Richard Albert Needham

Richard Needham said the Patrol were based at Farringford House, the home of Alfred Lord Tennison, while posted on the Isle of Wight. They guarded the the Pluto pipe line in the Pavillion on the mini golf course. Not all the members went, it was voluntary with a notice having been posted "Volunteers sort for a "Special" operation, possibly overseas".

While guarding the power station Richard Needham witnessed the D-Day build up. he said "I watched as the planes flew out over the Channel towing the gliders.....it was an awesome sight".

                                     EVENING CHRONICLE 29 NOV. 1994

                                          By Ian Saddler

A soldier who took part in hush, hush wartime guerrilla operations has broken his vow of silence to track down his old comrades. Richard Needham was one of 3000 civilians trained to kill and operate in Churchill’s Secret Army. The men, ordered to operate as guerrillas in the event of a German invasion and the defeat of Britain, were one of the best kept secrets of the war.
But 50 years on, the Government has lifted the lid on the clandestine operation. And Mr. Needham 71, believes the time is right to try and track down his colleagues.
The colliery electrician was one of seven civilians who formed the Cramlington branch of the resistance army which operated in an underground HQ in the nearby Hartford Woods.
Northumberland had two other seven-man units, Chevington and Bedlington, although others operated in the North-East.
He knows that three of the unit have died, but is unsure of the fate of the others Wilf Wood and Wilf Henderson, and miner Todd Barrass [this should be Tot]. He said “They were quite a bit older than me and if they’re still alive they must be in their eighties. I haven’t got a clue where they are, but it would be nice to meet up with them again”.
Like the rest of the guerrillas, Mr Needham was exempt from the regular army. But they were fully trained in the handling of weapons and explosives and taught how to kill swiftly. The German invasion never came. But the Cramlington unit played a key role in guarding a power station on the Isle of Wight at the time of the D-Day landings.
It was believed Hitler would try and attack Britain in response and the island was directly in the path. But no counter invasion came and the rest is history.
Mr Needham said “I watched as the planes flew out over the channel towing the glider it was awesome.” The guerrilla task force was stood down towards the end of 1944. By then the Germans were on the run and the invasion threat receded.
The Cramlington unit’s woodland hideaway remained hidden until just a few years ago when a curious dog uncovered it as it hunted rabbits.