The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Search on for wartime ‘civilian saboteurs’
Men were trained for guerrilla warfare against the Nazis
They were the highly-secret Courier Country units trained for guerrilla warfare against Nazi Germany.
The local men were specially-trained with the aim of resisting the expected invasion of the British Isles during the Second World War.
Alan Stewart, county information officer for Aberdeenshire for British Resistance Archive/Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team, is carrying out research and hopes readers can help shed light on the background of those involved.
He said: “Following the evacuation of British Army land troops from Dunkirk, it became obvious that Britain had been rendered almost defenceless.
“Given the rapid advances of the Germans through France, it became abundantly clear that Great Britain was under threat of invasion.
“Hasty plans were therefore drawn up to resist any such attack.
“The British High Command quickly analysed the enemy’s tactics, appreciating that the only way to overcome them was to deny mobility of the attacker and to disrupt his vital supply lines.
“The guerrilla-type troops Churchill described became known as the GHQ Auxiliary Units or British Resistance Organisation.
“Colonel Colin McVean Gubbins (Commanding Officer Royal Artillery) was selected to establish a network of civilian saboteurs to attack invading German forces from behind their lines.”
Mr Stewart was able to source names of Tayside and Fife men from the national archives in London, but hopes readers may recall the names, or the stories of those involved.
Mr Stewart said: “In July 1940 Gubbins recruited about a dozen regional captains as intelligence officers who would form the backbone of the newly created auxiliary units.
“The high command HQ was located at Coleshill House near Swindon and this is where intensive training was undertaken.”
Mr Stewart can be reached at cartaberdeenshire@gmail.com. gstrachan@thecourier.co.uk