Warminster Road is the A36 which runs into Bath from the south east.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Norman William Stuart Baker | Travelling heating sales engineer |
20 Jun 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Lance Corporal Eric Roscorla | Draughtsman engineer in charge of department Admiralty |
20 Jun 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Sidney Lewis Baldery | Draughtsman engineer in charge of department Admiralty |
20 Jun 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Wilfrid Watt Curry | Admiralty engineering draughtsman |
04 Jun 1942 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Walter John Geoffrey Dennis | Technical assistant |
20 Jun 1940 | 18 Oct 1943 |
| Private Robert Arnold Desmond Heward | Student engineering college |
29 Nov 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Leslie Rawlings | Admiralty draughtsman |
30 Jun 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Robert Nicholas Reeds | Electrical engineer |
1940 | 1941 |
| Private Eric Albert White | Apprentice pattern maker |
17 Apr 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
The Operational Base was located in general open access land around Bathampton Downs. Many informal pathways criss-cross the woods. The OB was located near to the small stream descending from Hampton Rocks.
This is only 100 yards from Bathampton (City of Bath) Patrols OB. Auxilier Bob Millard recalled :"Familiarisation involved walking the area time and time again until each gap in the hedge, barn, and possible hiding places became familiar. It also involved the urban area to find where each alley lead or where a short cut might be taken. During these excursions we were delighted to discover the OB's of two Admiralty Patrols, one in the wood above the Warminster Road and the other in Prior Park.
The Admiralty had moved to Bath, they had their own Home Guard unit and within the Admiralty they also had five Auxilliary Units. Anyway we found where one of these had started digging its OB and we amused ourselves by climbing up on the woods occasionally and watching them at work. We were pleased to know that they were there and they didn't know where we were, but we were the local boys so we felt quite secure on our own patch. At the 1994 reunion I sat down next to a chap and got talking and found out that he was a member of the Admiralty Patrol whose OB we watched being constructed. He was most surprised to find out that we knew exactly where it was, and could tell him what was happening
Water was supplied to the OB from the nearby stream by a beer pump purchased from Bowlers of Bath.
The Admiralty Patrols had a central explosives / arms store in an out building at The Royal School, Lansdown Road and Harry Banham (4 Patrol) recalls another one built into the bank of the car park of the Ensleigh Estate, Lansdown Road.
Admiralty 3 (Warminster Road) Patrol
All the Admiralty Patrols took part in a night raid on RAF Colerne.
About two miles to the west of the OB was Claverton Manor. Now the American Museum, then, it was the headquarters for an anti-aircraft unit. As this is recorded as a target by the Bathampton Patrol it is assumed that this would also have been in the sights of Admiralty 3 as they were based so close together.
Another nearby target, in the valley below the OB, was the railway line that came up from the south coast and a couple of miles to the west it joined the main London-Bristol line. Damage here would have caused rail disruption to or from the whole of the South West.
They often trained with all the other Admiralty Patrols and the City of Bath Patrols.
Records of a revolver shooting competition on 20th February 1944 at Monkton Combe shows Admiralty 3 came last in both 10 and 20 yard shots.
Exercise “Lamb” was due to take place on 25th March 1944. Patrol leaders were advised ; “Ample opportunity should be taken of reconnoitring the district of Box.” Meeting at the Fernley Hotel at 21.30 hours, the exercise would finish at 02.00 hours the following morning.
All the Admiralty Patrols took part in a night raid on RAF Colerne. Number 1 Patrol broke through the perimeter barbed wire nearest the offices. Despite crawling on all fours Auxilier Douglas Owen managed to get captured. Taken to the office of the RAF commander he was interrogated by officers before producing a pistol hidden in his trousers. He proceeded to hold the officers hostage at gun point.
Auxilier Bennett of 4 Patrol remembers this raid as being “a complete fiasco. The sentries were posted at all the most obvious approaches and it was easy to elude them. All of us detailed to do so got in and plastered aircraft with “destroyed” notices and two adventurous youngsters actually held the station commander at gun point in his own office which was certainly not in their remit. There was a big row about it and as a result all the poor airmen had their leave jammed for a fortnight".
Everything was stored at the OB or separate stores as the Auxiliers were not living or working in their home environment.
TNA ref WO199/3391. WO199/3390
Stephen Lewins for Nominal Rolls
Auxilier Bob Millard
List of Admiralty Auxiliers from 1950 reunion held at B.R.A
Hancock's data held at B.R.A
Donald Brown “ Somerset V Hitler”