Harpham is a small village about five miles north east of Driffield and seven miles from Bridlington.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Robert Pearson | Gamekeeper |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Corporal Frank Garton | Farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Marcus Alfred Bell | Assisting father on farm |
Unknown | Unknown |
| Private John Conyers | Quarry labourer |
Unknown | Unknown |
| Private Ronald S. Sellars | Horseman |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Raymond Sellars | Farm worker |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Tom Rowland Webster | Farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
The Patrol OB was built in Gransmoor gravel pits.
The OB has been completely destroyed but the footprint of the main chamber can be easily seen along with the escape tunnel that stretches for some 30 feet from the chamber. Large piles of bricks scatter the area from the demolition.
The main Chamber was approximately 15 feet long.
Approximately 150 yards away from the OB there is a suspected Observation Post, concrete lined on 4 sides and we think prefabricated off site due to the elaborate corner locking design. The post is around 5 feet deep and 3 feet by 3 feet in size. The top pieces on 3 sides have a 4 inch band running around we can surmise that this is for extra support for a cover of some sort. Telephone wire was found in the bottom of the post thus giving good evidence that communication to the OB were more than likely. Around 100 yards from the OP is another concrete structure that is buried and could not be found and we surmise that it could of been the explosive store. We are told it is approximately 6 feet by 6 feet and 3 feet deep and was last seen around 50 years ago.
The OP information was given to us by Mr Nigel Simons who worked as the woodsman in the woodland. His father before him worked as a woodsman during the war.
Harpham Patrol
As the Patrol was very close, an obvious target is the main coast line from Hull to Bridlington and Scarborough. The nearest Railway Station was the village of Lowthorpe which was closed in 1970. This line would of been of vital importance to resupply any invading force anywhere within the Country.
Military targets included RAF Lissett which had a Bomber Command Squadron (158) based there is to the South East and RAF Carnaby to the North East. Not forgetting RAF Driffield to the East which was a target for many Units.
The probable landing grounds on the coast around the Bridlington area would also have been targeted.
Some of the Patrol went to Coleshill House for specialist courses
The Patrol trained locally in the area. Group training took place at Middleton on the Wolds, Auxiliary Units HQ along with training at Hornsea with the army and at Richmond and Castle Howard with the Green Howards, (Castle Howard was a large Home Guard training centre).
Weapons issued to the Patrol included; BAR, 9mm revolvers, .22 sniper rifle, Thompson Machine Gun later Stens. Fairburn Sykes Knives and homemade knuckle dusters, American Pistols and Winchester rifles.
Speaking with the daughters of both Sergeant Pearson and Corporal Garton neither spoke of their time in the Auxiliary Units although the daughter of Pearson does remember him taking her to visit the ammunition stores when she was a young girl.
TNA ref WO199/3389
Hancock data held at B.R.A
1939 Register
Andy Gwynne
Local Press
Paul Richardson (son of CSM F.K. Richardson), Nigel Simons, Martyn Owst, Mr Alex Wood and Mr Tom Moody and the Legard Family