Feb 242021
 

Immerse yourself and gain a little more appreciation for the men and women involved in Auxiliary Units. We’ve added 3 audio interviews and a video to our website and hope to add more soon:

Rex Chaston was an Auxilier in the Saxmundham Patrol. Listen to Rex explaining his time in Auxiliary Units HERE: www.staybehinds.com/patrol/saxmundham-patrol

Yolande Bromley (later Alston) was a Special Duties Branch radio operator. Listen to her story at www.staybehinds.com/yolande-audrey-yvette-bromley

Yolande Bromley

Watch the engrossing interview with Auxilier Herman Kindred from the Stratford St. Andrew Patrol HERE: www.staybehinds.com/patrol/stratford-st-andrew-patrol

Group Commander Harry Wharton spills the beans on his wartime role HERE: www.staybehinds.com/henry-wharton

Aug 222020
 

More information up on our new site on the Special Duties section.

This time about a Father and Daughter team, George and Mollie Phillips https://www.staybehinds.com/mollie-doreen-phillips

https://www.staybehinds.com/george-phillips

Mollie was a pre-war Olympic skater and by all accounts quite a character! From this new information we have also discovered for the first time that they operated from separate ‘hides’.

If anyone in the Carmarthenshire area has any information we would love to hear from you! www.staybehinds.com

Aug 132020
 

One of our main aims for the new website was to get as much information on individuals was possible, including images. A good example is that of Airlie Abinda Campbell a member of the Special Duties ATS.

Here is the information we have on her – https://www.staybehinds.com/airlie-abinda-campbell

One of the most remarkable stories associated with Airlie, is how she met her husband, George Gascoyne (https://www.staybehinds.com/george-archibald-clive-gascoyne) an Auxilier who accidentally stumbled across Airlie’s wireless bunker, descended down the ladder and was confronted by her pointing a revolver at his head (photo attached of their wedding day)!

If anyone has any images of any other ‘Secret Sweeties’ (what the members of the Special Duties ATS unit were, rather politically incorrectly called), we would love to see them.

Indeed, if anyone has any information on the Special Duties Branch we would love to hear from you!

Arlie Campbell – Auxiliary Units Special Duties ATS
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

Sep 302019
 

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.

Jim Gasgoyne pointing out his mother who was in the SD Branch, The Scallywags & re-enactors
Radio workshop hut pads & Coleshill Estate
Original Operational Base
Special Duties Branch – chicken shed radio hide
The late Bob Millard, Scout Section / SAS, office, weapons & mock-up OB
Chris Pratt (B.R.O.M. / British Resistance Organisation Museum, Parham, Suffolk), the family of Capt. Tallents (1938 Countryman’s author)

Brilliant day – well done all !!

Nov 182018
 

It’s been a busy few days for the CART team!

Our Press Officer Andrew Chatterton delivered a talk to the Newton Poppleford Local Historical Society. Also our Devon researcher, Nina Hannaford brought along a display with information on the local patrols and Special Duties Branch which went down really well.

We already have a couple of new leads for both the Aux Units and Special Duties Branch in East Devon as a result. Thanks to all who attended and for the generous donations!

Nov 042018
 

A nominal roll for Special Duties Operators has yet to be found. Could it still be “Top Secret”?

Thanks to Roger Parsons of Millfield School, CART has obtained a photograph of a Special Duties Operator in Somerset.

Code named “Chirnside 5” the wireless Out Station was in a chicken hut at Edgarley Manor Farm. Locally it is suggested a woman was the main operator. The couple are Kenneth and Dorothy Marsh. So was it Dorothy in charge of sending secret messages on the wireless?

Having married in Kuala Lumpur the couple lived in Federated Malay States (today Malaysia). During the 1910s and 20s they often travelled backward and forward from the UK, his occupation recorded as “Planter”.

On May 14th 1942 The Wells Journal ran an article on Kenneth Marsh and his farming methods which was broadcast by the BBC. The article records the Farm is predominantly rearing and selling poultry rather than selling the eggs. It also notes the feed is produced in vast sums from local food waste and army swill from military camps. This shows the Marshes would have frequently and freely travelled the area collecting waste and be able to monitor local situations if necessary.

www.staybehinds.com/station/edgarley-outstation

Jul 272018
 

Jim Gascoyne is the son of an Auxilier & an ATS “secret sweetie” Special Duties operator. Jim has marched with Auxiliary veterans at the Cenotaph in memory of the Auxiliary Units.

The talk is at Willesborough Windmill TN24 0QG, 18.45 for 19.30 start. Guaranteed to be an excellent evening!

Read about Golding Zero Station

Jul 272016
 

Mr Edwin Trangmar WadmanToday our Devon researcher Nina Hannaford added a report on the Special Duties OutStation located at Stone Cross in Sussex.

The “Key Man” of the OUT Station wireless site was Mr Edwin Trangmar Wadman. (Above)
His informers were Mr William Neil Allin of The Lamb Inn, Wartling along with others as yet unknown. The Special Duties wireless site was situated at the operator Edwin Wadman’s home near Stone Cross. The wireless was hidden in dugout in the garden.
You can read the full report on Stone Cross here.

 Posted by CART HQ on July 27, 2016
Jul 082016
 

Barbara Marion CulletonWe are sad to announce the death of Barbara Marion Culleton who passed away peacefully on Sunday 19th June at Maise House, the Royal British Legion Nursing Home, Bexhill-on-Sea.

In 1933 aged 15 Barbara Culleton arrived in London on her own and found digs and secretarial work.

On the 9th September 1938 the Women’s Branch of the British Army the ‘Auxiliary Territorial Service’ was formed. Within two months Barbara had enlisted into Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment as a volunteer (as ATS privates were then called).

The day before war was declared she was embodied into the Army and was posted to the War Station Railway Training Centre at Longmore and remembers having to help put rolling stock back on the tracks.

It was in July 1941 while she was at her next posting to 12 Field Training Regiment RA at Bordon that she was first Interviewed and told that she had been selected to become an officer. She was asked to consider being involved in training for ‘urgent, very secret and possibly dangerous’ work.

Read more about her career HERE.

On the 3rd May 1955 Captain Barbara Culleton WRAC was awarded the Territorial Decoration for serving her Country. She continued to serve until 12 December 1968 when she reached the upper age limit and so reluctantly had to leave. Barbara Culleton had served her Country for 30 years.

We will remember them.