William Welchman Harston | British Resistance Archive (staybehinds.com)

Major William Welchman “Bill” Harston

02 Apr 1899 - 24 Dec 1970

Biography

According to Eric Gray, while at Coleshill, Captain Harston had his wife staying in a caravan at the bottom of the estate.

Postings

Unit or location	Role	Posted from	until
The Transport Office	Motor Transport Officer	1940	1941
Devon	Intelligence Officer	08 Nov 1943	03 Dec 1944
Suffolk	Intelligence Officer	12 Dec 1940	02 Apr 1941
Essex	Intelligence Officer	12 Dec 1940	31 Dec 1940
De Cymru	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
South Wales	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
Ashburton, Devon	Intelligence Officer	08 Nov 1943	03 Dec 1944
Sir Fynwy	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
Monmouthshire	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
Herefordshire	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
Worcestershire	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
Cornwall	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944
Somerset	Intelligence Officer	27 Sep 1944	03 Dec 1944

Education

Sherborne School 1913-17

National ID

EKPL 16/1

Regiment

The Dorsetshire Regiment

Military number

49250

Commissioned or Enlisted

21 Aug 1918

Occupation

Headmaster

Career

28 Sep 1917 Entered Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.

19 Aug 1918 Completed Royal Military Academy course.

11 Sep 1918 Commissioned into the Dorset Regiment.

13 May 1919 Part of the North Russian Relief Force. Volunteers from the Dorset Regiment were formed into ‘Y’ Company 2nd Battallion Hampshire Regiment and served at Kurgomen in block houses.

21 Feb 1920 Promoted Lieutenant

25 Feb 1922 Relinquished rank [joining the Regular Army Reserve of Officers (Class II)].

Unknown date of re-enlistment.

Sept – Nov 1940 Infantry Training Centre Dorset Regiment as Lieutenant.

Unknown promoted to Captain.

12 Dec 1940 Appointed Intelligence Officer in East Anglia having taken over from Captain Croft.

Mar 1941 Appointed Motor Transport Officer at GHQ Coleshill.

1940 - 1943 Unarmed combat instructor at GHQ Coleshill (page 79 of ‘Last Ditch’).

12 Jun 1942 Promoted War Substantive Captain and Temporary Major.

8 Nov 1943 Appointed Intelligence Officer for Devon.

Apr 1944 Relinquished rank of Temporary Major.

14 Oct 1944 until stand down appointed Intelligence Officer number area 4 (Devon to Wales)

22 Apr 1949 Relinquished his commission due to age and is given the Honorary Rank of Major.

Address

Nov 1944 Home address Rowbrook, Poundsgate, near Newton Abbot, Devon

Other information

Born in Berkswich, Staffordshire he married 5 Apr 1929 Janet L Bond in Hampstead, Middlesex and they had Elizabeth P B in 1930 in Stafford and Janet G in 1933 in Uckfield, Sussex.

In 1939 he is the Headmaster at the Aldwick Grange Preparatory School, near Crowborough, Uckfield, Sussex.

On 1 Oct 1943 the Western Moring News is running a wanted advert for accommodation in Devon for Major Harston and his family moving from Highworth from November onwards.

In Nov 1944 he writes letters to all Area Commanders suggesting they set up an Association in their area for Auxiliers to stay in touch. At that time he is living at Rowbrook House, Poundsgate, Devon.

Other pictures