CART Auxiliary Unit Research

A.K.A. (nickname)

Wrelton or Cass Hagg

County Group

Locality

Middleton is a village to the west of Pickering on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. The town is a main cross roads over the moors and during the Second World War it was also a main railway junction.

Patrol members

Name	Occupation	Posted from	Until
Sergeant John Henry Hutchinson	Farmer assisting Uncle	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Corporal Richard Simpson Allan	Farmer assisting Father	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private George Kenneth Lumley	Cowman	Unknown	Unknown
Private William E. Richardson	Farm labourer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private John Dowsland Sotheran	Bricklayer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private John Richard Stead	Horseman on farm	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Robert S. Stephenson	Horseman on farm	Unknown	03 Dec 1944

Operational Base (OB)

The Patrol OB was located in a narrow wood to the north of Wrelton above Cass Hagg Farm. The OB had a telephone cable that ran in ducts and through trees to the main road and on to Crook Farm or Cass Hagg Farm, the wire run is lost now.

The OB was an "Elephant" type shelter. It was built by the Royal Engineers. They cleared the ground carefully then blew a hole in the wood. The metal work of the "Elephant" shelter was then dropped into the hole. The concrete was poured for the floor and the end walls and entrance shaft were built from bricks. The removed ground cover was replaced over the shelter.

The OB remains on the site and in tact. The entrance shaft is to one side, this drops down to a short corridor with a storage area before you enter the main chamber.

There was probably an Observation Post closer to the farm as telephone wire and clips to hold it in place have been found. The OP would have been linked to the OB by field telephone.

Patrol & OB pictures

3rd Sinnington Wrelton Aaislaby Middleton HG (from Nigel Hargreaves)

3rd Sinnington Wrelton Aaislaby Middleton HG rear 4th from left John Stead (from Nigel Hargreaves)

3rd Sinnington Wrelton Aislaby Middleton HG rear far left Sgt Jim Hutchinson (from Nigel Hargreaves)

OB Status

Largely intact

OB accessibility

This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it

Location

Middleton Patrol (Yorkshire)

Patrol Targets

Transport targets would have included the railway from Whitby and from Scarborough to York along with the A169 main road over the moors from Whitby in the north and the A170 main road from Scarborough in the east.

The thinking was that if the Germans landed at Whitby harbour they would use the roads and railway to quickly get over the Noth Yorkshire Moors and head for York and the airfields around the area. Making York the centre for taking over northern England.

Training

The Patrol trained locally near the OB and regionally at Danby Lodge with the Area Intelligence Officer and also with the Scout Section of The Green Howards at Castleton.

Some members went to Coleshill House for specialist courses.

Weapons and Equipment

Weapons used by the Patrol included; Commando fighting knives,.38 Smith & Wesson pistols, Thompson Sub Machine Gun, and a Sten 9mm Machine Gun.

References

The National Archives in Kew ref WO199/3389

1939 Register

Hancock data held at B.R.A

Dennis Walker

Nigel Hargreaves