The patrols were built shelters in which to store food and equipment, where the men were to hide during an invasion of the country. There were 23 such shelters in Sussex, many of them around Lewes: one in St Mary’s Farm in Falmer, one in Breaky Bottom near Rodmell, one in Firle Plantation, another in Offham. “They were rather like Anderson Shelters, but completely buried,” says MacKenzie, “with secret entrances and exits, and an escape tunnel. There were four bunks and supplies of enough food and water for two weeks. This was how long the patrol was expected to operate. They had specific tasks set, like blowing up bridges that hadn’t been blown, and sabotaging Chailey Airfield to blow up the petrol tanks, if this hadn’t already been achieved.”

“The men involved were not mustered in a military way,” continues MacKenzie. “They were a phantom organisation. This battalion, which didn’t officially exist, was given a number: 203.” None of the local shelters is still visible today, though the Firle Plantation one was until recently. “The cover story for what they were for was that they were pits for food supplies. Locals sometimes went digging in them to try and steal food. In fact some Canadian soldiers managed to steal a gallon of rum from the Firle shelter. The locals got their revenge, by throwing a banger into a meeting in the Canadians’ headquarters.”

Professor MacKenzie will be assisted in the talk by local historian Peter Longstaff-Tyrell, an expert in Sussex military history who will show slides of the old hideouts. DL