Apr 282021
 

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Ivan Mower. Ivan broke his leg recently and passed away in hospital on 27th April. He was 97. We send our condolences to his family and friends at this time.

Ivan was a member of the Stradbroke Patrol in Suffolk along with his father Albert: www.staybehinds.com/patrol/stradbroke-patrol

The Patrol built their Operational Base themselves. Ivan recalled that the Patrol thought that they were alone, not being aware of any other Patrols.

Ivan at his O.B. in 2011
Jan 172021
 

We are saddened to announce the peaceful passing of Donald Brown on 9th January.

Previously a headmaster, Don was a keen WW2 researcher who helped with the Defence of Britain Project (1995 – 2001) and who made the most of his Somerset contacts through his time with the Mendip Ranger Service. He tracked down and interviewed surviving Auxiliers and visited their Operational Bases. He collected copies of surviving papers and photographs, and together these were the source for his 1999 book; Somerset Versus Hitler.

He also assisted Tim Wray with his research for his book on Somerset Auxiliary Units, as well as John Warwicker for With Britain in Mortal Danger.

Don was instrumental in supporting CART in its early days by generously providing access to his collection of material about Auxiliary Units. He supplied us with the first national Auxiliary Units spreadsheet he and Tim had been working on. It was a game changer for us as it had so many names on it, all ordered, and saved many years of work for us, for which we are hugely grateful.

Due to the Covid pandemic the family are having a small family funeral and intend to follow this with a memorial service when it is appropriate and safe to do so.

He will be sorely missed and we send our condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.

 Posted by CART HQ on January 17, 2021
Jul 262020
 

We are sad to announce that Alan Chester has passed away (https://www.staybehinds.com/alan-j-chester). Alan was just 17 when he joined up to the Hastingleigh Patrol in Kent (the Patrol’s nickname was Haricot).

His brother Joseph was in a neighbouring Patrol (https://www.staybehinds.com/patrol/crundale-patrol) but remarkably Alan did not learn about his involvement until 2000!

We must be now very near to losing all members of the Auxiliary Units and Special Duties, but we are more determined than ever to remember them and the sacrifice they were willing to make for the country.

Jul 032020
 

Bill was part of the Long Bredy Operational Patrol in Dorset.

SALISBURY William (Bill) Peacefully at Park House Care Home on 3rd April 2020, aged 95 years. Beloved husband of Jean, father to Lyn, Carol and Ian, grandfather to Emma & Luke, Michelle, Mark & Natalie, Craig & Matthew, Nathan and Charlie and great grandfather to Jake, Ivy & Oliver and Celine.

Bill visited us 2016 at the Broadmayne D5 show. You can read the Long Bredy Patrol report here.

Jan 072020
 

We were very sad to hear about the passing of Sheila Trevaskis (nee Harrington), very likely to be the final member of the Aux Units ATS and maybe the final member of the Special Duties group as a whole.

See her obit here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/…/sheila-trevaskis-intrepid-wi…/

It appears that we have a remaining operational Aux Unit member still alive in Wales and possibly one in Dorset – if anyone knows of any other remaining veterans do let us know!

RIP Sheila

Dec 152019
 

It has been a sad end to 2019 as we have had to say goodbye to two of the very few remaining Auxiliary Unit veterans.

Peter Potter (Fingringhoe Patrol, Essex) – passed away in October. Not only was Peter in the Auxiliary Units with his father, he later joined the RAF as a Rear Gunner in Lancaster bombers of 626 Squadron. Peter was a great story teller and his tales live on in the book “Tales of Peter Potter”.

And today we have heard of the sad passing of Claude Varley (Bewholme Patrol, Yorkshire) – www.staybehinds.com/patrol/bewholme-patrol – who passed away this morning. Claude was a farmer who joined the patrol with his two brothers.

These two brave men represent some of the very last Auxiliers we knew to still be with us.

It is now more important than ever that we ensure that their memory and what they were willing to sacrifice for their country is never forgotten.

 Posted by CART HQ on December 15, 2019
Nov 142019
 

Jack was enrolled into Aux Units in 1942 at 16 years of age. Later he became a Bevin Boy in the South Wales coal mines.

CART was delighted to receive a visit from Jack when we attended the Broadmayne WW2 event in 2016. (Broadmayne was marshalling area D5 in south Dorset prior to D-Day).

The Child Okeford Operational Patrol was based in north Dorset near the military town of Blandford Forum. www.staybehinds.com/patrol/child-okeford-patrol

His service will be at Poole Crematorium on Monday 25th November at 2pm. Rest in peace Jack.

Jul 232019
 

CART’s Somerset researcher recently laid a wreath for Major Ian Fenwick on the War Memorial and at the church in Bruton, Somerset.

Major Fenwick, a former Somerset Intelligence Officer who organised and trained Somerset Auxiliers (part of 203 Reserve Battalion GHQ), went on to join 1st SAS.

On 16th / 17th June 1944, he was dropped into Normandy a hundred miles behind enemy lines and successfully led sabotage missions against German communications. He was killed in an ambush on 7th August 1944 trying to assist his team who had been attacked. You can read a full account on the Para-Data website here: https://www.paradata.org.uk/people/ian-fenwick

Before the war Ian Fenwick was a professional cartoonist for magazines such as Punch. He had family connections and lived for a while in Bruton, Somerset.

Learn more about the Somerset Auxiliary Unit Patrols.

Apr 202019
 

Verdon Besley was 16 when he joined the Sandford Auxiliary Unit Patrol in Somerset. At 18 he joined the Queen’s Royal Regiment and went all the way to Berlin where his Auxiliary training came in handy.

The Patrol’s Operational Base was inside an old lead mine in the Mendip hills. Learn more about the Sandford Patrol here:

Our sympathies to his family and friends. R.I.P. Verdon Besley.

Mar 232018
 

It is with sadness we report the passing of Auxilier, Victor Stemp.

Victor was part of the Great Bealings Patrol.

Their training was carried out by regular army soldiers based at Framlingham, including Capt Hoberton, Sgt Barry and four privates. They learnt about setting booby traps and how to move about without being seen. Victor also remembered training with grenades at GHQ Coleshill.

Our condolences to his family.

We understand that his funeral is on Tuesday at Great Bealings and his daughter has kindly arranged for any donations to be made to the BRO (British Resistance Org) Museum

At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.