Whitwell Patrol

Locality

Whitwell is a small village located on the south of the Isle of Wight, approximately 3 miles north-west of Ventnor.

Patrol members
Name Occupation Posted from Until
Lieutenant Thomas Arthur Cowley

Pig marketing board

12 Jun 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private Charles Henry James Holbrook

Dairy farmer

12 Jun 1940 03 Dec 1944
Private Leslie Holbrook Unknown Unknown
Operational Base (OB)

The arms and ammunition dump for the Patrol was found in the 1950s when a field close to a barn at Stenbury Manor Farm was ploughed for the first time in years. The plough unearthed grenades and explosives.

The OB has now been located at Stenbury Manor Farm by local man David Pritchard. He can remember the OB in better condition than it is now. The OB is in Simms Wood to the north of Stenbury Manor.

Charles Holbrook remembered the OB had 4 bunks and a stove for cooking.

Patrol & OB pictures
OB Image
Caption & credit
Stenbury Manor OB 2017 (from David Pritchard)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Stenbury Manor OB 2017 (from David Pritchard)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Stenbury Manor OB 2017 (from David Pritchard)
OB Image
Caption & credit
Stenbury Manor OB escape tunnel route 2017 (from David Pritchard)
OB Status
Destroyed
OB accessibility
This OB is on private land. Please do not be tempted to trespass to see it
Location

Whitwell Patrol

Training

Charles Holbrook recalled training at the Drill Hall in Newport with a lot of other Patrols. He remembered being taught the art of assassination by Russian fighters who had been through the German invasion of their country.

Weapons and Equipment

Charles Holbrook recalled 100lb of high explosives, time delays, detonators, cortex and ordinary fuses, Smith & Wesson revolvers and knives.

Other information

On January 20th 1945, a significantly historical dinner was held at the Masonic Hall, Ryde. Gathered together for the first time in five years were the majority of the members of the Island’s Auxiliary Patrols. A copy of the post stand-down dinner menu for that Saturday evening offers evidence of the men involved.

References

David Pritchard 2017

TNA ref WO199/3391

Hancock data held at B.R.A

1939 Register

John Riddell

Charles Holbrook via Adrian Searle