South Kelsey Patrol

County Group
Lincolnshire Group 2
Locality

South Kelsey is a village in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, situated 4.5 miles south-west from Caistor.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant George Henry Blackburn

Farmer & blacksmith

 Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Corporal John Reginald Markham

Agricultural lorry driver

 Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private James Arthur Constable

Tractor driver

 Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Cyril Norman Everatt

Agricultural labour

 Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Private Horace James Foston

Dairy farmer

 Unknown 03 Dec 1944
Operational Base (OB)

The OB was set within the Jarvis Plantation next to Caistor Canal. It was built by the Royal Engineers consisting of two chambers dug into the ground with an escape tunnel exiting in nearby woods.

Patrol & OB pictures
Copyright Kate Nicol and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Looking towards central chamber (from Kate Nicol)
Caistor canal Looking West.
Caistor Canal looking West, Jarvis Plantation on the left and the former tow path (now a farm track) on the right (from Kate Nichol)
South Kelsey OB 1
Entrance into main chamber 2021
South Kelsey OB 3
Vent pipe 2021
South Kelsey OB 5
Entrance into main chamber 2021
South Kelsey OB 4
Main chamber looking out 2021
South Kelsey OB 6
Looking down entrance shaft 2021
South Kelsey OB 7
Looking up entrance shaft from main chamber 2021
South Kelsey OB 2
Main chamber vent pipe in centre looking towards entrance shaft (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB 8
Main chamber looking out 2021
South Kelsey OB
South Kelsey OB 2021
South Kelsey OB vent pipe
South Kelsey OB vent pipe 2021
South Kelsey OB
South Kelsey OB 2021
South Kelsey OB vent pipe
South Kelsey OB vent pipe 2021
South Kelsey OB entrance
South Kelsey OB entrance 2021
South Kelsey OB main chamber
South Kelsey OB main chamber 2021
South Kelsey OB entrance shaft
South Kelsey OB entrance shaft 2021
South Kelsey OB main chamber
South Kelsey OB main chamber 2021
South Kelsey OB main chamber
South Kelsey OB main chamber 2021
South Kelsey OB entrance shaft
South Kelsey OB entrance shaft
South Kelsey OB
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
South Kelsey OB (from Dave Hunter)
OB Status
Collapsed with few visible remains
OB accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Location

South Kelsey Patrol

Patrol Targets

South Kelsey covers the next good bridge across the Ancholme, south of Brigg, and the OB location is very close to that road, and the railway running south to Lincoln. These were the most likely targets.

Training

Regional training took place at Dalby Hall. Some of the Patrol went to Coleshill.

Auxilier James Constable remembered the Patrol taking part in an attack on an RAF camp. Managing to reach the officers mess at the heart of the camp they threw in thunderflashes and watched with amusement from a safe distance as the officers scattered through doors and windows. The Patrol withdrew undetected.

Weapons and Equipment

It is assumed they had access to the standard weapons and equipment. James Constable recalled that some arms were returned to the regular services after the imminent threat of invasion had passed. He did however have to quietly dispose of some explosives and munitions that he still had after stand down.

Other information

James Constable knew of some other Patrols in the area but not of their OB locations. Each Patrol was deliberately left in the dark about the precise locations of the others nearby.

References

TNA ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

Dave Hunter

Mrs J Dennis (daughter of James Constable)

The Secret Army by Mark Sansom (Lincolnshire Heritage Booklets)

South Kelsey : The history of a Lincolnshire village by J Collins.

Dr Will Ward

Dave Bell