Bishopton is a village in the borough of Darlington situated to the west of Stockton-On-Tees.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Percy Hugh Bell | Dairy farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Frank Dobbing | Farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Thomas Horner | Horseman |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Horace Parker | Horseman |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private William Gray Twizell | Assisting father on farm |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private John M. Wall | Motor driver |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
The Patrol were based to the south of the remains of the Motte & Bailey castle close to Bishopton on land farmed by Group Commander Captain Thomas Robson.
The OB was an "Elephant" type shelter built by the 184th (S) Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers.
In the late 1970's / 1980's a local Bishopton pub "The Talbot" had a framed press cutting on the wall giving details about the Patrol and the people involved. It stated that the Operation Base was built into the side of Bishopton Beck, close to what is now the access bridge to the Bishopton Windsurfing Centre, which was in a small wood during WW2. No remains have been found.The cutting described how the Base was concealed with tree roots over the access door.
The cutting was probably from The Northern Echo, or the local Evening Gazette which serves Stockton area, or The Stockton and Darlington Times.
Bishopton Patrol
Military targets for the Patrol would have included; the Army HQ in Darlington, RAF Greatham, RAF Middleton St. George and the Ports of Harlepool and Middlesbrough.
Other targets wpuld have been the ICI Billingham factory with the Uranium enriching plant and Ammonia factory, other war effort factories in Billingham and on the Tees, road and railway links to Newcastle in the north and Middlesbrough and Darlington to the Southeast and Southwest
Wynyard Hall could have become a German HQ.
Local training was carried out on Stony Flatts Farm and regionally at Danby Lodge in North Yorkshire, the Area Intelligence Officer HQ and with the Scout Section from the Green Howards at Castleton.
Some members went to Coleshill House for special courses.
It is assumed they were supplied with the standard kit and equipment.
The National Archives in Kew ref WO199/3389
1939 Register
Hancock data held at B.R.A
Dennis Walker
Harry Moore ex Aux member
Peter Edwards