Winfrith Newburgh, commonly called just Winfrith, is a village about 8 miles west of Wareham and 10 miles east of the county town Dorchester.
| Name | Occupation | Posted from | Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant Robert John House | Shepherd |
05 Jun 1940 | 05 Jul 1943 |
| Corporal Robert John Biles | Agricultural labourer |
01 Aug 1940 | 05 Jul 1943 |
| Private Edgar Cooper | Labourer aiding father diary farmer |
01 May 1941 | 05 Jul 1943 |
| Private Harold Frederick Hanger | Farm foreman |
Unknown | 05 Jul 1943 |
| Private Arthur Roger House | Tractor driver |
Unknown | 05 Jul 1943 |
| Private Reginald Herbert Smith | Dairy farmer |
02 Mar 1940 | 05 Jul 1943 |
| Private Harry Westmacott | Dairy farmer |
07 Aug 1940 | 05 Jul 1943 |
Moreton Sheepwalks. The exact location is unknown and an attempt by Robert House to locate it in the 1960s was unsuccessful.
Winfrith Patrol
Robert House’s sister Mary kept a diary during the war, which contains a couple of entries of interest.
'Monday 13 May: Mummy, Roger & I had lunch with Daddy. Bobby went to Bristol with Freddie Bedford'.
Freddie Bedford was Sergeant of Moreton patrol. It seems likely that this entry relates to a trip to Coleshill House for a Patrol Leaders course. He had no reason to go to Bristol with Freddie, who was a baker. Perhaps he started out on a Bristol bound train, or perhaps this was cover for the real destination?
'Saturday 7 September: Quiet night. Attacks on London.Very busy morning. Sun-bathed after lunch. Went to shop after tea, and then to dance given by "Green Howards". Roger & Raymond met me. Home Guard called out 11.30pm'.
September 7th was the night of the “Cromwell” alert, when the Home Guard was called out all over the country as an invasion was thought to be imminent.
Roger House had a Tommy gun. He thought that he and his friend Freddie Bedford from Moreton Patrol had the only two of these in Dorset. Perhaps they did when they were issued?
In July 1943, the Patrol was stood down, with the men returned to the local Home Guard battalion. It isn’t clear why this is, though sometimes new military activity in an area could make a Patrol’s location untenable. Edgar Cooper was promoted to Sergeant and was given a newly formed Patrol of men to command based around Wool.
Correspondence with Simon House, son of Robert House
Information from Philip Saunders via John Pidgeon.
National Archives WO199/3390, 199/3391