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Auxiliary Units
Auxiliary Units were created in 1940, made up of men specially selected from retired soldiers, Radio Amateurs and the Home Guard
they were sworn to secrecy and equipped and trained separately. Hidden bunkers were constructed across Britain. The bunkers were located in remote often wooded areas and were designed for the unit to go to ground, at the approach of the invaders. The bunkers were equipped with emergency food and water reserves, heated by kerosene lamps they were fitted with beds and toilet facilities, to be self suffcient. They had escape tunnels which exited some distance from the bunker.
The men of the Auxiliary Units would have used their local knowledge to begin a campaign of harassment and destruction once the enemy had taken over the area.
If you or any members of of your family, were a member of an Auxiliary Unit we would love to hear from you.
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Those known to have served with Auxiliary Units during the Second World War 1939-1945. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of Auxiliary Units from other sources.
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
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Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about Auxiliary Units? There are:1319 items tagged Auxiliary Units available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Pte. William Dryden Greatham Btn. My great uncle, William Dryden was farmer from Greatham in County Durham. He was a member of the Home Guard and an Auxiliary Unit which formed part of the ring around industrial Teesside. If anyone has any further information please get in touch.
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Lt. Bill Ashby 4th (Hallamshire) Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment Lieutenant Bill Ashby, my father, served as leader of East Sussex Scout Section in Auxiliary Units 1940 to 1943. He and his men were all from the Queens Royal Regiment. He then became adjutant of the Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancs Regiment until wounded with a bullet in his spine in Normandy in 1944.
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Sgt Edward Victor Cole 9th Battalion The Buffs My father Ted Cole was an 'Auxiliary' in WW2. He lived in a dugout in Kingswood Forest near Canterbury. He took me to see it in the 1960's. One of his comrades was Sid Sidwell who I met. He lived in the area. I am researching my family history and would appreciate any leads that anyone might have.
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George William Cawood It was several years after my father's death that I was told he was one of Churchill's secret army. His name was George Cawood, he then lived at West Lutton in North Yorkshire. His official role was air raid warden. He had a livestock haulage business. I only wish he had told me about his role. But I suppose if you have kept it secret for so long. I feel it's a shame these people did not get the recognition they deserved while they were still alive.
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Jim Payne Jim was a member of the unit based in Stoke Park Woods at Eastleigh in Hampshire.
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Roy Budden Roy was a member of the unit based in Stoke Park Woods at Eastleigh in Hampshire.
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Richard Mare Kendall North East Kent This is just a brief contact to let you know that my father was an early recruit to what became known as the Auxiliary Units. He had one of the little shield pins. My father was the owner of Davington Farm on the outskirts of Faversham in Kent. He was also a Whipper-in of the Tickham Hunt and as so knew the country very well. According to my mother my father was directley recruited by Peter Fleming who she says came to dinner at the farm with his brother Ian.
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