AUXILIARY UNITS - Peter Wilkinson

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Bala, Jan 6, 2020.

  1. Bala

    Bala Member

    What position/appointment did Major Peter Wilkinson hold in Auxiliary Units?

    Thank you
     
  2. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    There was a whole range of different kinds of Auxillary Units - can you be more specific in your question? Do you mean the Auxillary Patrol?
     
  3. wibs12

    wibs12 Well-Known Member

    Is this the chap you're referring to?........ have a look at this article, it includes several references to Peter Wilkinson and the formation of Auxiliary Units?

    I've lifted a couple of key sentences from what is a fairly comprehensive article and well worth a read if it is your guy.

    Paul

    A Detailed History of the Auxiliary Units & British Resistance
    One of M.I.(R)'s personnel was Colin Gubbins. In the spring of 1939 he worked on Guerrilla Field Service Regulations, which Lord Gort had asked Holland's department to prepare that April. Gubbins wrote three booklets: The Partisan Leader's Handbook, The Art of Guerrilla Warfare, and How To Use High Explosives. In July 1939 Gubbins was told that on mobilisation he was to be the senior staff officer (GSO 1) to the British military mission in Poland and would be in overall control of the large M.I.(R) contingent there.

    After the successful deployment of his Independent Companies, Gubbins could have been justified in expecting a field command, perhaps a Brigade. But his recent experiences and his earlier relationship with Ironside at Archangel in 1919 drew him like a magnet to more irregular activity and he approached his new task with gusto. Gubbins was chosen to establish in Britain a kind of warfare he had attempted to develop in Poland before being thwarted by the speed of the Nazis' blitzkrieg - the 'stay-behind' forces.

    As Gubbins formed the Auxiliary Units' he drew his own personnel around him, notably his chief of staff at M.I.(R), Peter Wilkinson.

    Sir Peter Wilkinson first worked with Gubbins in central Europe. He became Gubbins' personal military assistant and was later to be key to the formation of the Auxiliary Units.

    Within the Auxiliary Units Sir Peter Wilkinson and Bill Beyts were effectively jointly second-in-command to Gubbins.

    Wilkinson, who had gained wide experience of intelligence work within the War Office and anyway was already a trained Intelligence Officer, looked after the organisation of the new underground army...... and took care of the organisation's ongoing strategic planning - what he calls 'the vision thing'.
     
    rodbender, Aixman and Tullybrone like this.
  4. Bala

    Bala Member

    Many thanks - just what I needed
    Best wishes
     
    wibs12 likes this.

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