British Auxilliaries.

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Dac, Sep 20, 2005.

  1. Dac

    Dac Senior Member

    There was a documantary recently on the History Channel about the British Auxilliaries formed by Winston Churchill in the summer of 1940.

    Several thousand people were recruited and trained in guerrilla warfare and espionage as a defence against a German invasion. They would have operated in small cells from hidden bases constructed throughout southern England.

    Their mission was harassment of German forces, sabotage and to provide intelligence.

    Does anyone have any information on this organization?
     
  2. angie999

    angie999 Very Senior Member

    I read a book about it maybe 40 years ago. I cannot remember the title and I have never seen it again (I borrowed it from the library). Since then until probaby the same programme you are referring to, nothing.

    By the way, if the book was correct and my memory is not faulty, the actor Anthiny Quale was a member of it.

    Anyone know the title of that book? Or any other?
     
  3. ChrisM

    ChrisM Member

    The following site gives an extensive bibliography on the subject including a 1968 book
    - "The Last Ditch" by David Lampe. Cassell 1968. ISBN 304925195 220pp. -
    which is probably the one which Angie recalls.
    The Auxiliary Units

    Chris
     
  4. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    "The Last Ditch" would be the book. Anthony Quayle was in that, as he was an intelligence officer during the war. "After the Battle" magazine did a piece on him. Interesting guy. He went on to play intelligence officers.
     
  5. Dac

    Dac Senior Member

    Thanks Chris.
     
  6. mattgibbs

    mattgibbs Senior Member

    Anthony Quayle was also in SOE! He helped train the Auxit units as well as agents to go behind enemy lines. He also parachuted into Algeria I believe.
    The Auxilliary Units were attached to and worked inside the Home Guard organisation. They were very interesting aspect of the Home Front, stay behind parties of men to harrass the occupying forces. They only had a life expectancy of 2 to 3 weeks though! I am sure the intended to stay laive for longer!
    They wore similar shoulder flashes to the Home Guard and were often part of a regular unit.
    Kind regards
    M G
     
  7. bazbaytan

    bazbaytan Junior Member

    Anthony Quayle wrote about his wartime experiences in "Eight hours from England" published by Heineman in 1945.
    There was an article in After the Battle which covered his experiences in Albania.

    He was in Albania to try and open up a sea route to supply the Partisans and Balli Kombetar, who when they werent fighting each other some times fought the Germans. He was there from January to April 1944 and was evacuated home because of illness.
    I got this info from"Albanias National Liberation Struggle:The Bitter Victory" by Reginald Hibbert
     
  8. Chris Basey

    Chris Basey Senior Member

  9. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    Just bookmarked the page, and I will go there.

    I hope the British Resistance stuff is no longer secret! :)
     
  10. smc66

    smc66 Member

  11. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    (smc66 @ Jan 6 2006, 05:04 AM) [post=44077]Things are beginning to come out. There were a number of secret hideouts in the Sussex area where I live. The link below concerns one of them in a wood near Ditchling.

    http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/d...out/index.shtml
    [/b]

    This is the type of information I was looking for in the Operation Sealion post.

    As Jimbo has stated previously, the Brits were the best at covert operations, sneaky tricks, dupes, etc etc and I just cannot begin to imagine the surprises they had in store for the Germans had they been able to pull off a landing in force.

    Hopefully more will come to light with time.
     
  12. jeffbubble

    jeffbubble Senior Member

    The units were very well equipped - better than the Marines.

    The list included.

    Tommy Guns Tyre bursting Mines
    Sticky Bombs Phosphorous Hand Grenades
    Fairburn Knives Piat Anti-tank Guns
    Plastic Explosive Rubber Soled Boots
    Stick Pencils .22 Rifle and Scope
    Browning 9mm

    The operating bases were called 'Setts' all the personell were trained at Coleshill House a Mansion ten miles from Swindon, Wiltshire.


    One disturbing fact was that if the Germans had invaded - each Counties Chife Constable was to be 'Disposed of' as ony he knew the location of the 'setts'.

    When activated they were to liase with the Auxiliary Signals Units, another secret organisation.
     
  13. Glider

    Glider Senior Member

    This may be of interest. Its a rather poor photo of a display case in the Imperial War Museum for the units we are discussing.

    As Jeff states they were well equipped for the time much better than any Army unit of the period.
    Notice the Thompson is an early version with the drum magazine. The .22 was for taking out sniffer dogs that may be on the scent and there is a large variety of knives, daggers, fuses, timers, explosives, mines and cheesewire for the German motorbike units.

    No Piats were on display but they wouldn't have been around in the late 1940 period when the risk was the highest. No doubt they were added when in production.

    They may not have lasted long but there presence would have been felt. View attachment 1461
     
  14. mattgibbs

    mattgibbs Senior Member

    Hello there
    There are several of these bases, actually known as OP's, by English Heritage, operational posts that are sites of Historical interest. Some are also listed online, if you have a search. The Auxits were attached to the Home Guard for part of their Admin, but sometimes had different shoulder flashes to the regular units. There was a numbering system for them to indicate roughtly which command structure they came under, North South East and Western Commands.
    It was quite hurriedly put together but as mentioned they were well equipped. They also had such things as Phosphorous Grenades and sniper rifles. They had demolitions equiptment and some of this equipment was like that developed by SOE, time pencils and the like, to plow up bridges and harass lines of communication in the enemy rear areas. I think I will have to look out for that book too! ;)
    Kind regards
    MG

    I forgot to mention this site

    http://www.auxunit.org.uk/

    excellent source

    regards
    MG
     
  15. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Well done MG.

    Good site.

    Glad to see some of the covert response I knew would have existed.

    As the saying goes "there is more"...........there must be!



    Regards

    Geoff
     
  16. jeffbubble

    jeffbubble Senior Member

  17. maxb

    maxb Junior Member

    re AUXUNITSjust joined this threadif any of you can get to PARHAM or excess there web site please do so they have a repilca operating base and the most fantastic colection of items to do with AUXUNITS in the UK , i and others did a show down there last july most of us where HG but 4 or 5 were AUX men it went down just great MaxB
     
  18. mattgibbs

    mattgibbs Senior Member

    Jeff, the 202 on the badge is the reference to the Auxilliary units as part of the Home Guard. The country was split up into regions and on the BD these Home Guarders would have their county or area letters [my local one was WR] and then the numbers 201, 202, 203 or I think 204. They would have been known as 202 GHQ [Special Reserve] Battalion Home Guard. Any info on where this badge comes from. I am trying to work out the 103 ref.
    Cheers
    MG
     
  19. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    What makes me smile, is that I belonged to the Home Guard, before I joined up. Previously they were called the "Local Defence Volunteers"

    The "LDV" some say the initials stood for Look. Duck, and Vanish!
    Sapper
     
  20. angie999

    angie999 Very Senior Member

    Just a reminder that there is a three part (I think) series staring on Tv tonight about the Home Guard and ending with the "auxilliaries".
     

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