Birtley Patrol

County Group
Locality

The Patrol were based near Ouston not far from Birtley to the south of the river Tyne.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant D.V. Wilson Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Corporal Alfred Reeves Dowley

Engineer iron turner 

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Basil Henry Allen

Toolmaker

27 Mar 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Thomas Oliver Brown

Apprentice fitter

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Richard Henry Louis Coleman

Foreman engineer at the Royal Ordnance factory at Birtley

1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Benjamin Norman Hughes

Lathe hand - shell cases

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Alfred Charles Carlton Milner

Haulage Contractors Clerk

unknown Unknown
Private John D. Stead

Fitter

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

The Patrol OB was a standard "Elephant" type shelter built by the 184th (S) Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers on the outskirts of Ouston in Walters Wood, there is supposed to be another OB in the area also used by the Patrol but as yet not found.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Birtley OB site
OB Image
Caption & credit
Birtley Patrol - Richard Coleman far left
OB Image
Caption & credit
Birtley Patrol - Richard Coleman with cigarette
OB Image
Caption & credit
Birtley OB map
OB Image
Caption & credit
Birtley Patrol OS Map
OB Image
Caption & credit
Birtley Patrol at Guisborough 1943 (colourized by Stephen Lewins)
OB Status
Destroyed
OB accessibility
The OB site is publicly accessible
Location

Birtley Patrol

Patrol Targets

Targets would have included the Royal Ordnance factory at Birtley, the large rail yards close to Birtley and the east coast main line, the bridges on the Tyne, vital factories along the banks of the Tyne and the Port of Tyne.

Training

Training was done at Castleton with the Scout Section from The Green Howards. Some of the Patrol went to Coleshill House.

They would also have trained at Danby Lodge in North Yorkshire, the Intelligence Officer's HQ along with at  Finchale near Durham and locally in the area.

There were two summer camps involving the Auxiliary Units, Home Guard and the Regular Army held at Guisborough.

Weapons and Equipment

The Patrol was issued with Mark 2 Auxiliary Unit Kit, .38 Smith & Wesson pistols and Fairbairn Sykes fighting knives.

References

The National Archives in Kew ref WO199/3389

Richard Coleman (Patrol members son)

1939 Register

Hancock data held at B.R.A