxial aerial cable. There is an approximately 15cm long nail almost completely embedded in the tree directly in line with the field pipe at about 1.80m above ground level.

The main chamber houses the original three concrete counterweights (See below)*. Two recesses - one on each side of the entrance from the drop-down shaft into the main chamber – accommodate vent pipes which emerge above ground level on either side of the shaft entrance opening.

The doorways of both entrance and exit are facing each other. Stephen Lewins/CART points out that “The doorways have an unusual curve to the top, normally they didn’t go to so much trouble.”  Unusual also the two recesses accommodating the vent pipes.

The emergency exit tunnel measures about 6 metres in length, leading away from the main chamber in a straight line and emerging about one metre above the bed of a small stream which at the time of our visit (early July) carried no water. The tunnel had collapsed and was dug out and made safe (walls stabilised at some time during the past 10 years.)

* We photographed a very similar counterweight at B.R.O.M at Parham that had been found at Stratford St Andrew OB.

 

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Looking down into Sibton OB
OB Image
Caption & credit
Sibton Entrance shaft
OB Image
Caption & credit
Main chamber looking towards entrance
OB Image
Caption & credit
Main chamber looking towards exit
OB Image
Caption & credit
The original three concrete counterweights
OB Image
Caption & credit
Looking over the top of the OB - undated
OB Image
Caption & credit
Entrance shaft - undated
OB Image
Caption & credit
Looking out of escape tunnel - undated
OB Image
Caption & credit
Looking through doorway into main chamber - undated
OB Status
Largely intact
OB accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Location

Sibton Patrol

Other information

British Resistance Organisation Museum volunteers visited the OB in March 1998 and found the entrance shaft in good condition, complete with steps. Main chamber complete brick ends. Vents, escape tunnel blocked.

The site was excavated by B.R.O.M in 2001/2. Two black and white photographs published in John Warwicker’s book “Britain in Mortal Danger” (2002) show an exterior view of the collapsed emergency exit tunnel and an interior view of the main chamber with a large heap of sand, created by this collapse, on the floor just inside the emergency exit opening. Both photos date from before the excavation.

Main Group Photograph

References

TNA ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

1939 Register

Evelyn Simak and Adrian Pye.

B.R.O.M at Parham, 

John Warwicker, “Britain in Mortal Danger” (2002), Stephen Lewins, Geoff Dewing, “Suffolk’s Secret Army” (1996), marked on map page 17.