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Thursday, 27 November 2014
CHURCHILL's SECRET ARMY - THE BRITISH RESISTANCE WWII
Churchill's hidden army was kept top secret. The existence of the British Resistance and Auxillary Units and also the Special Duties Section remained covert until the 1990's. Then, a book and a film by Owen Sheers revealed the contingency proposals for Britain's secret army.
In 1940 following Dunkirk and the occupation of Europe, plans for the British Resistance Organisation to defend the Homefront were put into action. Underground Operational Bases were created and patrols were trained in combat, intelligence and the use of weapons and sabotage.
Little is still known about Britain's Resistance and mostly the families were never informed. In occupied Britain the life expectancy of the members of the Resistance would have been only two weeks!
However, more details have emerged about the underground soldiers and spies in Wales. In September 2014 at Bantock House Museum in Wolverhampton, there was an exhibition about the work of the Resistance in Wales displaying the type of weaponry issued to "The Scallywags" or GHQ Auxillary Units. These were to be used in the event of the invasion of Britain.
This is a fascinating and little known story and if you want to know more about The British Resistance and the Auxillary Units you can visit the www.auxunit.org.uk Other links include www.coleshillhouse.com and www.abergavennymuseum.co.uk
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