Nov 102014
 

Yesterday an Auxilier and ten Aux relatives and researcher marched down Whitehall in London lead by Lucy Fleming, daughter of Kent Auxiliary Unit Intelligence Officer Captain Peter Fleming. This is only the second time that members of the British Resistance have taken part in the Remembrance day parade on London.

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Auxilier Trevor Miners from Perranporth Patrol was the wreath bearer and marched for the second time with his two sons.
After the march a small reception took place at The Farmers Club thanks to help from one of their members Philip Merricks OBE who also marched (Far left in image below)

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An original Aux badge was donated to the group on the day by marcher Neil Bent. Neil’s father was the patrol leader of the Nerrols Farm Patrol in Somerset. The badge will now be sold to help raise funds for future outreach.

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See video and images of the day here or on our Facebook page.

Oct 172014
 

Trevor Miners-postcard

Next month we will be marching past the Cenotaph on Whitehall again on Remembrance Sunday. Auxilier Trevor Miners (seen above) will be carrying the wreath. Please do watch on TV and stand to remember the brave men and women of the British Resistance Movement.

Also keep an eye on this page for any press or information updates.

Nov 052013
 

Remembrance-Sunday

This remembrance Sunday (10th November) remaining veterans of what would have been Britain’s last line of defence against an invading German army will proudly march past the Cenotaph for the very first time.

The British Resistance, or Auxiliary Units as they were known, were formed of volunteers who were too old or too young to be called up, or in reserved occupations. They were picked because of their intimate knowledge of their local surrounding areas and were often farmers, gamekeepers or poachers.

In the event of an invasion they were to go directly to their operational bases (OBs) hidden underground throughout the British countryside, without letting a soul know where they were going or their mission.  Once in their OB these highly trained volunteers would wait for the invading army to pass over them and then come out at night and disrupt the enemy’s supply chain, cut vital communications, ‘deal’ with collaborators and generally try to make a nuisance of themselves to allow the regular forces to counter-attack.

Such was the danger of their mission the life expectancy of an Auxiliary Unit member was only expected to be a fortnight after the invasion started. They signed the Official Secrets Act and never told their nearest relatives or friends what they had to do, most never revealed even after the war, taking their secrets to the grave.

Another group that will be represented at the Cenotaph for the first time will be the volunteers of the Special Duties Branch. These volunteer civilian’s and ATS personnel were to gather information on the invading army’s forces, numbers of vehicles, specific regiments etc and pass this on covertly to the regular forces via a secret radio network.

The Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team, (CART) the group behind the British Resistance Archive, the largest collection of research into this highly secretive group, has worked with the Royal British Legion to ensure these veterans are included in the march past, representing their first official recognition.

Tom Sykes, founder of CART said. “We are hugely proud to have made it possible for veterans and families of volunteers no longer with us to march on Sunday 10th.

“Although we are finding out more about these groups of civilians and the extraordinary lengths that they were prepared to go to protect their country, we are sadly meeting fewer and fewer surviving members. Soon we will be left with none, and so the importance of the work our researchers are undertaking throughout the country takes on even more significance.

“The situation could very well be that this will be the first and the last time these veterans will get the nationwide recognition they deserve and so this Sunday will be a hugely moving and proud day for all of us involved.”

Read more about the Cenotaph march http://www.coleshillhouse.com/march-at-the-cenotaph-campa…

Oct 172013
 

daily expressRepresentatives of the British Resistance will be marching this November at the Cenotaph for the first time. More on that here.

News of this has reached the Daily Express thanks to our very talented Press Officer, Andy Chatterton.

They will be reporting on the proposed march and our research work this Saturday. Please do support the cause and buy a copy.

Mar 262013
 

Cenotaph-WreathToday marks a very important day for surviving members of the British Resistance movement.

The Royal British Legion confirmed that 12 members of the Auxiliary Units, Special Duties Branch and Scouts can march at the Cenotaph in November at the Remembrance Day Parade.

This campaign was started many years ago by the Museum of the British Resistance Organisation but sadly at that time it did not result in any Auxiliers taking part.

In 2011 this was looked at again by members of CART and after some campaigning by CIO Andy Gwynne and some national press attention the RBL have kindly granted permission for CART to assemble 12 people to march.

A page has been set up with more information so please do bookmark it and check back for updates.

A big thank you to all who wrote in, promoted online and commented via social media. Your support and help now means these brave men and women have the chance to gain the recognition they so desperately deserve.

Nov 152011
 

Each year the Home Guard and Bevin Boys are represented on Remembrance Sunday and march past the Cenotaph on Whitehall.

CART feels strongly that members of the British resistance should also be represented separately to the Home Guard.

Please show your support and get involved here