May 232013
Apr 282013
Yesterday various CART members and researchers attended a special day at the Museum of the British Resistance Organisation at Parham Airfield in Suffolk.
The museum volunteers opened especially for us and were very helpful.
The museum has had a complete make over since CART was last there in 2011 and the new cabinets really help display all the donated items from original training manuals to booby traps and guns.
CART CIO for Yorkshire Andy Gwynne discovered some real gems of information in the museums archive and later said ‘A great day had, meeting old and new friends and seeing the Museum dedicated to the memory of the Aux Units.’
Weapons expert Richard Ashley (left) displayed a large collection of his most amazing weapons, many of which were used by members of the Resistance.
Auxilier Don Handscombe from Thundersley Patrol came along and was met by Aux writer and expert John Warwicker.
CART’s Press Officer Andy Chatterton was also impressed with the range of items and the full size replica Operational Base which can be entered at ground level.
CART Founder and Webmaster Tom Sykes had an important meeting with the museum’s management about future co-operation and partnering on events and research.
A full gallery of images from the day can be seen here
The Museum is well worth a visit. More info can be seen here.
Mar 262013
Today 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.
Feb 152013
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.
The British Legion have said they would welcome a letter from CART informing them about our proposal and why we feel the Auxiliers and members of the SDS should be remembered.
We would ask you all to write a short email outlining why you feel the Aux Units should be remembered.
An example of this letter can be seen below. Please use it as a template to expand on rather than copying and pasting it.
Mr.Alan G Purdie, The Royal British Legion, c/o British Resistance Archive Cenotaph Campaign.
Dear Mr Purdie,
I write on behalf of all of the Auxiliers and members of the British Resistance movement who are not able to speak for themselves.
A campaign has begun to help recognise the British Resistance (Auxiliary Units) and Auxiliers at the Cenotaph each November just as the Bevin Boys and Home Guard are remembered.
The Auxiliary Units played a major part in the Second World War on the Home Front just as much as any other Branch, Regiment or Service. To this day they remain unrecognised by the Government due to the secret nature of their work.
So, I write to you on behalf of all those who served in the Auxiliary Units and wider British Resistance to ask for your support with this campaign and to allow a select group of surviving Auxiliers and their relatives to march each year at the Cenotaph.
We thank you for your time.
Yours Faithfully,
then please email to Andy Gwynne auxpoppymarch@gmail.com or you can post it to the following address
CART
Cenotaph Campaign
47 Knowlands,
Highworth
Wiltshire
SN6 7NB
We will then forward all letters to the British Legion along with one from the right honourable Justin Tomlinson MP.
If you would like to march next year please also indicate this to us on a separate piece of paper along with all your contact details.
Thank you.
Thanks to Thomas Williamson for the first draft of the letter.
Jan 032013
Tomorrow night at the Martlesham Heath Community Hall, Suffolk (Behind Tesco) the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society are holding a talk called “The Mobile Squad” Churchill’s Secret Army.
Auxilier Ivan Potter will be talking about his time served in the Belstead Patrol.
The talk starts at 7:30pm. Admission is £1:50 for members and £2.50 for non members. Call H King on 01473 274300 for tickets etc.
See more on Ivan’s Patrol here
Nov 282012
At 10 am today Bill Ashby, CART CIO for Coleshill met with the Son and Grandson (left) of Major Malcolm Hancock MC at Coleshill.
Bill gave them both a full site tour and they walked for the first time in the footsteps of their (Grand) father.
Major Hancock MC was a Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General whilst at Coleshill from November 1944.
He was responsible for seeing that all the Aux units round the whole of the coast were supplied with all their equipment, particularly with the explosives which they were to use. He was very busy in his work.
After the tour they came back to CART HQ and allowed us to scan some very important rare documents which will greatly help with our research.
See more on the Major here
Nov 142012
Today we have started our campaign to raise funds for our new updated website.
The main reason for needing to overhaul and update our website is to ensure it is more accessible for all. It needs to be W3c compliant.
We plan to make the changes over at least two phases as this will allow us to fund raise.
The first phase will see a new skeleton being built for the site that will allow our CIO’s access to login and update and create their own county pages.
To read more and to support us please see here
Oct 282012
This event was held on October 27th 2012 at Langton Matravers Memorial Hall, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset.
Peter White, son of the Sgt Fred White of the Langton Matravers Auxiliary Unit worked hard to arrange a memorial plaque to the patrol. The stone was unveiled by Mrs Valerie Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset in a service which lasted just over 20 minutes.
Peter White opened the presentation by saying a few words about his father and the patrol. He then handed over the Lieutenant Colonel Ian Vaughan-Arbuckle (Retd) who provided the full background to the Auxiliary Units and the bravery that showed during WW2.
Martyn Dallenger (son of Patrol member Maurice) then spoke about his father and his involvement in the Langton Patrol.
The plaque was then unveiled at about 12:15 am by Mrs Anthony Pitt-Rivers, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Dorset and she represented the Queen at the event.
A dedication followed by The Reverend Keith Barry, CF who is the Garrison Chaplain at the Armour Centre, Bovington.
Chloe and Sophie White (Great Grandchildren of Auxilier Fred White) then placed some flowers at the foot of the plaque.
The crowd then moved into the nearby Village Hall and had a light lunch and enjoyed the CART display and weapons display by Nick Marshall.
CART’s researchers for Dorset, Devon and Coleshill were in attendance. Nick Marshall from ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ provided an Aux weapons display.
At least 100 people came along including two patrol Dorset Auxiliers. RRV Dowton from Langton Herring Patrol and H.J. Northover (Joined Bradford Peverall HG at 14 – ‘young’ Auxilier who replaced brother in Patrol when he got called up) from Long Bredy Patrol.
See more and watch the full video presentation here
Oct 252012
This Saturday the small village of Langton Matravers in Dorset will stop to remember the Auxiliary Unit patrol that trained hard in sabotage and silent killing in the surrounding woodland.
Peter White, son of Fred White the patrol leader has worked hard to arrange a memorial plaque to the patrol. From 11:45 am this stone will be unveiled by Mrs Valerie Lane-Fox Pitt-Rivers, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset.
The British Legion will be in attendance and CART will be providing a small stand in the village hall. CART’s researchers for Dorset, Devon and Coleshill will also be in attendance.
Nick Marshall from ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ will be putting on an Aux weapons display.
At least 50 people are expected at the event including a few Dorset Auxiliers from various patrols.
The event is open to all and anyone. More info can be seen here
Oct 012012
We are pleased to announce that CART membership has now re-opened.
We are working towards a full revamp of our website which will offer greater disability access and a whole range of improved features for web visitors. This is an expensive procedure and sadly not one that can be created in-house using volunteer time. We desperately need to raise as much funding as possible and CART membership fees will contribute greatly towards this.
We hope you will want to support us and can see the value in the hard work we are all putting in to keeping this important history public and freely accessible.
You can see all the benefits of new membership and sign up here
Please do share this with other interested parties as well.