MEMORIAL OF THE MONTH: YOUR RESOURCES Free Spirit Horse Memorial Appeal Collection of the month: Home Guard Auxiliary Units 1939-1945 Exclusive to Forces War Records

These records are of individuals who served in the top secret Home Guard Auxiliary Units in the Second World War. In reality, WHAT YOU’LL FIND the Home Guard was used as a cover story for the formation of Records in this collection these secret units, often called ‘Churchill’s secret weapon’. are likely to include the The Auxiliary Units, or GHQ Auxiliary Units, were specially trained, following: The memorial will be made by highly secret units created by the United Kingdom government sculptress Georgie Welch during the Second World War, with the aim of resisting any • Name eventual occupation of the United Kingdom by Nazi Germany. • First Name/initials Had the planned invasion of 1940, which the Germans codenamed ‘Operation Sea Lion’, come to pass, they would have formed the • Rank front line of the nation’s resistance efforts. The United Kingdom Home town/address was the only country that had time to create such a resistance • movement in advance of possible invasion, since the Germans • Area made such rapid progress across the rest of Europe. • Group number and Should the Auxiliary Units be forced to swing into action, a commander signals structure would attempt to link the isolated bands into a national network that could act in concert, on behalf of a British • Patrol number and government-in-exile and its representatives still in the leader, and national United Kingdom. identity card number The Auxiliary Units were kept in being long after any immediate Please be aware that due to The Free Spirit Memorial Project Free Spirit recently attended the Nazi threat had passed, and were stood down only in late 1944. the way we collate, and cross is raising funds to create a lasting Wales Remembers Partnership Day Several Auxiliary Unit members later joined the Special Air Service. reference our databases, some memorial to the unfaltering service 2016, held by the Welsh Government Many of the men saw action in France in late 1944, notably in records will contain more of horses in times of conflict and and the Imperial War Museum, where Operations ‘Houndsworth’ and ‘Bulbasket’ (the coordinated information than that listed above. work. The project was launched artwork produced for the Free Spirit French Resistance delaying and harrying tactics to prevent in 2014 as the First World War Art Competition was displayed. German units from reaching the Normandy area after D-Day). Centenary Partnership started its The project has been awarded However, because we have compiled the records from multiple programme to mark the outbreak of charitable status and its ambassadors pages within our TNA source, they may also include further the war. include Richard Davison, four- information such as next of kin, date of birth and date The memorial will be a life-sized time Olympian and former British of promotion. bronze statue by sculptress Georgie Dressage Team Captain, and Richard Original Source: the records consist of information hand Welch, to be sited at the National Waygood MBE, former Riding Master transcribed by Forces War Records’ own staff from the original HIRE AN EXPERT Memorial Arboretum (NMA) in of the Household Cavalry Regiment, nominal rolls held at the National Archives under reference RESEARCHER Alrewas, Staffordshire, and the aim International Three Day Eventer WO199/3388-3391. is to unveil it in 2018 to coincide with and Chef d’Equipe to the British the centenary anniversary of the end Equestrian Teams. National Memorial Arboretum. The of the Great War. current total stands at £50,000. During a recent event to “Celebrate This statue to the horse is the only the Horse”, held at the Defence If you are interested in supporting memorial that the NMA has granted Medical Services, Whittington, this project, donations can be made: to an animal in its own right. It will Richard Waygood spoke about his By post to FSHM, Treasury/ enable the public to recognise the role within the Household Cavalry, Accountant: Jane Swaffer, 3 Friary horse’s unconditional qualities of while Dr. Graham Winton discussed View, Sandford Street, Lichfield companionship and loyalty through the role of horses in the British Army WS13 6QX history, and its continued service to from 1875-1925. Also, speeches were this day through work, rehabilitation given on the history of the heavy Online at http://www. of the sick and disabled, education, horse and the story of horses in the freespiritmemorial.co.uk/ and the joy and pleasure that horses Great War through art. The Free By texting FSHM01 £n, with n being provide in leisure and sport. A local Spirit Memorial Project aims to create the amount you wish to donate, to history teacher is coordinating a a tribute to the horse for people to 70070 community project that has created share, whether their interest lies in a history pack to download from history, sport, art or simply a love for Events can be followed on twitter the Free Spirit Website http:// and admiration of horses. @spiritmemorial VIEW THIS COLLECTION www.freespiritmemorial.co.uk/, to The aim is to raise £200,000 to facebook.com/ educate the public on the role played create the life-sized tribute at the FreeSpiritHorseMemorial by the horse, past and present.