Somerset Group 1 - Admiralty

County
Information

When war was declared a section of the Admiralty headquarters were moved to Bath. Initially scattered around the city making use of requisitioned hotels, they eventually moved into more suitable locations such as at Fox Hill and purpose built military hutments at Ensleigh, Landsdown Road.

The Civil Engineering Department office had set up in the Domestic Science College at Brougham Hayes in Bath. They had use of the college tennis courts and other facilities. Fortuitously the G.W.R. ran at the rear of the office and the small station halt of Oldfield Park was a few yards up the road. Most of those working with the Admiralty were billeted locally, either with families or in hostels.

The men came from all over the country but as all five Admiralty Patrols were recruited from those working for the Admiralty there was a high turn over of Patrol Members as men were posted elsewhere through work.

Post war they formed an Admiralty 203 Battalion Society and had frequent reunions.

The Admiralty Patrols had a central explosives store in an outbuilding of The Royal School, Lansdown Road, and a second store was built into the bank of the car park on the Ensleigh establishment. Bath. A letter dated 28 Nov 1944 to Spearman reports the Admiralty Patrols trained at Hampton Rocks, Sham Castle, Bath for throwing Self Igniting Phosphorous Grenades. Small arms training was carried out at Ashley Range, Box, Wiltshire.

In Jan 1945 Spearman got into an altercation with a local while he was "engaged in the destruction of redundant training stores at Bathampton Quarry".

A test paper for the Admiralty Patrols is here.

The Admiralty Auxiliary Units were recruited at the time of the Baedeker Air raids on Bath in April 1942 to search bombed buildings for survivors. Captain Aves wrote a report on the men's roles.

Commanders
Role Name Posted from Until
Area Commander Captain Jeffrey George Spearman 07 Aug 1940 03 Dec 1944
Group Commander Captain Leonard Arthur Aves Unknown 05 Apr 1944
Group Commander Captain Jeffrey George Spearman 05 Apr 1944 03 Dec 1944
Assistant Group Commander Second Lieutenant George Richard Merlin Hutchings 03 Aug 1940 03 Dec 1944
Assistant Group Commander Second Lieutenant Ivor Bowen McGrigor Phillips Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Map of Patrol locations

Admiralty 1 (Kelston Park) Patrol

Admiralty 2 (Langridge) Patrol

Admiralty 3 (Warminster Road) Patrol

Admiralty 4 (Prior Park) Patrol

Admiralty 5 (Newton Park) Patrol

Pictures & documents
OB Image
Caption & credit
Bath Admiralty Home Guard 203 Christmas dinner 1943 (from John Pidgeon)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Hutchings, Spearman and Aves besides their Morris 8 at the Rose & Crown East Lyng (from A.J Spearman)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Spearman, Aves, Phillips & Hutchings outside the Rose & Crown East Lyng (from A.J Spearman)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty Association card (from Robin Dwane)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty Association card (from Robin Dwane)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty stand down 1944 (from Robin Dwane)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty Magazine 1945 (from Harry Banham)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty Dinner 1943 (from Harry Banham)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Lt Bradbury & Capt Aves at training camp (from Ron Hatchard)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty Patrols marching at training camp (from Ron Hatchard)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty mess at training camp (from Ron Hatchard)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Admiralty training weekend
OB Image
Caption & credit
Hampton Rocks explosives training (from Harry Banham)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Hampton Rocks explosives training (from Harry Banham)
Picture caption & notes

The large group photo shows; 

Rear row:  E.Dwane, A.P.James, N.J.James, W.W.Curry, J.Blair, S.R.G.Sauter, L.M.Pussey, H.D.Rees BEM, W.F.E.Emmerson.

Third row: H.Masters,  C.J.Gates, L/Cpl .R.A.Partridge, S.L.Baldery, F.N.Jermy, H.Barham, R.A.D.Heward, A.P.Morgan, P.F.Carter, T.F.Pope, L/Cpl. R.N.Reeds.

Second row. R.M.B.Judson, L/Cpl. S.F.Phillips, E.White, Sgt. E.A.Steene, Sgt. N.W.S.Baker BEM, Sgt.NE.Shepherd, L/Cpl .E.Roscorla, N.Armstrong, J.O.B.Canavan.

Front row:  Sgt. D.F.Stevenson, 2nd Lt. G.R.M.Hutchings, Captain L.Aves, Lt. J.G.Spearman, 2nd Lt.  I.MacG.Phillips BEM, Sgt. R.W.Bennett.

References

John Pidgeon

Donald Brown

Harry Banham

Robin Dwane

Ron Hatchard