CART Auxiliary Unit Research

County Group

Locality

Stokesley is a market town in the Hambleton District of the north Riding on the north west edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. It is a major cross roads with five main roads joining or crossing each other in the town.

Patrol members

Name	Occupation	Posted from	Until
Sergeant Kenneth Edwin Hyatt	Chartered civil engineer - brickworks	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Corporal John Henry Wrightson	Horseman	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Laurence Clifford Croszier	Steel moulder	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private John M. W. Evans	Bricklayer	Unknown	Unknown
Private Ernest Helm	Horseman	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Henry Appleton Richardson	Corn mill hand	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Robert K. Rudd	Assisting father on farm	Unknown	03 Dec 1944
Private Frank Winship	Omnibus Company's traffic and ticket inspector	Unknown	03 Dec 1944

Operational Base (OB)

The Patrol's OB was to the south of Stokesley close to Kirkby. Located in a narrow wood called Kirkby Wood, just above the West Beck. It was a standard "Elephant" type shelter.

OB Status

Destroyed

Location

Stokesley Patrol

Patrol Targets

Transport targets would have included; the crossing points on the river Leven, the Whitby to Stokesley railway line (which during WW2 had a large area of sidings for moving freight to Northallerton on the east coast main line), the main road over the moor from Whitby and all of the main roads that converge on the town, as is a major cross roads.

The road and rail network over the North Yorkshire Moors was considered a must by the military. Being able to control and or destroy the network was vital to prevent the German getting a foot hold in North Yorkshire after a landing at Whitby Harbour. The fear was a fast advance to York and the surrounding airfields enabling the Germans to set up a military HQ in the area with a supply line to the North Sea.

Training

Some of the Patrol went to Coleshill House for specialist courses.

Regionally they trained at Danby Lodge, HQ for the local Intelligence Officer. They would also have trained at Castleton with the Scout Section from the Green Howards.

Locally they trained in Kirkby Woods near the OB.

Weapons and Equipment

It is thought they had access to the standard Auxiliary Units kit and equipment.

Other information

Some Patrol meetings took place in Redcar with Captain Dixon.

References

The National Archives in Kew ref WO199/3389

Hancock data held at B.R.A

1939 Register

Dennis Walker