Isle of Wight Group 9 (East)

Alan Shaw, Garrison Engineer on the Isle of Wight recorded lecturing newly formed Home Guard “demolition companies” in a pub at Bembridge on Wednesday evenings in late 1941. The regular Home Guard did not have demolition units so this was most likely to Auxiliary Units Patrols, some of which were formed at this time. 

On January 20th, 1945, a significantly historical dinner was held at the Masonic Hall, Ryde. Gathered together for the first time in five years were the majority of the members of the Island’s Aux Patrols. A copy of the post stand-down dinner menu for that Saturday evening offers evidence of the men involved.
Headed '203rd (GHQ Res) Bn. Home Guard. Auxiliary Units’, it shows the Area Group Commander was Captain H. C. Blishen MBE.

Patrol leaders:
Lieutenant T. A. Cowley, Lieutenant E. G. Rapkins, 2nd Lieutenant S. Taylor, Sergeant H. Foss, Sergeant J. Blackman, Sergeant A. Newman, Sergeant F. Buckett, Sergeant C. S. Good, Sergeant W. Buckell.

Additionally:
Corporal A. F. Le Maitre (admin), Private C. E. Herbert (shown as musical director for the event).

Other persons named:
Colonel R. E. Pickering (guest: Commander Isle of Wight Sub-District), Lieutenant Col F. H. Fernie (guest: Commanding Officer Wootton Company, 19th (East Wight) Battalion Home Guard), Major N.V. Oxenden (guest, HQ Auxiliary Units), Lieutenant Colonel F. Nevill Jennings (guest: Commanding Officer, 19th (East Wight) Battalion Home Guard).

The following names appear as autographed signatures on the back of the menu:
Jack Riddell, A. F. Maitre, C. L...., R. C. Ward, H. R. Watt, Stan Williams, J. Kennedy, W. Buckell, T. H. Farnie, E. S. Barton, N. V. Oxenden, Edwardson, H. Blishen, A. Shearwood, R. Pickering, S. Thompson, C. W. Brannon, J. Blackman, A. M. Long, A. W. Bowden, B. Keegan, R. Casson, J. W. R...., Ewart Rapkins, C. F. Rayner.

They then repeated the event the following year. See here, here and here