Narford Patrol

County Group
Locality

Narford is approximately 9 miles south-east of King's Lynn.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant George Frederick Attwood

Estate manager & chartered land agent

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Corporal Dennis Sneezum

Agricultural ironmonger

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Ralph Ronald Bennett

Farmer

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Henrik Constantin Brun

Farm manager

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private George William Howard

Tractor driver

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Robert Joseph Mallett

Tractor driver

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private William Welham

Gamekeeper

Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

According to the information published in A Hoare’s book (see references below), the OB is situated in the grounds of Narford Hall, with its roof now collapsed (2002).

Mr Ivan Sneezum, the son of Patrol member Corporal Dennis Sneezum, says that the Narford OB is in one of the woods opposite Narford Hall, near the 7th tree – but which, and where exactly, we were unable to guess. A number of woodlands, all adjoining each other, can be found opposite the Hall. 

Interestingly, some of these woods are named after battle ships (Indomitable and Royal Oak) that former owner and naval Aide-de-Camp to King George V, Vice Admiral Charles Andrew Fountaine, perhaps served on.

The current owners know nothing of an underground structure on their estate but very generously permitted access onto their land so that a search could be conducted.  A year later and despite a number of extensive searches - accompanied by the owner’s sons and on one occasion also by Gerry Sutcliffe, an Auxiliary Unit re-enactor - the OB site could not be located. 

On occasion of a guided tour, kindly given to us by Carlo Fountaine, we were shown structures dating from WWII, when Narford Lake was used for floating tank training; we saw a small underground structure of unidentified purpose, but certainly not an OB, near one of the estate’s farms; a generator bunker that once formed part of a so-called starfish site and we even allowed to inspect the Victorian ice house.  But we found nothing at all which could be associated with Auxiliary Units.  We also failed to find living Patrol members or relatives who would have been able to assist.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Narford Auxiliary Unit Patrol OB Area
OB Status
Location not known
Location

Narford Patrol

Patrol Targets

Lynn and Dereham Railway (Opened 1846 the railway operated between Dereham and King's Lynn and was closed in 1960.) and probably Narford Hall in case it would have been taken over by the enemy were probable targets.

Other information

Norfolk Group 8 Stand-down photo [Original owned by Desmond Neville, son of patrol member Deryck Neville]

References

TNA ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

Evelyn Simak and Adrian Pye

Adrian Hoare, “Standing up to Hitler”; 2002,

David Bennett;

Ivan Sneezum