The Herald, 23^rd October 1942.

WORTHING HOME GUARDS AT BRAMBER EXERCISE.

DEFENDERS HARD PRESSED.

A clever move by part of the attacking force outwitted the defence in a Home Guard exercise at Bramber on Sunday.

Set to capture Bramber Castle mound, the attackers crawled through a narrow 50-feet long culvert under the railway line and took that section of the defence by surprise. EDITED

….AND AFTERWARDS

After a picnic lunch, Worthing and Steyning and Bramber had a shooting match on the beautifully situated Steyning range.

Worthing won fairly comfortably – by 358 to 302 – largely because their marksmanship at 100 yards rapid was more consistent. The best individual score came from Lieut. Norman Fuente (Worthing) with 17 at 200 yards application and 20 (maximum) at 100 yards rapid. Pte. Parsons (Steyning) got the maximum of 20 at 200 yards.

The shooting match was followed by a tug-of-war contest (won by the ground which sloped badly!) and excellent tea provided by the W.V.S at their Bramber canteen, and for those who could stay the pace (and that did not include your correspondent, a darts match at the Castle Hotel in the evening.

The Worthing Gazette, 25^th August 1943

THE “STERN” CUP.

Worthing a good third.

Representatives from the 5^th (Worthing) Battalion, Sussex Home Guard, gave a good account of themselves when finishing third in the competition for the “Stern” Cup at Steyning range on Sunday.

The trophy, given by Colonel F.C. Stern, O.B.E., M.C., was contested by teams from seven of the Sussex Home Guard units and was for 1942 recruits.

Lieutenant C.B. Legg, Weapons Training Officer, was in charge of the Worthing eight, accompanied by R.S.M. J. Macdonald, D.C.M, who had been their coach and mentor.

Mrs Stern presented the cup to the 9^th Battalion, winner by four points from the 4^th Battalion, who were, in turn, 18 points ahead of the Worthing team.

Corporals Long and Dingle shot well in the 200 yards snap shooting for Worthing, while Privates Moss and Riddles distinguished themselves when called upon to cover 100 yards at the double and then to fire five rounds “rapid” each.

R.S.M, Macdonald expressed himself as well satisfied with the showing of his recruits and has high hopes that the 5^th Battalion will do even better at Steyning on September 12^th in the competition for the Norfolk Cup. Results were as follows:-

5 Sx H.G. TEAM

Western Morning News, 15^th May 1944.

PRACTICE SHELLS.

Home Town Under Fire: Two Killed.

For an hour and a half yesterday shells from artillery practising in Sussex fell in and around the old-world market town of Steyning. They tore among Home Guards at the rifle range, killing one and injuring two others, and into buildings and gardens, where a youth was killed and a man with him was injured.

As the first shell overshot its target and crashed into the town, Civil Defence authorities strove to notify the units concerned but could not contact them. About 12 shells fell. Some did not explode.

On the Home Guard range, Pte. Leslie Thomas Wylie, Maplehurst, was killed: Lieut. Greenwood, of Partridge Green, and Corpl. Lindfield, of Maplehurst, were taken to hospital.

The dead youth was Arthur John Chandler, 16, of Thornscroft, Steyning. William Slaughter, a lorry driver, who was with him, was blown of his feet, but had only superficial injuries.

The Dundee Courier and Advertiser, 15^th May 1944.

ARMY’S GUNS SHELL HOME GUARD AND TOWN.

Man And Youth Killed.

The Sunday morning peace of Steyning, Sussex, was shattered yesterday when shells whistled into the town.

They fell among Home Guards at a rifle range, killing one and injuring two others, and among buildings and gardens, where a youth was killed.

Casualties were:-

Killed – Arthur John Chandler (16), Thornscroft, Steyning, and Pte. Leslie Wylie, Home Guard.

Injured – Cpl. Lindfield (left arm), Lieut. Greenwood (injury to both legs), and William Slaughter, lorry driver, Thornecroft, Steyning (slight injury).

Cpl. Lindfield and Lieut. Greenwood were taken to hospital.

OVERSHOT TARGETS.

The shells came from Regular Army artillery. They overshot their targets on the Downs.

The shelling began at about 10.30 a.m. and lasted until midday, by which time about a dozen shells had fallen in the town.

As soon as the first shell fell efforts were made by the Civil Defence authorities to notify the military, but they were unable to get in touch with the units concerned.

EXPLODED IN GARDEN.

A shell exploded n the garden of a Council estate, killing Frank Chandler and injuring William Slaughter. Slaughter told a reporter: “We were resting after hoeing. Suddenly the boy, Chandler and I were knocked down. After a few moments I got up and went to Arthur. He was dead”.

Two shells fell near the police station. Others fell on a cricket pitch in the centre of the town. Another demolished the conservatory of a private house.

