Tracking down wartime secret heroes
26/07/2007
During World War II, “Auxiliary Units” was a cover name for a nationwide resistance network that covered the whole of the UK, although mainly in east coast areas. They were recruited locally and sworn to secrecy by the official secrets act of the time. Training consisted of weapon handling, navigation, demolitions, as well as other skills. They wore civilian clothes during the early days, but as they grew in numbers they were given battledress uniforms and wore Home Guard shoulder titles.
They were also given battalion status: three battalions were formed, 201 Battalion, the unit I am researching, covered Scotland down to Northumberland. Most members were in a reserved occupation and came from a wide and varied background, but included farmers and estate workers to name but a few.
Operating from underground hides known as Operational Bases (OBs), they would work in six or eight man cells and their role was to cause as much mayhem as possible in the event of a the German occupation force. Life expectancy for an auxiliary member during the occupation would be approximately two weeks; they were all too aware of this as the threat of invasion got closer by the day in those summer months of 1940.
The units in Scotland covered areas from as far North as Shetlands down to the Borders. They were commanded at the time by Eustace Maxwell, who had an HQ near to Stirling, he was tasked to set up and organise training for the Scottish auxiliary units. The East coast was one route that the enemy was likely to come from, and just a few miles inland, Auxiliary Units were going about their normal lives - working the fields, etc - and in the event of an invasion would be stood to by another network of runners and contacts spreading the word. Wives, girlfriends and mums would not be aware of the task that lay ahead for their loved one, as even they were not told of their loved ones’ role.
As the threat of invasion receded, Auxiliary Units were stood down in 1944. Many went on to volunteer and work with Special Forces because of the level of training they had received, and some died during those months with Special Forces units in the European theatre, prior to Normandy and afterwards.
My research into this unit is focusing on the part played by Scotland and I would like to be able to record the unknown work done by this organisation. Any information - no matter how trivial it may be to you - could be the missing piece of the jigsaw.
I can be contacted at: David Blair, 54 Younger Gardens, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8AB. Email: aux201@btinternet.com