Firstly lots of big thanks to everyone who helped make the 75th Anniversary of Aux Units Stand Down at the National Trust’s Coleshill Estate such a resounding success. This year also marks the 10th Anniversary of CART.
The day went extremely well, even the weather didn’t put off the crowds who attended.
Brilliant day – well done all !!
Sunday September 22nd, 10am to 4pm. SN6 7PT
The grounds of Coleshill House are littered with Aux history. There’s the Guard House, replica SD hide, the remains of the huts where some of the men lived and worked. Grenade and rifle ranges, where they practiced on old tanks and lorries – even a piece of one of those tanks has been found.
We will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Auxiliers being stood down from service. These brave men and women volunteered to act as an underground resistance to the threatened German invasion in 1940.
What else ? Military vehicles, re-enactors, music & dancing, food and drink. For the kids there will be a special activity challenge trail, and code-breaking.
Plus there are some special guests lined up too:
Malcolm Atkin: former archaeologist, military historian & professional author including these WW2 books –
Tony ‘Scallywag’ Salter: Living Historian and highly knowledgeable Aux Units enthusiast, Tony (and his lovely wife Julie) take their display all around the country educating as they go –
Auxiliary Unit talks from Chris Pratt (British Resistance Museum at Parham, Suffolk), and local historian Bill King who contributed to the book ‘With Britain in Mortal Danger’, as well as appearing in various television programmes.
Of course C.A.R.T. will be there too, packing The Granary to the gunwales with displays of weapons, explosives and other equipment issued to the Auxiliers, a fully equipped bunker and re-creations of the wartime offices. There will be lots of items on display for first time in 75 years in this location, including numerous original documents and photographs.
This is a huge event and not to be missed.
After months of detailed research by Chris Perry and Nina Hannaford we are pleased to be able to publish a report on the Taunton Auxiliary Unit.
This is the most accurate and detailed account of the patrol ever published. Our thanks go to many people who helped with this report including Neil Bent son and nephew of Group Commanders Lt. Bent.
Read the full report here.
Our Dorset researcher Dr Will Ward has published two new patrols in Dorset.
The Charborough Patrol (above) was made up of eight men and it’s thought that the members almost all came from the Charborough Park estate staff. Read more on them here.
Very little is known about the Motcombe Patrol. Can you help? Read their patrol report here.
We have added two detailed reports to our website by our Somerset researcher Chris Perry.
Chris had some assistance from our Devon researcher Nina Hannaford.
The Butleigh Patrol was already on the website but has been greatly enhanced and expanded on by Chris.
The Baltonsborough Patrol is new and the depth of research by Chris is just first rate.
See the reports under Group 11 here.
Today we have added a very detailed report on the Tawstock Auxiliary Unit Patrol in Devon.
The report has been compiled by Nina Hannaford, our Devon CIO with help by our Somerset Researcher, Chris Perry.
The report provides great insight into the men behind the patrol, their training and targets, not to mention a very unusual Operational Base.
See more the report here.
Today we have added a page on Captain G C L Atkinson M.C to the site.
Capt Atkinson was the Intelligence Officer for the County Durham Auxiliary Units.
Thanks to Stephen Lewins, our Durham CIO for the contribution.
Auxilier William “Austin” Whetham from East Coker Patrol.
Our team have made patrol report updates to the following reports recently.
Hatcliffe Patrol, Lincolnshire
Butterwick Patrol, Lincolnshire
The following three patrols have also been added to the site;
Thanks to the hard work of Hugh Frostick and Dr Will Ward we have added another 4 patrol reports to the website this morning.
We still need your help to fill in a few blanks so if you can help please do contact us.