CART Auxiliary Unit Research

County Group

Locality

Stoke Holy Cross village lies 4 miles south of Norwich.

Patrol members

Name	Occupation	Posted from	Until
Sergeant Arthur William Dickerson	Chauffeur & gardener	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Corporal Herbert William Lynes	General farm labourer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Corporal Percy Albert Winterbone	Horseman on farm	Unknown	31 Jan 1944
Private Roy Benjamin Allen	Farm worker	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Gerald Roy Allen	Farm worker	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Geoffrey Arthur Edward Newman	Electrical engineer (Apprentice)	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private John Edward Sayer	Farm labourer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Sidney George Sexton	General labourer	Unknown	15 Apr 1943

Operational Base (OB)

The OB site is located on (strictly private) land belonging to Shotesham Hall and was accessed by kind permission.

The OB site is located on Skeet’s Hill, an area of disused sand and gravel pits surrounded by farmland to the west of Norwich Road, south of Stoke Holy Cross.

The OB appears to have been removed quite some time ago. It was built into a small, disused sandpit situated on the brow of a hill, with the location affording wide views to the south, west and east. A depression can be seen scooped out of the side of the pit where the OB once was. We failed to find information concerning the building materials used. Nothing remains in the ground and the pit is much overgrown with brambles.

Patrol & OB pictures

Stoke Holy Cross Patrol with Percy Winterbone in the centre (family of Geoffrey Newman)

Unknown, one of the Allen brothers, the other Allen brother, Sgt. Dickerson, and probably Cpl. Lynes. Preparing to blow over a tree

Sgt. Dickerson 1st left. Geoffrey Newman 4th from left with the Allen brothers either side. Maybe Percy Winterbone far right. Having blown over the tree.

Sgt. Dickerson 1st left. Geoffrey Newman 4th from left with the Allen brothers either side. Cpl Lynes far right. Having blown over the tree.

Geoffrey Newman's Insignia and lapel badge (202 would have been worn below NK)

Stoke Holly Cross Patrol (colorized by Stephen Lewins)

Stoke Holy Cross (colorized by Stephen Lewins)

Stoke Holy Cross (colorized by Stephen Lewins)

Stoke Holy Cross OB site

Stoke Holy Cross OB site

Stoke Holy Cross OB site

Stoke Holy Cross Auxiliary Unit training quarry

Stoke Holy Cross Auxiliary Unit View from the OB in 1940

OB Status

Destroyed

OB accessibility

This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it

Location

Stoke Holy Cross Patrol

Patrol Targets

Local targets would have included RAF Stoke Holy Cross Chain Home Station, Hethel Airfield, Norwich to London railway line and bridges in the vicinity.

Training

A larger sand and gravel pit adjoins the site in the north and a Patrol member’s son told us that the men used it for target practice.

Training included two meetings per week in the Drill Hall, Wymondham and parades, drill and weapon training on weekends. Many weekends from Friday to Sunday at Leicester Square Farm, Syderstone. Special army units taught the latest methods.

Duties during the week included to test (at night) security at searchlight units and other military establishments based in the area.

References

TNA ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

1939 Register

Evelyn Simak and Adrian Pye,

Simon Mitchell (son of Group Commanding Officer Capt. H.W.R. Mitchell), Kirby Bedon;

Ethel Lynes (widow of Patrol member Cpl Harry Lynes), Newton Flotman;

Peter Allen (son of Patrol member Roy B. Allen), Framingham Earl;

Lynne Lambert and Fran Luxton (daughters of Patrol member G.A.E Newman), Mulbarton;

Chris Sutton (brother-in-law of Patrol member J.E Sayer), Shotesham;

Mark Watson, gamekeeper at Shotesham Park