The picture of the Home Guard at Osney, Oxford, during the war reminded David Walker of his time with a similar wartime organisation.

While the Home Guard kept an eye for suspicious activity on the land, the Upper Thames Patrol was responsible for what happened on the river.

Mr Walker, of South Street, Osney, writes: “The Upper Thames Patrol had a detachment based at Osney Lock using a cabin cruiser, the Sea Dawn.

“It was crewed by officers and boys from the Oxford Sea Cadet Corps, of which I was a member.

“Every evening, the Sea Dawn patrolled the stretch of river between Osney and King’s Lock at Wolvercote.

“It returned at a convenient time for the Sea Cadet officers and members of the Home Guard to refresh themselves at the local pub, the Waterman’s, then run by Arthur and Ivy Matheson.”

A small group of Home Guard members and Sea Cadets would also spend the night in a hut on the towpath near Osney Lock, where the footpath now leads to Osney Mead industrial estate.

Mr Walker recalls: “The purpose of this detachment was to make regular patrols along the towpath between the lock and the railway bridge, known to locals as Boney’s Bridge.

“It was in this hut that the young Sea Cadets, drinking cups of hot soup or cocoa, would be treated to hair-raising stories by Lieutenant A R Payne, known affectionate by the boys as ‘Wacker’, of his time spent at sea.

“I now live a few yards from Osney Lock, which never fails to bring back the happy memories.”

As we recalled (Memory Lane, December 12), the Osney Home Guard’s main task was to protect the electricity sub-station in Ferry Hinksey Road from sabotage.