Old Ledbury - Home Guard - 202 Battalion GHQ Reserve

1945

Back Row - J F RYAN, J RHYS-THOMAS, J B SAINSBURY, W R ROBINSON, N D O CAPPER, G O SAINSBURY, J E POTTER, G MORGAN-JONES, V BEACH-THOMAS

Next Row - J F HARTWRIGHT, E LEWIS, E F BARNETT, L J HODELL, G GRIFFITHS, J TURNER, H E SAINSBURY, E C TISDALE, G P THOMAS, F J HANCORN, G H CHAMBERS

Next Row - D HOWARD-SMITH, A T PETTIFER, M G HOOTON, G S E LACON, J H HALL, F W GREEN, R E HOLDORD, A BECK

Front Row - D T WENT, J CLELAND, W F PUDGE, J THORNTON, E R PRICE, L EVANS, R G H BROOKS, F MAYO

Photograph by VIVIANS

Photo Copy - Brian JONES Collection Album 2 BJ59

202 Bn GHQ reserve of the Home Guard were the 'Auxillaries'. These were the individuals who were trained in the case of invasion to blow up bridges/tunnels etc and even, it is alleged assassinate possible callaborators. See Mick WILKS book - The Mercian Maquis...AT

There was a Ledbury patrol with an underground bunker on Wall Hills - exact location unknown, termed the Mechach patrol and made up of - Edward LEWIS, Fred MAYO, Ernie BARNETT (from Wall Hills farm), Martin HOOTON, Geoffrey GRIFFITHS, Roy ROBINSON and John REES-THOMAS...AT

I knew most of these men, they were farmers and land owners from all over Herefordshire, all of them were in reserved occupations and formed a sabotage group to harass the Germans in the event of an invasion. I would imagine the photo was taken in 1945 when they were stood down. Had the Germans invaded they would have all been executed...JG

Ledbury Mechach Patrol

Edward LEWIS, Fred MAYO, Ernie F BARNETT ( from Wall Hills farm ), Martin C G HOOTON, Geoffrey GRIFFITHS, Roy ROBINSON, John RHYS-THOMAS

Photo Copy - Brian JONES Collection Album 7 BJ285

Follow this link for more interesting information on the Ledbury Mechach Patrol Coleshill House website.

Ledbury Reporter

The Reporter now has Archive photographs for the years 2005 - 2009 which you can view and order. Select a year then make sure Ledbury is the keyword entered before pressing GO. I have spent many an hour in the Ledbury Library looking through the old Reporters which are on microfiche. Support this great local paper.