Washington Patrol

County Group
Locality

The Patrol were based to the south of old Washington Village near Lambton Castle. .

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant John W. Robson

Asbestos production 

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Corporal Robert Davison

Engineering purchaser

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private John Davison

Joiner and builder

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private John James Marshall

Horseman

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Thomas Richardson

Fitter

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private John William Snowdon

Colliery winding engineman

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private George John Walker

Colliery labourer 

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

The OB was a standard "Elephant" type shelter built by the 184th (S) Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers completed by Autumn 1942. The site is within "The General's Wood".

The whole area has completely changed around the Patrol's OB since WW2 with a whole "new" town having been built and the mining industry all gone.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
OB end wall
OB Image
Caption & credit
OB end wall
OB Image
Caption & credit
Looking down into main chamber
OB Status
Collapsed with some visible remains
OB accessibility
The OB site is publicly accessible
Location

Washington Patrol

Patrol Targets

Targets for the Patrol would have included Lambton Castle and Wynyard Hall as probable German HQs. Transport targets included the Victoria Viaduct, bridges on the river Wear, the various railway lines in the area and the port area at Sunderland.

Training

Some members went to Coleshill House to train. Regionally they trained with the Intelligence Officer at Danby Lodge in North Yorkshire and at Castleton with the Scout Section from The Green Howards. The Patrol also trained at Finchale near Durham.

Weapons and Equipment

The Patrol were issued with a Mark 2 Auxiliary Units packs as well as a Browning Automatic rifle, a Thompson Machine Gun and two .303 Lee Enfield rifles.

References

The National Archives in Kew re WO199/3389

1939 Register

Hancock data held at B.R.A

The person who sent the photos though, we have lost their name, thank you anyway.