Last hero of the British Resistance dies age 97
Ivan, 97, was in secret guerrilla unit primed for a Nazi invasion
LATER LIFE Ivan visited remains of former base
THE last surviving member of the “British Resistance” – a secret guerrilla army that would have fought the Germans had they invaded – has died aged 97.
Ivan Mower was 16 when he volunteered for the dangerous role with the Auxiliary Unit, a underground force of highly trained killers.
Had the Nazis invaded, the 4,500strong coastal army would have gone to ground to carry out acts of sabotage.
They were trained to blow up buildings, trains, bridges and airfields that fell into German hands and were prepared to assassinate prominent Nazis and kill any British who collaborated.
Some 600 underground bunkers were built around the British coastline to house the units of eight “silent assassins”.
The shelters had enough ammunition and food to last two weeks as that was as long as the men were expected to survive before being caught, then tortured and executed.
As a gardener, Mr Mower was in a reserved occupation but volunteered to help Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s campaign.
Mr Mower carried on with his gardening job after the war.
He married Marjorie in
1950 and they had two children, Irene and Roy, four grandchildren and
SIGNED UP AT 16 Ivan Mower in Auxiliary Unit uniform
eight great grandchildren. He collapsed and died while gardening in Stradbroke, Suffolk, two weeks ago.
Andrew Chatterton, of the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team, named after the Wiltshire estate where the men trained, said: “The Auxiliary Unit was no Dad’s Army.
“Unlike the Home Guard, men like Ivan Mower were young and fit. They were trained to a high standard and after the unit disbanded some went on to serve with the SAS. But they were also extremely brave. They were aware they signed up for a suicide mission had they been called upon.
“Yet, despite what they were prepared to do for their country, they received no public recognition, no medals.”
Mr Chatterton said it was common for the men to be sent white feathers by the British public who thought they should be serving in the regular Army or Home Guard. Their objective was to slow down the German invasion and give the British Army time to re-form and launch counter-attacks.
The Auxiliary Unit was disbanded in November 1944 after the threat of an invasion subsided but the men were sworn to secrecy.
It is estimated 70% took the secret of their wartime
occupation to the grave.
They were aware they had signed up for a suicide mission
ANDREW CHATTERTON RESEARCHER