Sergeant F Simpson, Auxiliary Unit member

Fred Simpson - pointing to the concrete counterweight of the trapdoor to the unit's Operational Base ("O.B.") in Killwood. The trapdoor entrance can be see in -> this blipfoto.

For more background information:

-> my blipfoto of the O.B. with history of the O.B..

-> my blipfoto of the unveiling of the memorial to the members of the Auxiliary Unit


TRAINING OF AUXILIARY UNIT MEMBERS

Members were taken from the Home Guard. They were volunteers, and would be men invited on the basis of their abilities and local knowledge. For instance a poacher - already expert in the arts of concealment and marksmanship - would be a prime candidate. Local farmers and farm workers, tough men possessing the skills enabling them to live off the land, will have formed the vast majority of members.

They were given rigorous training in unarmed combat, and in the use of small weapons. They were instructed to harry the enemy, disrupt communications and transport, and to assassinate any local officials considered to be fraternising with the enemy.

Groups of units carried out trial assignments; the successful penetration of the cordite factory at Holton Heath; the taking of Wareham Town Hall and Police Station by night; the infiltration of a local airfield (probably Tarrant Rushton), an assignment which was met by live ammunition, causing the death of one innocent sheep.

Unit members gave much of their spare time to their responsibilities; they were not paid a penny, and it was only several decades later that the existence of the units were officially acknowledged.

Fred Simpson appeared in the ITV documentary series "The Real Dad's Army", broadcast about ten years ago. (This blip was contributed in 2014.)