AUX UNIT INSIGNIA

[Bala]

A Veteran in a book about Auxiliary Units (Britains Secret Army) has described a cloth patch that he wore - a red dormouse on a khaki ground. Has anyone got one or seen it. Was it a 'patrol', 'Area' or other patch.

[Unknownsoldier]

I have seen one, bosleys had one up for sale recently. I believe it was only worn by one or two units.

Tom

[Bala]

Thanks for that - Can you recall how the dormouse was posed?

Bill

[NEMO]

Hi BILL the doormouse badge did exist , thee is a good clear colour photo in Len whittakers book ` some talk of private armies ` the books covers special forces insignia from ww2 the book came out i the 1980`s my copy is packed away at another house but if you ask im sure some one on here wil send you a scan , Nemo

[Unknownsoldier]

The mouse is laying tail stretched out behind it in a straight line.

Tom

[boots and saddles]

WOULD IT BE SOMETHING LIKE THIS? Just a scan that I have.

[Unknownsoldier]

Yep, thats 450 quids worth..........

Tom

[wright241]

Originally Posted by Bala

A Veteran in a book about Auxiliary Units (Britains Secret Army) has described a cloth patch that he wore - a red dormouse on a khaki ground. Has anyone got one or seen it. Was it a 'patrol', 'Area' or other patch.

Yes I do have one. My understanding is that it is a HG patch that was worn
by specially trained HG units that were meant to disrupt strategic targets
in the event that an enemy invasion of the UK had suceeded. I don't have
it with me, but I may have a picture of it on one of my USB 'sticks' - will
try and find it this evening and post. If not, you will have to wait until
around the 21st when I go back to Lux.
david

[grey_green_acorn]

The late Len Whittaker's book "Some Talk of Private Armies" ISBN 0 9509694 0 0 published 1984 by Albanium Publishing says on page 21:
Special Companies of the Home Guard were trained in the use of explosives specifically to operate as tank-hunters and behind the lines saboteurs. The puny strength they could muster against the might of the Wehrmacht was fully expressed by their choice of formation sign: a 'wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie', perforce obliged to adopt a silent and stealthy approach to war. The dormouse was embroidered in pink on a khaki rectangle.

This is the illustration from the book - slightly 'rattier' than the one posted by boots and saddles!

[BWEF]

Long ago I was in correspondence with a then surviving member of the Auxiliary Units. A farmer from Romney Marsh, in Kent.

From memory, he told me that the AUs were organised into small "cells", each of which had their own hide, complete with stores. On Romney Marsh they were named after fungi - mushroom, toadstool etc. People in one cell did not know who was in the next one along, so that they could not give the information away if captured and tortured.

These men were regarded as expendable and were expected to survive a matter of days, or at best weeks, in the event of an invasion.

One thing he did stress was that during WW2 the members of the AU were not actually members of the Home Guard. In fact, if any had earlier joined the Home Guard they were given their discharge. Possibly on health grounds, so that people in their own village thought that they were not serving at all, let alone know what they were really doing.

The Home Guard was to have quite a different role in the event of an invasion and in some ways these men being an active member of the local Home Guard unit would hinder what they hoped to do if we were invaded.

However, the AU were uniformed as members of the Home Guard when they went away from their own area on training courses etc. Maybe this is where the Home Guard idea came from?

[Bala]

Thank you for all your help and posting the pics - so pleased to see such a rare patch. Any chance of a larger pic? to bill@hisbunker.freeserve.co.uk

I read of the patch in 'Lewes at War 1939-1945' by R. A. Elliston (page 108) which describes some of the men and patrols. It finished by saying "The secretiveness of this undercover operation was epitomised by the choice of a dormouse in red on a khaki ground as a unit badge". Unfortunately it omitted to say which unit. Was it a 'patrol' badge worn by only half a dozen men or a 'group' of patrols. Either way the badge must be very very...very rare!

and thats why I am so grateful to you all for showing me what it looked like.

[Bala]

Since I started this thread in November 2009 I have become a member of CART (Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team) an organisation doing a lot to record the history of the organisation. Take a look at our website www.coleshillhouse.com Enjoy

[blackpowder44]

My original badge is in the Airborne, special forces section on page 3. John.

[Quicksilver]

There is 3/4 of a page (pp 387) on Auxiliary Units Signals in The Royal Corps of Signals Unit Histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents by Cliff Lord and Graham Watson published by Helion Publishing in 2003.
Rgds Quicksilver

[JON188]

All,
A chap I know has described a pink mouse badge. I’ll see what it is like in the flesh hit after more recent photos if anyone has them of known original versions please.
Thanks and HNY