Ryde Patrol

County Group
Isle of Wight Group 9 (East)
Locality

Ryde is the largest seaside town and is on the north-east coast of the Isle of Wight.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant Stanley Horace Draper

Dairy farmer

 26 Dec 1940 Mid 1944
Private Arthur Robert George Bright

Farming assistant

 14 Jun 1941 15 Apr 1943
Private Harry Edward Calloway

Farmer

 30 Dec 1940 Mid 1944
Private John Henry Mew

Labourer

 22 Sep 1941 Mid 1944
Private Harry George Mitchell

Farm worker

 15 Sep 1942 Mid 1944
Private Frederick John Morey

Agricultural worker

 26 Dec 1940 Mid 1944
Private Harry Plumbley

Dairy farmer

 24 Jan 1941 Mid 1944
Private George Russell

Market gardener

 17 Mar 1941 Mid 1944
Private Horace Robert Watt

Farmer

 Unknown Unknown
Operational Base (OB)

The Operational Base is located on private land at Kemp Hill, near Ryde. Its strategic position is on the higher ground, which afforded a superb view of the Solent and Spithead and some of the land beyond from Calshot to the Nab Tower including the area around Portsmouth.

The OB entrance from the adjacent field is now well hidden by a thick hedge, the barbed wire fence to keep people away from the site is still there inside the hedge.

The whole of the OB roof has collapsed and none of the roof structure can be seen. What was the inside of the main chamber is mostly covered in the soil which has fallen in and the sides eroded.
 
In the main chamber area there a still a few pieces of the old metal bunks or beds but most are now buried given the amount of soil that has fallen in over the years.

There are a couple of glazed ventilation pipes sticking through the soil and two upright concrete block pillars situated diagonally at either side of the main chamber area. The two end walls of the main chamber are somewhat intact.

With the main chamber sides having collapsed and so much soil fallen in it is unclear how big the OB's main chamber was when constructed.
 
A metal pipe running into the chamber could have connected to a water tank.

Patrol & OB pictures
Looking down over the base
Looking down over the base (from Tom Sykes 2016)
This item caused some interest. It was located near to where the entrance shaft would have been.
Item located near to where the entrance shaft would have been (from Tom Sykes 2016)
This item caused some interest. It was located near to where the entrance shaft would have been
Item near the entrance shaft (from Tom Sykes 2016)
One of the end supporting walls.
One of the end supporting walls (from Tom Sykes 2016)
The view from the OB.
The view from the OB (from Tom Sykes 2016)
A pipe running down into the base. This was probably connected to an external water tank.
A pipe running down into the base. This was probably connected to an external water tank. (from Tom Sykes 2016)
End wall of the OB
End wall of the OB (from Tom Sykes 2016)
Training carried out in farmhouse kitchen
Training carried out in farmhouse kitchen (from Tom Sykes 2016)
A model of how this might have worked showing a tree stump covering the entrance shaft.
A model of how this might have worked showing a tree stump covering the entrance shaft. (from CART Archive).
Looking down into the OB
Looking down into the OB (from Tom Sykes 2016)
Chamber wall
Chamber wall (from Tom Sykes 2016)
Chamber walls
Chamber walls (from Tom Sykes 2016)
The Operational Base taken many years ago.
The Operational Base taken many years ago. (Picture copyright Ben Houfton/Adrian Searle.)
Air vents.
Air vents. (from Tom Sykes 2016)
Doorway into second chamber
Doorway into second chamber (from Tom Sykes 2016)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 13
OB area (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 12
OB area (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 10
OB remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 9
Main chamber (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 8
Main chamber wall (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 7
Main chamber wall (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 6
Main chamber (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 5
Remains of chamber roof (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 4
Water pipe (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 3
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 1
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 2
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 18
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 17
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 15
Remains on site (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 16
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
Ryde Kemp Hill OB 14
Main chamber remains (from Steve Berden 2014)
OB Status
Collapsed with some visible remains
OB accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Location

Ryde Patrol

Patrol Targets

It is thought that there were plans in place to blow up Ryde Pier but it is unknown if this was a task for the Patrol.

The whole beach area eastwards could have been used for German landing craft and tanks etc notwithstanding the access points in other parts of the island.

Wooton Creek would probably have been another strategic point of entry for the Germans as the main road level bridge (A3054 road) crossed Wootton Creek at Wootton and the A3054 road was (and still is) the main artery between Ryde and Newport.

Training

The men used the local farmhouse kitchen to discuss training and look at the training notes.

Other information

Ryde Patrol is not recorded on Major Hancock's lists of Patrols documented at stand down. It is assumed the Patrol was disbanded before then.

On January 20th 1945, a significantly historical dinner was held at the Masonic Hall, Ryde. Gathered together for the first time in five years were the majority of the members of the Island’s Auxiliary Patrols. A copy of the post stand-down dinner menu for that Saturday evening offers evidence of the men involved.

References

The National Archives in Kew ref WO199/3391

Defence of Britain database complied by Dr Will Ward,

Rod Mitchell son of Harry Mitchell,

Bill Ashby,

Stephen Lewins,

Isle of Wight County Press Online Article,

John Riddell,

Ron Holland,

Images Tom Sykes 2016 & Steve Berden 2014

1939 Register

Hancock data held at B.R.A