Arundel Auxiliary Unit Patrol

The Arundel Patrol consisted of seven members. The Patrol Leader was Frank Penfold, owner of an agricultural engineering firm, who lived in Walberton to the west of Arundel. Frank Penfold began his Auxiliary Unit career as a member of Lesley Drewett’s Goodward Patrol. However, this was only for a few months until he was asked to form the Arundel Patrol.

The other members of the Patrol were George Cross, who worked for the Forestry Commission; David Blackwood, a farm foreman at Walberton; George Birch, who worked for Frank Penfold as a blacksmith and welder; Jim Lee, a farmer at Burton Mill Farm, South Stoke; and a man called Phillips who worked for the Ministry of Supply. All the men did their basic training over one weekend at Coleshill.

Localised training took place in the surrounding area with live grenade practice in Blackhurst chalk pit, and what the patrol termed “thuggery” was practised on Long Down near to Goodward patrol's hideout. Often training involved neighbouring patrols. One combined mock attack took place on the radar station at nearby Poling.

The patrol’s hideout was sited near Houghton Forest and contained bunk beds, water, food, ammunition and two metal dustbins full of explosives of various sorts. An emergency exit tunnel about 50ft long ran out from the hideout. Some 50 yards to the south was a small underground lookout, connected to the hideout via a direct telephone line.

Former patrol leader Frank Penfold describes the various weapons which is patrol acquired during its operational years. They had two Colt automatic pistols; a .35 and the larger .45. Frank recalled the .22 silenced rifle which they were told was for sniping at German commanders. In his opinion it would have been better used on the tracker dogs sent to find the men. After the patrol was stood down, Frank kept several items of equipment, though he now has only his fighting knife, the “Fairbairn Dagger”. When the men of Arundel Patrol were issued with these knives, they found the handles too narrow, so wound them round with plastic tape to build up the grip to a desired thickness.

We think this was one that was 'destroyed' by the Royal Engineers at the end of the war, both the entrances were back filled but due to a collapse in the main chamber I could still get access.

Wire in the air vents, this was done to stop grenades from being dropped down.

For a detailed history of the Auxiliary Units in Sussex see Stewart Angell's book The Secret Sussex Resistance. Published by Middleton Press ISBN 1 873793 820 and available in our shop

Source of page text: Stewart Angell
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