Westow Patrol

Locality

Westow is a village in Ryedale district on the North Yorkshire Moors, not far from Malton.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant Fred Hodgson

Labourer

1942 03 Dec 1944
Sergeant Wilfred E. Parker

Farmer

Unknown 1942
Corporal Herbert Spenceley

Tractor driver

Unknown 1943
Private Wilfred Dennis Cook

Joiner with father

Unknown 1944
Private Charles Edward Cook

Joiner

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Charles William Cook

Auctioneers clerk

Unknown Unknown
Private Sidney Hodgson

Farm worker

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Ernest Lee Unknown Sept 1941
Private Bernard Reginald Wardle

Farmer

Unknown 1943
Private Leslie Wray

Farmer

Unknown 1943
Operational Base (OB)

The Operations Base is located in Howsham Wood to the west of Westow, on a bank side above the nearby railway line. It was an Elephant type shelter built by the Royal Engineers. The corrugated tin has gone but the end walls and outline of an escape tunnel remain. One rung of a metal ladder is just visible in the remains of the entrance shaft. There may be more if the site was dug out. The OB is within mature trees on a downward slopping bank

They also had a one man Observation Post 200 yards south east of the OB on Spy Hill.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Westow OP on Spy Hill (from Mike Shaw)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Westow OB (from Mike Shaw)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Group 3. Westow members Sid Hodgson rear 2nd from left. Dennis and Charlie Cook rear right and Sgt Fred Hodgson front centre next to Lt Bob Sisterson
OB Status
Collapsed with few visible remains
OB accessibility
The OB site is publicly accessible
Location

Westow Patrol

Patrol Targets

Targets would have included the town of Malton which is the main cross roads over the North Yorkshire Moors, roads from the coast to the east along with the Scarborough to York railway and the river Derwent crossings.

Military targets would have included RAF Cottam, Firby Manor, the German / Italian POW camp at Norton and Castle Howard, a probable German HQ.

Training

The training was done locally on farms and in Howsham Woods and at Wetherby. Training with other Patrols also took place at Danby Lodge with the Intelligence Officer, Middleton Headquarters with the Scout Section and at a large Home Guard and Regulars summer camp at Guisborough

Some members went to Coleshill House for specialist courses.

Weapons and Equipment

The Patrol were known to have been issued with; Thompson Sub Machine Guns, Sten guns, .38 Smith and Wesson Revolvers, .22 Sniper rifle and a Canadian Ross .300 Rifle. Fairburn Sykes knives and a Cosh.

Other information

The Patrol had a lot of members through it during the war, ending up with a four-man Patrol in 1944. This however went down to three when Private Wilfred Dennis Cook went to the RAF late in the war.

The Patrol were formed late in 1940 or early in 1941. Auxiliary Intelligence Office (I/O) Guy Atkinson picked out Lieutenant Bob Sisterson and Sergeant Henry Milsom from the Wharram Patrol. They were both members of the Home Guard before being chosen to form the Group Patrols.

References

Alan Williamson's "East Ridings Secret Resistance"

Mike Shaw for the leg work and photos

TNA ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

1939 Register

Andy Gwynne