CART Auxiliary Unit Research

County Group

Locality

The Patrol was based near the village of Netherwitton in Northumberland not far from the Paxtondene Patrol.

Patrol members

Name	Occupation	Posted from	Until
Sergeant John Robert Pringle	Shepherd & farmer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Corporal John Philipson Robson	Mole catcher	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Matthew Arkle	Stockman & horseman assisting uncles	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Henry Arkle	Farmer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Ivor William Hutton	Gamekeeper	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Bernard Francis Smith	Varied	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Alfred Septimus Stephenson	Farmer	Unknown	03 Dec 1944

Operational Base (OB)

The Patrol OB was a standard "Elephant" type shelter built by the 184th (S) Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers. It was located in a wood to the south of Coal Houses and west of Park Head Farm, close to a stream that flows into the River Font.

Patrol & OB pictures

Cpl Phil Robson - Mole catcher invoice

Netherwhitton Patrol

OB Status

Destroyed

Location

Netherwhitton Patrol

Patrol Targets

Targets will have included a search light battery near Nunnykirk.

Railway targets will have included the Scots Gap to Rothbury railway, a minor branch line but during the war it was used to transport military equipment between England and Scotland.

Netherwhitton Hall and Acton Hall were both used army HQ's with the 51st Highland Division based around the area retraining for the D-Day invasion. The Black Watch, and the Desert Rats were two of the Divisions retraining in the area. There was also a tank range near Blagdon Burn another area of concern if the Germans attempted a sudden airborne raid.

The Patrol had similar objectives to the Paxtondene Patrol.

Training

The Patrol took part in the Commando training at Cupar in Fife. Some members went to Coleshill House for specialist training with more local training with the regular army taking place at the Otterburn ranges.

Weapons and Equipment

The Patrol is thought to have been equipped with the standard Auxiliary Unit Mark 2 kit, a .22 Sniper rifle with telescopic sights, Smith & Wesson pistols, garrottes and Fairbairn Sykes fighting knives.

Other information

Local lad Donald Ions found the OB on the Park Head Farm land during the war but told no one for 40 years.

The men in the Patrol knew the men in the Paxtondene Patrol and their role, but did not know where their OB was.

Members of the Patrol did a tour of guard duty for the Royal family at Balmoral.

References

The National Archives in Kew ref WO199/3388

1939 Register

Hancock data held at B.R.A

Bill Ricalton who knew all the people involved.

Captain Anthony Quayle Intelligence Office