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06-20-2004, 06:25 PM
Britain's Secret Army
By Tony French
People in story: Charles French
Location of story: England
In the Spring of 1940 the Germans threw the British out of Europe.
After General Andrew Thorne had brought 48 Division home from Dunkirk, he was directed to take command of X11 Corps and to defend Britain against German invasion.
On May 14th. Anthony Eden broadcast to the nation for volunteers for a new force to go on duty with the Army against invasion. Churchill made a great deal of propaganda use of this force, greatly exaggerating its strength, arms, skill and general ability. That propaganda truly served its purpose. However, the dire situation demanded a well armed guerrilla force, something quite different.
In April, 1940, a Major Colin Gubbins was recalled from France to take to Norway five of the newly formed “Independent Companies” to make hit and run raids on the Wehrmacht’s over-extended lines between Oslo and and Narvik.
When Colin Gubbins withdrew from Narvik he was given a special task to create an underground guerrilla force that would operate in the United Kingdom in the event of a German invasion and occupation.
Contrary to a popular view, Intelligence reports indicated that invasion from the air was unlikely since Hitler had niether sufficient aircraft nor sufficient airnorne troops for such an operation. Therefore, the Germans would probably come by sea.
As they would be most vulnerable during the first few days after they had landed the new Resistance force would be concentrated in a coastal strip from Norfolk to Hampshire.
Recruitment
Recruitment would have to be done in absolute secrecy. It was decided to pinpoint the most likely men through the Home Guard without, in many cases, informing the Home Guard officers. Gubbins was looking for men who “know the forests, the woods, the mines, the old closed shafts, the hills, the moors, the glens - people who know their stuff.” He could arrange deferments from military service for key civilians. He showed a preference for veterans of the First World War.
Recruitment was successful. It included poachers and gamekeepers,ghillies, stalkers, verderers from the New Forest, farmers and their workers, and miners. Sometimes it included parsons, physicians and Council workers. They were men with deep knowledge of the countryside. They would blend into it. They would be secretive, able to live rough and, when the time came, they would fight until they triumphed or were killed.
All members had to sign oaths of secrecy within the Official Secrets Act in an atmosphere which kept them from telling their wives and families.
That was the case with my father. In those far from easy times the less the men’s families knew, the better it was for them and for the Resistance itself.
They were told that they were members of certain battalions. In the South it was the 203rd. Those battalions do not appear in any official lists. No-one in the Resistance was enrolled, officially, in anything and could never have claimed the protection afforded by the Geneva Convention.
Later, when the Resistance was disbanded the members were told to say nothing as they might be needed again in the future. They were to maintain secrecy.
This they did for many years. They became the forgotten men, no medals, no citations. But there were gestures of thanks from those on high, who knew what had been done - just in case.
By Tony French
People in story: Charles French
Location of story: England
In the Spring of 1940 the Germans threw the British out of Europe.
After General Andrew Thorne had brought 48 Division home from Dunkirk, he was directed to take command of X11 Corps and to defend Britain against German invasion.
On May 14th. Anthony Eden broadcast to the nation for volunteers for a new force to go on duty with the Army against invasion. Churchill made a great deal of propaganda use of this force, greatly exaggerating its strength, arms, skill and general ability. That propaganda truly served its purpose. However, the dire situation demanded a well armed guerrilla force, something quite different.
In April, 1940, a Major Colin Gubbins was recalled from France to take to Norway five of the newly formed “Independent Companies” to make hit and run raids on the Wehrmacht’s over-extended lines between Oslo and and Narvik.
When Colin Gubbins withdrew from Narvik he was given a special task to create an underground guerrilla force that would operate in the United Kingdom in the event of a German invasion and occupation.
Contrary to a popular view, Intelligence reports indicated that invasion from the air was unlikely since Hitler had niether sufficient aircraft nor sufficient airnorne troops for such an operation. Therefore, the Germans would probably come by sea.
As they would be most vulnerable during the first few days after they had landed the new Resistance force would be concentrated in a coastal strip from Norfolk to Hampshire.
Recruitment
Recruitment would have to be done in absolute secrecy. It was decided to pinpoint the most likely men through the Home Guard without, in many cases, informing the Home Guard officers. Gubbins was looking for men who “know the forests, the woods, the mines, the old closed shafts, the hills, the moors, the glens - people who know their stuff.” He could arrange deferments from military service for key civilians. He showed a preference for veterans of the First World War.
Recruitment was successful. It included poachers and gamekeepers,ghillies, stalkers, verderers from the New Forest, farmers and their workers, and miners. Sometimes it included parsons, physicians and Council workers. They were men with deep knowledge of the countryside. They would blend into it. They would be secretive, able to live rough and, when the time came, they would fight until they triumphed or were killed.
All members had to sign oaths of secrecy within the Official Secrets Act in an atmosphere which kept them from telling their wives and families.
That was the case with my father. In those far from easy times the less the men’s families knew, the better it was for them and for the Resistance itself.
They were told that they were members of certain battalions. In the South it was the 203rd. Those battalions do not appear in any official lists. No-one in the Resistance was enrolled, officially, in anything and could never have claimed the protection afforded by the Geneva Convention.
Later, when the Resistance was disbanded the members were told to say nothing as they might be needed again in the future. They were to maintain secrecy.
This they did for many years. They became the forgotten men, no medals, no citations. But there were gestures of thanks from those on high, who knew what had been done - just in case.