Dymchurch 'Toadstool' Auxiliary Unit Patrol

This page was last updated at 2:04pm on 30/12/11

Thank you for selecting information on the Dymchurch 'Toadstool' Auxiliary Unit Patrol and their Operational Base in Kent. The info and images below have been supplied by CART CIO for Kent, Phil Evans.

Based at Dymchurch they used the code name Toadstool.

The first I.O for Kent was Grenadier Guards Captain Peter Fleming. He was the man responsible for setting up the Units in Kent under the name of the XII corps Observation Unit. In late 1940 he left and a Royal Fusilier Captain Norman Field then took over as I.O. At some point in Normans command he split Kent in two. West Kent came under the command of Captain George MacNicholl and Norman commanded East Kent. In late 1941 Norman was taken away from the Units and George MacNicholl took over as I.O. for the whole of Kent for the rest of the war.

Beginning half of 1941

Image supplied by The Dymchurch and District Heritage Group

Patrol Leader  - Don Symonds.
David Symonds
Alfred Ovenden
Albert Ovenden
Ted Piddock
Cecil Watts
F Watts

This OB is on private land and is located on the edge of a field by a dyke. There is foliage around it now but during the war the location was void of any cover. The size of OB is 20 foot x 8 foot x 8 foot and it is in a good condition, still structurally sound but prone to flooding.

'The three Operational Bases, designed by Captain Field and built by Corbens of Maidstone, were identical in size, being 20 ft long, 8 ft wide and 8 ft high. The external walls were of reinforced concrete lined with bitumen, and white bricks were used on the inside, with a ventilating downpipe in each corner and three air outlets along the centre of the chamber. There was an entrance at either end, with dwarf walls at the bottom in case the enemy should drop a grenade into the entrance shaft. Iron bars were let into the shaft brickwork to form steps. The entrances had camouflaged wooden covers.'

Currently unknown

'I enjoyed the training at Bilting (The Garth). That was usually on a Sunday. We were taught by the Lovat Scouts to blow up trees so that they fell on a certain part of a road as roadblocks, also to blow up a convoy of vehicles. They had some old vehicles in the woods to practise on, things like that. We very rarely went to our OB; we were told not to in case it was discovered and, as you know, it was by troops in 1944. We were then disbanded and returned to the Home Guard.'

Currently unknown

Next section is taken from Edward Carpenters “Romney Marsh at War”

Albert Ovenden, also a looker, lived at Eastbridge, inland from Dymchurch, and was a member of the Auxiliary Patrol Toadstool based at Eastbridge.

Don Symonds came to see me and asked me to join him and he explained as much as he knew or could. He told me it was secret and I was to tell no one. At the time I lived at Sankey Farm, I was looker foreman for Mr Hobbs. My brother Alfred was also recruited by Don Symonds, but we kept it quiet, not even my sister knew until you made the enquiry [November 1994].

(Image - The surviving member of the Eastbridge Auxiliary Group, Albert Ovenden, at his home in Ramsgate, 1994.)

The quotes on the page are from Edward Carpenters “ Romney Marsh at War”

If you can help with any info please contact us.