Swainswick is a small village 3 miles north east of Bath on the A46.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant Malcolm Thomas Shackell | Dairy farmer |
25 May 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Cyril James Cryer | Quarry owners clerk |
31 May 1940 | 14 Apr 1943 |
| Private Henry George Davis | Market gardener |
31 May 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private Edwin Hugh Gibbs | 30 Jan 1942 | 03 Dec 1944 | |
| Private George Henry Pow | Dairy farmer |
30 Jun 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private John Leslie Shackell | Farmer assisting father |
20 Jul 1940 | 03 Dec 1944 |
| Private John Campbell Taylor | 04 Nov 1941 | Unknown |
The Defence of Britain Database records the OB as being south west of Tadwick. Between Tadwick Lane and Gloucester Road. The OB is in at wood at Upper Swainswick , possibly Bear Wood or Slate Wood. Remains were still there around 2015, but it is thought to now have been filled in and the site is overgrown with badgers in the area.
This wood used to be owned by the Shackell family.
Swainswick Patrol
Local targets would have included RAF Charmy Down and the A46 main road going north from Bath.
They trained at Yoxter Military training area. Yoxter training area / rifle range (see Somerset HER PRN 25665) nr Priddy, on the Mendip hills. This was a pre war Military camp, that was used all through WW2 by the regular Army, Home Guard, and the Auxiliary Units, at it is still marked on modern OS maps in Red and Danger, so it is still being used.
The Patrol improvised with some of their equipment. It was known they trained in silent killing using a hat pin and they had at least one privately purchased hunting knife. They had revolvers and a .303 rifle.
The home of John Shackell, Tourneys Farm .303 ammunition and thunder flashes were found after the war. There is also a gas mask and tin hats still there at the farm.