Hereford is a cathedral city and county town of Herefordshire.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Angus Bruton Wilson | Seed Merchant |
Unknown | 18 Sep 1944 |
| Corporal Dennis Howard Smith | Garage manager |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private John Cleland | Farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Leslie James Hoddell | Farmer |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private John French Ryan | Veterinary surgeon |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Ernest Charles Tisdale | Barman |
Unknown | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private C. H. Williams | Sept 1944 | Unknown |
Thought to be on Dinedor Hill in Dinedor near to Hereford.
It is thought that the OB's secrecy was compromised by an Army officer and his girlfriend. The officer was moved away but it is unknown if another OB was planned.
Hereford Patrol
The summit of Dinedor Hill would have given views of the roads and railways coming into Hereford.
The OB location would have given easy access to the Royal Ordnance Factory at Rotherwas which would have been a valuable asset to the invaders if left intact.
Local training was carried out at Leslie Hoddell's farm at Lyde Court.
Hereford Patrols trained at Holmer Grange, the home of Captain Hughie Hall. Auxiliers had memories of a large lake with a pontoon bridge over. An exercise was to run over the pontoon with all their equipment, missing the part of the bridge that was primed to collapse. If they didn't fall in, the instructors pushed them in anyway. A stuffed dummy mounted in a doorway was used for silent killing practice.
A competition between all six Patrols took place at a farm at Holmer. Each Patrol had to place a magnet with the Patrols name attached on some farm equipment stored in a yard. Getting in and out without being spotted, the victor was Bromyard Patrol.
Along with other patrols from around the country, Hereford Patrol were recruited to defend the Isle of Wight in June 1944 during the time of D-Day.
Herefordshire Patrols had their first reunion dinner on 26 Jan 1945 at Booth Hall in Hereford.
Sergeant Angus Wilson died of natural causes during the war (18 Sep 1944) and was replaced by Corporal Dennis Howard-Smith a week later.
TNA WO199/3389
Hancock data held at B.R.A.
1939 Register
The Mercian Maquis by Bernard Lowry & Mick Wilks