Jan 132019
 

CART is sorry to have to report the death of Arthur Robert Wilson thought to be the last survivor of the Middleton (Norfolk) Patrol, on December 25th in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, age 96.

In 2012 he kindly shared his memories with Evelyn Simak and Adrian Pye so we could remember his patrol and the men involved.

Arthur, who lived at East Winch was joined in the patrol by :

Sgt Ralph Burman of Hall Farm, East Winch – he left in 1941 to join Royal Observer Corps and was replaced by Sgt Alfred Sykes of Old Hall, Middleton.

William Bedford of Station Farm, East Winch

Daniel Crawford of Lower Farm, East Winch

Johnny Narborough of Gloucester Road, Kings Lynn

“Fuzzy” Howes of New Cottages, Blackborough

Deryck Neville of East Anglis, West Winch Road

Arthur told us all about the Operational Base, which was built by the patrol members themselves, all building materials being ‘borrowed’ from local sources. Access was through a vertical shaft that was secured by a trapdoor covered with roofing felt. The key required to open it was hidden under pine needles at the base of a pine tree.

Arthur was trained and prepared to have tageted the King’s Lynn to Dereham railway line and the nearby aerodromes at West Raynham and Marham.

A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at All Saints Church, East Winch at 2.00pm on 22 January.