It’s here ! The new CART website to be launched during online Archaeology Festival

 Aux Patrol News, Events, General, Press, Research  No Responses »
Jul 052020
 

Official Launch date: 9th July

We have been working tirelessly for the past few years on a new website, and are now in a position to launch. The official date is the 9th of July, but as email subscribers you get a sneak preview from the 7th July: www.staybehinds.com

While it’s not quite the finished article, we have compiled more Auxiliers in one place than has ever been achieved anywhere before (we’re quite proud of that). We have over 6000 names, and if you know someone we’ve left off, please get in touch.

We’ll be adding information over the coming months, including photographs, info on the Special Duties Branch, Coleshill House & Estate and Auxiliary Unit links with the SAS and SOE. If you notice any errors on the new site please contact us.

A huge shout out of thanks to everyone who has supported us over the years, and continues to support us. It really is appreciated – CART is a ‘not-for-profit’ organisation run by just a handful of enthusiasts. Thank you one and all.

To whet your appetite, here’s a brand new video brought to you by CART highlighting some of the archaeological projects we have been involved with: https://youtu.be/WCJjan8CWLo

We’ve chosen our new website launch to coincide with the digital Festival Of Archaeology running from the 11th to the 19th July, hosted by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA): https://festival.archaeologyuk.org

Auxiliary Units article in History Of War Magazine

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Jun 092020
 

Look out this week (11th) for History of War Magazine. https://www.facebook.com/HistoryofWarMag/

They are including a piece on the Auxiliary Units covering everything from the creation of the very first units (initially named the XII Corps Observation Unit) under Peter Fleming (brother of Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond), to how they were trained in ‘thuggery’ and the types of weapons that made up their rather impressive arsenals! Make sure you pick up a copy!

Captain Peter Fleming on Staybehinds.com

VE DAY 2020

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May 082020
 

Throughout the day we will be posting a few stories from Auxiliary Unit Patrol members and their memories on Facebook.

Search for: British Resistance Archive – Churchill’s Auxiliary Units or click on this picture-link below:

Obviously by May 1945 the Patrols had been stood down; however, many still had possession of a large amount of explosives, which created memorable firework celebrations!

Others were returning from fighting in Europe with Special Forces, or finding themselves in European countries having helped liberate them, or in hospital recovering from wounds received in the course of victory. We hope you all have a safe and peaceful VE Day and weekend!

#VEDay#AuxUnits#WW2#May1945#WeWillRemember

While on lock down…

 Aux Patrol News, Events, General, Press, Research  No Responses »
Apr 202020
 

We are all going a bit stir-crazy at the moment not being able to get out and about properly. All summer events have been cancelled, but that’s not stopping us researching and working on the new website.

We are increasing our activity on Facebook. Lots of interesting people and places to check out. Do take a look. We are having a lot of great comments and interactions. Search for British Resistance Archive or click on the link below:

Get ‘click-happy’ here: https://www.facebook.com/staybehinds/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

The latest post is about a Welsh Auxilier who won the Victoria Cross. You can scroll back to view previous posts too.

 Posted by CART HQ on April 20, 2020

Pelynt (Cornwall) Patrol Memorial unveiling 21st March

 Aux Patrol News, Events, General, Press  2 Responses »
Mar 052020
 

We are delighted to inform you that a memorial will be unveiled in recognition of the Pelynt Patrol.

This will take place on Saturday 21st March at Pelynt Village Hall, (near Looe), PL13 2LP. We will have a display of Auxiliary Units equipment and local patrol information inside the village hall from 12:00pm. The unveiling of the memorial will take place by the Lord Lieutenant Edward Bolitho OBE, at 2.30-3.00pm.

The memorial will be sited in the garden area directly outside the village hall where a place for it has been specially prepared. All welcome.

Remembrance Sunday, November 2019

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Nov 092019
 

Auxiliary Units were not only the Spirit of Resistance. Their contributions enabled regular soldiers to fight away from home soil, tested defences at home, and led to many joining the SAS. The secret radio network (Special Duties Branch) broadcast huge amounts of ‘radio noise’ in the coastal areas of the south east of England that helped build a misleading picture of a D-Day invasion coming from Kent to Calais. All this and not a word to anyone, and with little or no recognition.

We will remember them.

These excerpts from Auxilier Geoff Ratcliff of East Bergholt Patrol, Suffolk paint a vivid picture of what it was like to have been a Patrol member. Reading his full account will take 2 minutes: www.staybehinds.com/patrol/east-bergholt-patrol

” In June 1940 I became a member of the Home Guard, L.D.V. (Local Defence Volunteer) as it was first called. Soon after I was selected for what was said to be a very special job… “

“… one was left with the impression that we were really rather special, I was seventeen and cynicism was not in my vocabulary.”

” The ground sloped away to a free flowing stream some fifty yards away. This would be our water provider, in 1940 this water could be safely drunk.”

” … if they went off when you were priming plastic explosive or a hand grenade or a sticky bomb then of course the whole lot went including you. ”

” All in all we were well equipped but no mention how stocks would be replenished if it ever happened. I suppose it was assumed one would not last longer than the supplies.”

Read Geoff’s full account here

We will remember them

British Resistance Archive on ‘Escape To The Country’ This Week

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May 082017
 

Last August we had the pleasure of filming with the team from the hit BBC show ‘Escape to the Country’ and Presenter Jonnie Irwin.

We have filmed with many media organisations in the past seven years but these guys had really done their homework and came to the site fully prepped.

The small production team interviewed our Coleshill expert Bill Ashby (Above) and with the help of National Trust Volunteers Roger Green and Bob Marchant (Below) they explored inside the new replica Operational Base. You can see a short behind the scenes video of the filming here. 

The episode aired on Tuesday 9th May 2017 on BBC One at 3pm. You can watch it here. 

British Resistance Archive on BBC Breakfast

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Nov 102016
 

p01tn3kpOn Friday 11th November we were featured on BBC Breakfast and BBC News by the BBC’s Robert Hall.

The 28 minutes of total broadcast were broken up into various broadcasts, some were LIVE. These can all be seen here. Also featured in the broadcasts was a tour of a Special Duties bunker in Devon, never before broadcast on television, and live interviews from GHQ Coleshill with our Founder Tom Sykes. You can the longest and most interesting of these below. We would like to thank Robert Hall for his outstanding contribution to this and the BBC for giving our work so much airtime.

‘Escape To The Country’ Visit GHQ Coleshill

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Aug 122016
 

Filming with Escape to the Country 2Today we had the pleasure of filming with the team from the hit BBC show ‘Escape to the Country’ and Presenter Jonnie Irwin.

We have filmed with many media organisations in the past seven years but these guys had really done their homework and came to the site fully prepped.

Filming with Escape to the Country 1The small production team interviewed our Coleshill expert Bill Ashby (Above) and with the help of National Trust Volunteers Roger Green and Bob Marchant (Below) they explored inside the new replica Operational Base.

Filming with Escape to the Country 3

A short behind the scenes video can be seen below. It is thought the episode will air in about six months time.

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