Roseland is a small hamlet by Menheniot, near Liskeard in Cornwall
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second Lieutenant William John Francis Mewton | School caretaker |
01 Jun 1940 | 09 Nov 1942 |
| Captain George Hardey Sergeant | School master |
02 Sep 1940 | 01 Feb 1941 |
| Sergeant Thomas Welsley Williams | Lorry driver |
01 Jul 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Reginald Babbage | Quarry worker |
01 Jul 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private John Patrick St Britius Bice | Agricultural merchant |
16 Sep 1941 | 30 May 1943 |
| Private J. Bowen | Unknown | 05 Mar 1942 | |
| Private George Knight | Lorry driver |
01 Jul 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Albert Henry Reeves | Butcher and slaughterman |
31 Jan 1943 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Robert Stewart Sleep | Ironmonger |
01 Jul 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Stafford Tucker | Quarry manager |
01 Jul 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Richard Warne | Farmer |
27 Jun 1943 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Stuart William Wing | 13 Dec 1942 | 07 Feb 1943 |
An early OB was thought to have been built around Herodsfoot but was abandoned when someone fell through it. The OB at Roseland was being constructed in Oct 1941.
The OB was constructed in Roseland Quarry at Menheniot near Liskeard 250 feet behind the house. This was the home of Auxilier Stafford Tucker and it is thought the quarry was no longer active at the time but ran as a sham. The OB is today just a hole in the ground measuring around 15 foot by 14 foot with an entrance tunnel 4 foot in width and 5 foot in height. One wall of the timber and corrugated structure remains. The OB appears to have been dug by hand as is a particular shape. It was lined with stone then a wooden frame structure was added. This was then lined with corrugated iron which appears to have been criss-crossed, running horizontally and vertically over the structure. There were bunks in the OB and the trap door had stones screwed onto it. It appears to have been painted white inside.
On the Quarry edge is a dug out Observational Post. It was dug for single man use. It is 8 foot from the edge of the quarry face and 4 foot wide.
Down near the stream a single chamber phosphorous bomb store was built. It appears to be a simple box frame surrounded by corrugated iron and could measure around 2 foot square.
Roseland Patrol
The diary and training transcripts list the local targets which would have included Coldrinick and Liskeard, Moorswater viaducts.
In 2001, Defence of Britain researcher Alwyn Harvey was contacted by the son of Roseland Patrol Sergeant Thomas Wesley Williams. He had a box file from his late father containing a lot of paperwork and training manuals for the Patrol. Maunuals included; Pictorial Fieldcraft (Cooper), Manual of the Sten Gun (Manders & Capper), Ground Gen for Airmen (Taylor), The Thompson Sub Machine Gun (Gale & Polden), How to Learn the Morse Code in 30 Minutes and Remember it (Gale & Polden), Pocket Notes on Identification of German Units (Wade), The Defence of Villages and Small Towns (Wade), Small Arms Manual (Barlow), Infantry Section Leading (HMSO), Aids to Visual Deception (War Office), Notes on the Training of Snipers 1940 (War Office) and Hints on Map Reading Instruction (War Office).
Along with these training manuals were hand written, day to day diaries written in an old school exercise book. These recorded the activities, exercises and training carried out by the Patrol throughout the War. There are also results of rifle range scores for the men, a set of receipts for equipment issued to the men along with various letters and orders from Intelligence Officers at Langstone Manor. Transcripts, with interpretation are here.
According to these records Roseland Patrol often trained with local Patrols; Newlyn East Patrol, St Dennis Patrol, St Germans Patrol, Lansallos Patrol, St Ive Patrol and St Keyne Patrol.
Training is known to have taken place with the Scout Section at Porthpean House, Porthpean, near St Austell.
In 1947 four local lads were prosecuted for stealing explosives and detonators Stafford Tucker kept in a tin in his Grub Hut. Though he explained they would have been needed for the quarry he was criticised for the amount kept.
As a young lad, David Crocker found explosives and threw them over and around the quarry. One of his friends were hurt and Bill Mewton turned up with police. He was more worried about getting in trouble with Mewton who was his school caretaker than the police.
Sergeant Thomas Williams retained a note instructing him to report to local barber Harold Martin if invasion had occurred to take a message to the Patrol. It is unknown how Harold Martin was involved. Harold Martin (born 1891) lived on Dean Street, Liskeard.
The Group photo shows (L-R); Stafford Tucker, George Knight, Robert Sleep, Unknown, George Sergeant (front), Bill Mewton, Tom Williams and Reg Babbage. The other group photo could have been taken on the leaving of Jack Bice to St Ive Patrol as shows; Unknown, Albert Reeves, Unknown, Stafford Tucker. Front; Unknown, Jack Bice and Richard Warne.
TNA ref WO199/3391
Hancock data held at B.R.A
1939 Register
Roseland Patrol diary.
Cornish Guardian 26 June 1947
Jeremy Tucker, David Crocker and Frances Foulkes (Liskeard Museum)