Stoke Gabriel Auxiliary Unit Patrol And Their Operational Base

CART member Nina Hannaford has been looking into this patrol.

The Operational base is on the edge of  East Wood below Sandridge Barton.

Charlie Bircham who runs the estate always understood it was an ammunition dump.

Standing looking out of the wood a clear tunnel shaped depression in the ground can be seen running downhill to the left.

American soldiers were based nearby and some names can be seen carved in some of the trees.

Spoke to Sylvia (nee Tucker) who knew her Dad was in the Unit and was aware of where the base was but remembers very little. On her fathers death, when cleaning out the house her husband did come across and couple of hand grenades which they took around to the house of the local policeman.

Bob Scadding was a great friend of Reg Baker who did say he was in the Unit but would never talk any further about it.

Stoke Gabriel Home Guard including the Aux Units. Alf Tucker is no 2, Reg Baker no 6, Alf King no 35, Jim Collings no 36, and Edwin Potham no 38.

FREDERICK (Jack) HODGE Canbridge Cottage SG DOB 23/9/1911

REGINALD V BAKER Hillside Cottage Coombe Shute SG DOB 30/9/1911 (married Margery Hill 1932) Died 28/3/1986

JA COLLINGS  (Jimmo)  Berkley Square SG DOB  11/12/1902
(poss ALFRED JAMES)  (wife Jessie) buried SG

L F CHUBB  Greenfield, Paignton Road SG  DOB 24/8/1918
(poss FRANCIS LESLIE)

EDWIN P POTHAM Whitehill Cottage, Stoke Road DOB 10/2/1912 (married Violet Randle 1938)

ALFRED CHARLES TUCKER Vicarage Rd SG DOB 8/7/1909
Died 5/1/1972 (wife Susie daughter Sylvia) buried SG

ALFRED J KING Vicarage Road DOB 23/4/1901

ALSO POSSIBLE :

C N Watson Paignton Manor Court ? Paignton DOB 27/9/1897

C Kill/?Hill  DOB 24/6/1890

If you can shed anymore light on this patrol or OB please let us know.