St Germans Patrol

Locality

St. Germans is a village in south east Cornwall close to the Devon boarder.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Sergeant John Percy Bidgood

Head school master

28 Jul 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private William James Bersey

Head gamekeeper

06 Apr 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private William James Doney

Farm labourer

23 Mar 1942 03 Dec 1944
Private Leslie John Pearce

Lorry driver

08 Jul 1940 14 Nov 1942
Private William Francis Sparks

Under gardener

17 Jul 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private Abraham Stephens

Chauffeur

03 Jun 1940 14 Nov 1942
Private Edwin John Stephens

Cowman

13 Dec 1941 03 Dec 1944
Private Norman H. Stephens

Farm labourer

13 Dec 1941 03 Dec 1944
Private Arthur Charles Willcocks

Farmer

24 Jul 1940 07 Mar 1944
Operational Base (OB)

It is thought there were two OBs built on Auxilier Stephen's Farm at Lanjore, part of the Eliot Estate. One site has a large depression on the edge of a copse. Sadly it has been used as a rubbish dump over the years so any definite Auxiliary Units finds are hard to prove.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
View from OP towards OB
OB Image
Caption & credit
View from OP towards A38
OB Image
Caption & credit
Lanjore Farm
OB Image
Caption & credit
Site finds 2025 (from Chris Hale)
OB Image
Caption & credit
OB Site (from Chris Hale)
OB Image
Caption & credit
OB Site (from Chris Hale)
OB Image
Caption & credit
OB Site (from Chris Hale)
OB Image
Caption & credit
St Germans OB Sites (from Chris Hale)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Target of Tamar Bridge
OB Image
Caption & credit
Target Port Eliot House
OB Image
Caption & credit
Target St Germans viaduct
OB Status
Destroyed
OB accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Location

St Germans Patrol

Patrol Targets

St. Germans Patrol would have been the nearest Cornish Patrol to the Royal Albert Bridge over the Tamar which Intelligence Officer Captain John Dingley recalled was a target. The tubes are 16 foot 9 inches wide and 12 foot 3 inches high so easily big enough for a man to stand up in.

The estate house, Port Eliot, would have been an ideal German HQ in the area.

The Great Western rail line goes through St Germans into the port of Plymouth and the various bridges and the viaduct would have been targets.

Weapons and Equipment

It is assumed they were issued with the standard kit, arms and explosives.

References

TNA ref WO199/3391

Hancock data held by B. R. A

1939 Register 

Alwyn Harvey and his work on the Defence of Britain Database

Lady Bianca and Port Eliot Estate

Blake Sporne and Chris Hale