One shell fell in the gasworks, penetrated a shed, and did not explode.

Other shells fell on trees on the side of a hill a mile and a half from the town.

GUNS UNHEARD.

A resident told a reporter: We could not hear the guns. We heard only a whizzing noise and the sound as the shells fell”.

Mr J. C. Gray, Lavender Corner, said “I was in my garden when the shells came whistling over. One fell within four yards of me, but did not explode. Another struck a house, knocking off a chimney and part of the roof. Another hit a tree, exploded and burned an electric cable. They appeared to be anti-tank shells”.

Dundee Evening Telegraph 15^th May 1944.

SHELLED HOME GUARDS.

Two Home Guards – Lieutenant Greenwood, of Partridge Green, Sussex, and Corporal Lindfield, of Maplehurst, Sussex – who were injured when shells from artillery practising on the Downs yesterday fell on the town of Steyning, were stated today to be “progressing satisfactorily” .

They received their injuries when one of a dozen of shells falling among a company of Home Guards on a rifle range, killed Private Leslie Thomas Wylie, of Maplehurst. On the other side of the town Arthur John Chandler (16) was killed while working in a garden.

House of Commons Debate 16^th May 1944 vol 400 cc8-108

Hansard.millbanksystems.com

Rear-Admiral Beamish –

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now report upon his investigations concerning the falling of machine-gun and other projectiles into an area of which he has been informed; and what action he is taking to prevent a recurrence of this danger to life and property.

Sir J. Grigg –

I much regret these incidents to which my hon. and gallant Friend has drawn my attention. I am expecting a full report about them shortly. From the information I have at present, it seems that the firing took place in areas where it was permitted to take place, but that some of the projectiles accidentally fell outside those areas. The safety precautions for all these areas are, however, now being carefully reviewed, to ensure that they are as strict and as fool proof as possible. Some alterations have already been introduced, and if, as a result of the inquiry into the Steyning incident, more prove to be necessary, they will certainly be made.

Rear-Admiral Beamish –

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that only the day before yesterday a man was seriously injured by a falling shell in Lewes, and that several other serious casualties took place within a few miles of Lewes? Cannot he hold out some hope that these incidents will be checked by the Council over which he presides?

Sir J. Grigg –

I understand that my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham and Worthing (Earl Winterton) has a Private Notice Question down about the later incident. I have said that I will do my best to stop these incidents.

Later—

Earl Winterton –

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for War if he will order an immediate inquiry into the circumstances which resulted in casualties and damage to property in the town of Steyning, Sussex, by artillery fire, on Sunday, 14th May, and if he will cause a review to be made, as a result of this occurrence, of the regulations for ensuring the safety of the public from the consequences of military exercises in certain areas of which he has been informed.

Sir J. Grigg –

I very much regret that this tragic accident should have occurred and take this opportunity to express my sympathy with the relatives of the victims. A Court of Inquiry was immediately convened, but the results are not yet available. On the results of the Court of Inquiry, the safety regulations will be carefully investigated with a view to preventing any possible recurrence of such an unfortunate incident. As I said earlier in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Rear-Admiral Beamish) some alterations had already been made which it was hoped would prevent such accidents.

Earl Winterton –

In view of certain information which I conveyed to my right hon. Friend, privately, does he not think it desirable before the Court has reported to consider the whole position of the safety of the public in these areas, and will he bear in mind that we in Sussex have been under considerable tension not only due to enemy action but to fatuous propaganda not encouraged by the War Cabinet, in that for the past eight months we have been told that zero hour is imminent and that invasion is coming?

Sir J. Grigg –

Certainly, I hope steps have already been taken, or are being taken, which will deal with the matter on an interim basis. As a result of the Court of Inquiry further consideration will be given to the matter.

Sir Herbert Williams –

Why was it impossible for the civil authorities to get in touch with the military? Was it due to unnecessary secrecy imposed in relation to telephoning?

Sir J. Grigg –

I did not know of that particular incident but I should have thought there was one fairly obvious explanation of it.

Mr. Bellenger –

Am I right in assuming that this will be a military Court of Inquiry held by military officers? If so, is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to receive information from civil witnesses, in view of the questions which have just been put from the Front Bench?

Sir J. Grigg –

It certainly is a military Court of Inquiry and I am certainly prepared myself to forward to the court any information that may be brought to my notice.

Colonel Sir A. Lambert Ward –

Is it not a fact that several of these training areas are now unsafe owing to the long range of modern guns?

Mr. Edgar Granville –

When making the inquiries, will the right hon. Gentleman see that the regulations are tightened up in regard to red flag signals in the vicinity of battle centres, because this is not the first occurrence of this kind?

