South Cave Patrol

Locality

South Cave is a village approximately 2 miles north-west of Brough. It is to the west of Hull and Beverley.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant Ronald Sinclair Massey

Aircraft stress analyst

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Sergeant Robert Edward Williams

Agricultural foreman

Unknown Unknown
Corporal Benjamin Robert Taylor

Timber feller

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Ernest Christopher Colbeck

Stores superintendant

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private John Leonard Cross

Accounts clerk

Unknown Unknown
Private Charles Arthur Mason

Aircraft engineer

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private William Thomas Metcalfe

Aircraft fitter

Unknown 1942
Private Gordon Provo Watson

Technical author

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Thomas Sanger Watson

Smallholder

Unknown Unknown
Operational Base (OB)

The Patrol initially had a basic dug out type shelter on the western edge of Little Wold Plantation. This over looked the South Cave to Market Weighton road a main transport link through the Wolds.

This was quickly replaced by a Nissen hut type in Drewton Dale at Weedley Springs. This was almost alongside the Hull to Barnsley railway line. This had a vertical shaft and a 30 foot escape tunnel which had a flat wooden trolley, running on castors and pulled by ropes

The OB was destroyed at the end of the war and only a large depression and a few remains are visible along with a single strand of barbed wire.

OB Status
Collapsed with few visible remains
Location

South Cave Patrol

Patrol Targets

Local targets would have included the Drewton railway tunnel, Hull to York and Hull to Beverley railways and roads inland from the coast crossing the South Wolds.

Military targets would have included Brough aircraft factory, Hull Docks, RAF Brough, RAF Homle and RAF Bellasize.

Training

Locally they trained in nearby woods and quarries, often meeting at Gordon Watson's house or at either end of Weedley Tunnel. Regionally, the Patrol most likely trained at Middleton Hall. 

The Sergeant probably went to Coleshill for specialist courses.

Charlie Mason recalled a training exercise against the Regular Army at Dalton Holme where they used a lot of flashbombs and time pencils. So much was going off that the Police were informed the invasion had started. 

Weapons and Equipment

Weapons issued to the Patrol would have included; Remington or Winchester .22 rifle with sights (later silencers were issued), .45 Colt or .38 Smith & Wesson pistols, Thompson machine guns and later Sten machine guns and Fairbairn Sykes fighting knives. It is also recalled that the Patrol had  garrotes.

Other information

Charlie Mason recalled that the Gamekeeper of the woods could be awkward and was often trying to find out what was going on around the OB. The Patrol decided, had invasion occurred, they would have to "eliminate" him.

References

TNA ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

1939 Register

Andy Gwynne

East Ridings Secret Resistance by Alan Williamson 

Page Sponsor