He was known within the family as Pop. Various family members recalled that Pop used to keep lots of explosives at the bottom of the garden and was in the Home Guard. At times he would disappear into local woods. However he never spoke to the family about his wartime role and didn't keep anything from his time in Auxiliary Units. As Patrol Leader he was likely to have been the first to be contacted and would have chosen the other Patrol members.
Before the war he lived at Tilshead in Wiltshire. He married on 20 Feb 1918 at St Giles' Church at Imber, where his bride Frances Kitley lived. During the Second World War, the village of Imber would be evacuated to create a military training area and remains so to this day. The church however is out of bounds and can be visited on certain days of the year.
He died in 1951 at his home at Brook Cottage. He is buried in the graveyard of St Martins Church behind his former home.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipton Gorge Patrol | Patrol Leader | 03 Apr 1941 | 03 Dec 1944 |
Travelling road foreman
During World War One he reached the rank of Lance Corporal (153357) in the Royal Engineers. He had previously been a private (96477) in the Royal Army Service Corps. He served in France with the British Expeditionary Force between 1914 and 1920. He was awarded 1st Good Conduct Badge April 1917.
Stanley was the father of Harold Axford.
The National Archives file WO199/3390
Geoff Axford
www.imberchurch.org.uk/
1939 Register
Hancock papers (CART Archive)