Goodwood Patrol

County Group
Locality

The Goodwood Estate is in the heart of West Sussex and is home to the world famous Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival and Glorious Goodwood

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Lieutenant Harold Leslie Drewitt

Farmer

14 Aug 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private Bunny Bailey

Farmer

Unknown Unknown
Private George William Thomas Burch 06 Jan 1943 03 Dec 1944
Private Algernon Donald Burningham

Coal merchant

05 Jul 1940 15 Apr 1943
Private John Robert Coad

Dairy farmer

09 Mar 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Alan Douglas Heaver

Manager, sand & gravel quarry

22 Mar 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Herbert Reginald Heaver

Farmer

11 Apr 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Peter de Lande Long

Pupil to land agent & firm of Chartered Surveyor

14 Oct 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private Charles Percival Longland

Agricultural labourer

17 Jan 1941 03 Dec 1944
Private Francis Percy Penfold

Agricultural engineer owner

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Cecil Snow

Estate carpenter

17 Sep 1942 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

The OB was a single underground chamber measuring 19 feet 6 inches and 8 feet 6 inches high, situated in a woodland area called 'The Thicket', a mile to the west of Eartham.

It was built by the Royal Engineers, its walls and floor are constructed of solid concrete with a 6 inch thick reinforced concrete ceiling supported by five evenly-spaced 8 inch by 4 inch RSJ beams.

This overly-solid construction, coupled with the absence of an emergency exit is an unusual design for an Auxiliary Unit OB in Sussex

Entrance into the chamber was gained by lifting an old tree stump which was attached to a hinged trapdoor; this revealed a wooden ladder going down into the OB. Inside were four bunk beds, ammunition, explosives, a large food store, and water stored in two galvanised tanks.

Two hundred yards to the north east of the OB was the Patrol's OP. This was basically a 6 feet by 4 feet trench with a camouflaged top over it. One man would have stood inside, relaying any information back to the hideout via a direct telephone line.

Because of its concrete construction the Goodwood hideout is still in excellent condition although corrugated sheeting and timber that originally lined the shaft now makes access a little difficult.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Simple bed frame
OB Image
Caption & credit
Entrance Cover
OB Image
Caption & credit
Walls and floor are constructed of solid concrete with a 6 inch thick reinforced concrete ceiling supported by five evenly-spaced 8 inch by 4 inch RSJ beams
OB Image
Caption & credit
Concrete section walls
OB Image
Caption & credit
Original hook in situ
OB Image
Caption & credit
Ventilation pipe
OB Image
Caption & credit
Configuration of sleeping bunks
OB Image
Caption & credit
Goodwood OB sketch (Stewart Angell)
OB Status
Largely intact
OB accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Location

Goodwood Patrol

Training

Auxilier Alan Heaver remembered doing a great deal of training with the neighbouring West Stoke Patrol of which his other brother, Jack, was a member. On one such night-time training exercise, the two Patrols had to simulate laying an explosive charge on a guarded anti-aircraft gun at Temple Bar about one mile north of Tangmere airfield. The guards around the 'Ack-Ack' gun had been warned that an attack might be attempted some time that night, and not to fire live ammunition at the attackers.

The two Patrols met up at Shopwyke, about two miles away from the target site. Alan Heaver was teamed up with Stanley Mason, the West Stoke Patrol Leader. As they made their way towards Temple Bar Alan Heaver, being the younger man, started to pull away from Stanley Mason and reached the target site first. He entered the perimeter of the site, got right up to the gun, chalked a swastika on it and escaped the same way without detection. He had completed the exercise long before the other men arrived. Unsure what to do with the remaining time; he decided to have another go and chalk a second swastika on the gun. This was a bad move; he was caught, as were all the others eventually.

All the men were taken to see an army officer at Halnaker Windmill. The officer consoled the men on their failed attack, at which Alan Heaver said he had managed to mark the gun and was only caught on his second attempt. The officer, most put out, demanded to be shown the swastika and drove Alan Heaver back to the site to see for himself.

References

TNA reference WO199/3391

Hancock data held at B.R.A.

Images by Jim from 28 Days Later 

'The Secret Sussex Resistance' by Stewart Angell