Rear-Admiral Beamish –

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the great difficulty which has occurred in the past month—during which he has had warning from me—is that, when these things happen, the local people endeavour to get into contact with the military authorities, and neither through the police nor the Home Guard are they ever able to do so, and the firing continues and so do the casualties?

Sir J. Grigg –

I hope that particular difficulty is not a lasting one. I will consider whether the regulations sufficiently cover that.

Sir Irving Albery –

Would communication with the Regional Commissioner be effective?

The Observer, 29^th July 1944.

1^st BATTALION SUSSEX H.G.

Corporal F.R. Spencer, 2 Platoon, B Coy, is promoted sergeant.

The fourth summer competition of the Norfolk Cup Final was held on the Steyning range on July 23, 1944; teams of 8 men from 11 battalions of the Sussex Home Guard competed; 2 Platoon, A Coy. (Platoon Commander Lieut. M. Dibben) represented the 1^st Battalion.

The Competition was in the form of Battle Practice in which a squad advanced in stages at the double from 300 yards to 50 yards under its covering fire of a light automatic and rifles, the targets appearing and disappearing within time limits.

The Cup was won by the 3^rd (Horsham) Battalion with the final score of 75 out of 95 possible and was presented by the Duchess of Norfolk to the winning team at the conclusion of the competition.

Range practice with rifle and sten has been carried out by eight platoons during the week; there were also two local competitions, one in which a team from the London School of Tactics beat a team from 1 Platoon, D Coy., and the other between the officers of C and D Coys., won by the former with 148 points against 132, out of a possible 160, at 200 yards. Lieut. Farwell (C Coy) obtained a possible 20 on his target. In a subsidiary contest between the Coy. Commanders and seconds-n-command, D Coy. Beat C Coy. By 35 points.

The Battalion Training Cadre has finished its second summer course for training junior N.C.O.’s in drill, weapon training and battlecraft; 17 N.C.O’s (out of 20) completed the course. The next course, which will be for “snipers” will commence on August 13^th.

A “Skill at Arms” badge (crossed rifles) has recently been approved by general headquarters, home forces, for men who qualify as marksmen on the range courses laid down for the rifle. Five practices must be fired and a score of 95 out of 140 obtained. This is the most important badge which a member of the Home Guard can obtain and is open to all Home Guardsmen.

The first three members of the Battalion to gain the badge are: L.Cpl. P. Cooper, 3 Platoon, A Coy, score 105; L.Cpl. S. Dugan, 4 Platoon, A Coy., score 100; L.Cpl. A Malby, 4 Platoon, C Coy, score 99.

Four-hundred and fourteen men of the battalion have obtained certificates for passing the proficiency test since the test was instituted by General Headquarters, Home Forces, in May 1943, viz: A Coy. 75; B Coy. 60; C Coy. 160; and D Coy. 119. The subjects in the tests are general knowledge, rifle, grenade, battlecraft, a second weapon, map reading or fieldworks or first aid. Those who pass are entitled to wear a red diamond with bar on the left sleeve.

EDITED.

Worthing Gazette, 23^rd August 1944.

“STERN” CUP.

Won by Worthing Home Guard.

A team representing the 5^th (Worthing) Battalion Home Guard on Sunday won the “Stren” Cup, which is competed for bi-annually by teams from the Sussex District Home Guard.

This is the first time that the Worthing Battalion has won the cup, and as the practice consisted of battle training and was consequently more severe than previous competitions, the officers and men are particularly gratified with their success.

The shoot was decided at Steyning and when the cup was presented to the winning team by Mrs Pike, wife of the Commander, Home Guard, Sussex District, the team was congratulated on all sides.

SCORES.

Timing was an essential factor in the competition. Firing in pairs, the men started 300 yards from the target, and after firing five rounds, had to run to 200 yards when the target reappeared. They again fired five rounds, re-loaded and ran to 100 yards to fire again.

Re-loading with three rounds, they discharged their last volley from the hip at 80 yards.

The highest possible score for each pair was 26, and the Worthing team, with its scores, were; Sergeant A.E. Walker and Sergeant E.J. Ireland (A Company), 18; Sergeant P. Blaker (F Company) and Corporal J. Maxey (H.Q.), 17; Captain K.B. Wilson (C Company) and Sergeant W.F. Gatland (E Company), 20; Corporal C. Balham (B Company) and Private G.S. Tilbury (C Company), 22. As five points were awarded for each hit this gave the team a total score of 385.

The 7^th (Midhurst) Battalion was second with a total score of 358. Eleven teams competed.

C.S.M Pullen (A Company) was the non-firing commander of the successful team, which had been coached by Captain and Adjutant S.F. Harris, Lieutenant C.B. Legg (Weapons Officer), and R.S.M. J. MacDonald, D.C.M.