Withernsea is the main town and seaside resort on the East Yorkshire coast in the Holderness area. It serves a number of local villages and farming communities nearby.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant William Derrick Farndale | Tractor driver |
1942 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Sergeant John H. Thompson | Timber merchant |
Unknown | Unknown |
| Corporal Percival Henry George Hick | Boiler coverer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private George Robert Conner | Farmer |
Unknown | Unknown |
| Private John Gibson | Farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Alfred Leonard Grassam | Printer |
Unknown | Unknown |
| Private Horace Joy | Draughtsman |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Walter Lowery | Tractor driver |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Kenneth Perry | Architectural assistant |
Unknown | Unknown |
| Private Norman Woodcock | Accounts clerk |
Unknown | Unknown |
The Patrol's OB was a square type shelter built out of pit props and with a corrugated iron sheet roof. It was built on a hill near Little England Farm to the west of the town. The higher ground gave a good all round view of the coast and inland fields.
Withernsea Patrol
The Patrol targets were the landing beaches on the east side of Withernsea, Tunstall beach was an expected German target, along with the road from the coast inland, Spurn Point Coastal Battery, Channel Farm Search Light battery and the land drainage system to the west.
The town itself was also a target as it could be used as a German supply centre for the Holderness and Spurn Peninsular.
The inland lighthouse which gives commanding views of the whole area's flat landscape would have been made use of.
The Patrol trained locally on the farmland near the OB and on the coast. It is thought Sergeant Farndale went to Coleshill House to train.
They would also have trained with other Patrols at Middleton on the Wolds, the Area Headquarters and Intelligence Officers base.
Weapons issued included; .22 sniper rifle with sights, Remington or Winchester rifles along with Colt .45 or Smith & Wesson pistols.
Some captured Lugars were issued and were sort after as they used the same 9mm ammunition as the Sten Machine Gun.
The patrol were initially formed to watch the coast for German landings and shipping movements and were called an "Observation Group".
The original Patrol/Observation Unit appears to be Thompson, Joy, Conner, Perry, Woodcock and Grassam.
Thompson, Perry, Woodcock and Joy are all listed as discharged.
East Riding at War
TNA ref WO199/3389
Hancock data held at B.R.A
1939 Register
Andy Gwynne
East Ridings Secret Resistance by Alan Williamson, J Wallis.