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British Resistance WWII/ G.P.O. Highworth
Saturday 10th January 2015
Sometimes an innocuous auction find can lead to fascinating history.
On this occasion it was a 1944 letter from Colonel F.W.R. Douglas, of Auxiliary Units, G.P.O. Highworth, Wilts., congratulating Captain W.H.L. Chattin on his MBE.
Our curiosity was piqued, an odd address for a military unit and what were the Auxiliary Units functions?. We bought the auction lot, it was quite expensive!
Later research showed that G.P.O. Highworth was a post office run by postmistress Mabel Stranks, and was the secret gateway to GHQ Coleshill, the training centre for organised resistance to complement regular army defence in the event of a German invasion. A comprehensive internet archive of the British resistance, including Mabel Stranks' operation of the secret gateway, is at Coleshill House
By 1944, with the threat of invasion receded, Captain Chattin, 202nd (G.H.Q. Reserve) Bn. Home Guard, was one of many to receive an award .
A forum site suggests that Captain Chattin was Group commander of the Glamorgan Auxiliary and it is interesting that his address is given as The Rock, St Fagans, Cardiff. Was this a personal address or was it a cover address?
We will try to find out more but this offers some fascinating research potential for a military historian!
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