Remains of secret WW2 Auxiliary Units base, Dorset

The Auxiliary Units - or "Aux Units"- were recruited from members of the Home Guard during the early days of World War II.

For the eventuality of a German invasion, Churchill had ordered the creation of secret military units capable of going to ground (literally) and carrying out sabotage and assassination raids from behind the enemy lines.

The Operational Bases - "O.B."s - were constructed by the Royal Engineers in locations near the coast. This O.B. is in a wood close to the railway between Wareham and Swanage, one of the potential objects for sabotage if an invasion took place.

The O.B. is sited underground, with concrete floor and walls. It had a corrugated iron roof with soil above. It comprised an entrance with trapdoor, two rooms and an emergency exit. (It was blown up after the war, as it was considered dangerous. However, much of this O.B. survived, and in theory it could today cause problems for an unsuspecting walker. As someone who knows its location, I would add that it is in a very dense part of the wood where casual walkers would not choose to venture.)

This Aux Unit comprised seven members - now nicknamed the "Creech Barrow Seven" - who would often spend their weekend nights in the O.B. The interior was extremely basic, and the seven would sleep in hammocks: falling onto the concrete floor was an uncomfortable experience.


The two adjacent Aux Unit bases were at Harmans Cross and East Stoke.


See also:

-> Photo with different view of the base

-> Photo of memorial stone with details of the Aux Unit's members.

-> Photo of Fred Simpson with details of the Aux Unit's training.