Dan Snow's History Hit Churchill's Secret Army
13 snips
Apr 20, 2026 
Ken Welch, a wartime Auxiliary Unit member who served in a hidden bunker, and Andy Chatterton, historian of Britain’s secret defenses. They explore underground bunkers, covert training, trapdoor hideouts, sabotage plans and a little-known MI6 resistance network. Short, tense stories and a bunker hunt bring these shadowy wartime preparations to life.
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How The Auxiliary Units Were Structured
- Auxiliary Units were pre-positioned resistance cells meant to hide in secret underground bunkers and strike at night.
- They trained locally and at Coleshill House for sabotage, silent killing, and demolitions while maintaining civilian jobs by day.
Two Week Window And Ruthless Secrecy
- Auxiliary patrols expected a two-week operational window and stocked two weeks' rations, accepting extreme secrecy and lethal contingencies.
- Members' families were unaware; anyone who endangered the base could be added to an assassination list.
Ken Welch Joined A Secret Bunker Unit As A Teen
- Ken Welch recounts joining an auxiliary unit as a teenager and serving alongside his father.
- He concealed his service from his family and trained with weapons, later returning 80 years after last visiting the bunker.
