Augustus Charles Hubert Boycott Wight-Boycott

Captain Augustus Charles Hubert Boycott Wight-Boycott
18 Apr 1882 - 1959
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Biography

The wireless was sited at Captain Wight-Boycott's home Oakhampton House (sometimes recorded as Oakhampton Manor) Wiveliscombe (Telephone 221).

Captain Augustus Charles Hubert Boycott Wight-Boycott, known mostly as Hubert, was born in April 1882 and educated at Eastman's Stubbington (Navy School). In 1901 he is a mining and civil engineer student.

He married Mary Alison Alston in 1908 who could also have been involved, and served in the Royal Field Artillery in World War 1 having been a pre-war Volunteer in the Royal Garrison Artillery from 1900 and a Territorial officer in the Royal Field Artillery from 1910.
The family moved to Wiveliscombe around 1922 living in Oakhampton House until selling in 1952 and moving to Thornes House, Milverton until 1956 then to Northampton where Hubert died in 1959.

Captain Wight-Boycott was the Area Commander of Somerset Special Constabulary 1939 – 1946 and the Divisional Inspector until he moved away. He was one of three to inspect the Home Guard at their stand down parade in December 1944 and was Master of the Otterhounds at Culmstock.

The Special Constabulary would have given him the perfect position to monitor invading and local movements and he may well have recruited some of his fellow Officers.

Captain Wight-Boycott's son, Air Commodore Cathcart Michael Wight-Boycott CBE, DSO and bar MA, was a flying Ace during the war and would regularly fly over Wiveliscombe. He would dip his wings as he passed Oakhampton House.

He may have known his father's role when he later became Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps in the late 1950's setting up huge amounts of underground bases.

Father and son must have discussed their experiences as in 1982 Air Commodore Wight-Boycott gave a talk to a local history society on his fathers secret war time roll.

 

Postings
Unit or location Role Posted from until
Wiveliscombe Outstation Operator Unknown 20 Jul 1944
Education

Eastmans, Stubbington

National ID
WPZL 38/1
Occupation

Retired Captain

Address
Oakehamton House, Higher Ford, Wiveliscombe, Somerset
References

Arthur Gabbitas

The kindness of the landowners of Oakhampton Park.

“Wiveliscombe – A history of a Somerset Market Town” by Sue Farrington

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28362/page/3068/data.pdf

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27173/page/1717/data.pdf