Montague Edward George Dymott

Ron Cooper and Monty Dymott both worked for Handy Lennox, a large garage in Chandler's Ford.

Monty Dymott drove lorries and made regular trips to Dagenham to collect new agricultural vehicles. He would always carry his Colt 38 revolver in a concealed holster in his trousers. In the evenings he would leave his home in Leigh Road, where he lived with his parents, to train with the Patrol, regularly devoting 70 hours a month on top of his already arduous day job.

One evening, on his way to the OB and heavily armed, Monty passed two Canadian Officers. He was promptly called to account for not saluting, something that was impossible considering his load. The outraged officers quizzed him as to what he was up to and where he was going, questions he was unable to answer. His shoulder flash of “203” was not recognised and did not exist. They later tracked him down to his home and arrived to ask more questions. Thankfully secrecy was preserved.

With hindsight, Monty Dymott recalled the four years as great fun. After stand down the group went back to their day jobs and nothing of what they had done or the engineers built was spoken of again. Mr Dymott proudly displayed his Defence Medal he finally received 50 years later. A Special Constable from 1953 to May 1959, joint again in 1961, he was awarded the Long Service Medal in 1968.