Church Knowles patrol.
Personnel data
Sgt "bunny" Wise.
17 April 1919-
(Wilfred j Wise).
Mother:- Edith A Wise
Father:- Robert J Wise
Spouse:-
Married:-
Chidren:
This gentleman was the original Sgt put in charge of the Creech patrol. He appears to have lived two doors from the Hatchard family.
I was under the impression that he was sent to the Welsh mines as a Bevin boy to dig coal urgently needed for the train system to transport munitions etc.
This seems strange as he had or was in the process of being trained to such high standards not available to any other units in the Forces.
As he was a clay miner I assumed he had greater skills in that area.
This I have been told is wrong.
Jim Samways, a neighbour told me that he lived in eight cottages before the war, was called up into the army during the war. When the war ended he returned to the clay pit but as a train driver on site. He then became a tenant of ECC and after cleaning and decorating the house , he married.
SGT Fred Simpson
WLKI 29/3
Sgt Fred J Simpson
26/04/1918- 01/09/2007
Father:- Frederick.
Mother:- Elizabeth S O Cleall. 1897-1981
Married:- 03/02/1945
To Irene O Brown. 1921 - 1997. From Wimbourne.
Children:- Two boys, Jim and Richard one girl. Julie
Life story:- born in Swanage. grew up in Church knowle. Worked as a farmworker for Jack Baggs before and during the war. After the war he worked in his own right on farms in Claywell and Goatshorn.
Finished his life living in Wool and is buried in Church Knowle.
CPL Doug Green.
WLKI 35/3
Cpl Douglas Frank Green.
29/03/1923- 14.02.2007
7
wife:- babara l fry 21/07/1925 - 3/2006
Married:- 06/1946
Chidren:- not known.
Life story:- Born in Church Knowle and from the age of 10 worked on the family smallholding. When he was of age he worked at a farm owned by his uncle mr Fred Stockley at Bucknowle just outside Church Knowle for 10 shilling (50p)a week. Doug once said that the OB was so well hidden they had to mark trees in order to find it. transfered from No2 Company to Aux unit 1/3/1942 according to paperwork?
buried in Church knowle
WLKI 74/1
Pte Harold Arthur Hatchard.
believed to be the father of Jack ?born:- 24/10/1905 Wareham.died :- 09/1978 Bournemouth.married to Elma May Farr.born 1903 Dorchester died :- 1993 Torbay
offspring:- harold john (jack) Hatchard.
lived in Eight houses at Furzbrooke. they moved to the old school house in Norden with their mother in latter years.
WLKI 74/3
Pte Harold John (Jack) Hatchard
29/01/1923- June 84 Poole
Married:- June 1950 in Blandford Forum.
Born:- in Eight houses at Furzebrook and later moved to the old school house at Norden.
Married:- ivy j hobbs
Chidren:- Gillian J Hatchard.?
Born :- 1923 Died :- 1968.
Life story:- Joined Aux unit 11/03/43
conscripted into the bevin boys (mine work) 1944
Eli Kitcatt.
WLKI 89/1Pte Eli frank Kitcatt04/03/1905 - 01/08/199
mother:- ada agnes 1874-
father:- frank
spouse:- Ethel may Diffey. 03/1911-10/2005 Married:-09/1932
Chidren:-Georgia g a 1933 ? joseph a 1936? Margaret E 1933
Life story:- born in Norden. worked as a clay worker for Pike Fayle. He drove the clay train from the mine across the road to the railway at Norden.
lived after the war in Furzbrooke. Eli retired from the clay works on 12th March 1974I have been told by his great nephew that he still continued to dig trenches for other villagers and would still leave others behind even at 70 odd years of age.
Eli started driving Engines for the clay in 1940, but before that he was in charge of horse drawn rail trucks.The best horse he had to look after was Prince. "He would turn round on his own in front of the wagons "- all you had to do was to put the crook on."Eli's Mother's Grandfather had built the tunnel under the Wareham to Corfe Road at Norden in 1807 for the Middlebere Tramway.
Buried:- in the Wareham cemetery 7th Aug 1991 Joined Aux unit 30/09/42
WLKI 41/4
Pte Leslie c Green
18/01/1921- Oct. 1994
mother:- -----Collins
father:- not traced
wife :- Beatrice M Wise 1922-1992
Married:- 06/1947
Chidren:- not known
Life story:- Doug Greens Cousin Les lived in Church Knowle and worked in the clay mines.
Transfered from no 2 company into Aux unit 11/42
Believed to have moved to Yeovil.
Was cremated and his ashes scattered in Yeovil.
I think this is Will.
Will Stockley
Cyril Quick.
Auxillary QUARTERMASTER.
WAREHAM.
Mr Cyril Quick was the auctioneer in Wareham for the firm of Cottees.
He occupied a office in the back of a property in the centre of Wareham that overlooked the stables and a field which has now been built on.
In 1939 he volanteered and became involved with the Home Guard. I do not think his occupation was a reserved one but he had some issues which prevented him from signing up for the regular Army. As he was a prominent respected member of Wareham he became the man in charge of the Home Guard.
Being based in the centre of Wareham and having the Home Guard cover he was asked, and of course said yes to becoming the Quatermaster for the AUX units.
Any comings and goings could be covered with Home Guard duties and of course the cattle market etc.
There is a secret room in his old office which is cool and dry. This room has a entrance to a cellar and has two doors, one to the house and one to the yard.
It was sugested that there was a Operational O.B. in Wareham but it was believed that this OB was further out towards East Stoke. This has been proved as a O.B. Has now been excavated in the Binnegar area and it was a very large version.
360* Project. A link to a walkthrough of the O.B.
https://www.thinglink.com/scene/1652071600603791363
