How about this for a quintessential English scene! Taken from the top of All Saints Church in East Budleigh today. Such a lush village (and worth the 98 narrow steps to the top)! #Devon

Remembering my relative Norman Bottoms of the 147th Essex Yeomanry who died during the Normandy invasion 81 years ago today. Surving the initial landings he was killed by mortar fire in a field supporting the infantry moving forward. Just 23. @ww2headquarters.bsky.social

The fear of some form of counter-attack from the Germans during #DDay81 landings was real for the Allies. This was even to the extent that Auxiliary Unit members from across the country were sent to the Isle of Wight to guard various infrastructure.

Some people do talks at lit fests to sell books, others for the adulation, others to gather info for their next book. But being a Westcountry boy I do it for the huge bottles of cider! Thanks Ilminster Literary Festival!

If you’re a history fan and used to watch Time Team can I encourage you to head over to YouTube and watch the new episodes. The latest at Sutton Hoo is amazing, if nothing else than Tony Robinson is back, but also the incredible finds including a Byzantium burial bucket!

It’s a beautiful morning here & a chance to look for the remaining Second World War defences on my doorstep. Interesting beach defences (maybe an OP hut) & a disguised machine-gun post with views of the beach. This stuff is still all around us - I’d love to see what’s near you!

I love doing local talks on Aux Units etc. Not only do you gems of local info but when the slide pops up with local names the murmur around the crowd as names are recognised is awesome. Altho last night’s outburst of ‘F**k me that’s Uncle Dick’ is a complete highlight!

Final post in VE Day post. Here is Lt Richard Wraxall who was an early trainer of Aux Units at Coleshill House celebrating victory. He went on to land at Juno & the pics include one of the lads having a wee on a certain flag…

Remembering the unrecognised Auxiliary Units in East Anglia this VE Day. Check out this link to search via county and see what was happening secretly during WW2 where you live! www.staybehinds.com/counties

I think we forget what ‘ordinary’ people went through during the SWW. Just look at part of my grandad’s shrapnel collection. A piece of massive oil bomb on the right, shrapnel that was raining down on left, plane & incendiary bomb tail top & left @almurray.bsky.social @thehistoryguy.bsky.social

This is Mollie Phillips MBE, Olympic skater & SD operator. Her father sent a letter to Churchill asking for recognition. staybehinds.com/article/letter… Her & her father were here staybehinds.com/station/pencar��� But we don’t know where the radio actually was - can anyone help?

Another rabbit hole. Foyles War & the 1st of the 3rd series is a cracker. Mentions of Section D, a Fairbairn/Sykes character, dead-letter drops, SOE. I mean not particularly accurate but just the mention of Section D is really interesting - not well known esp at time of filming

The trouble with having a historian father is that there’s no such thing as an ordinary dog walk! Pillbox (with attach for camo still visible), a corrugated circle (prob farm related but might be assoc with Observer Corps) & various worked flints! What a lush day @thehistoryguy.bsky.social

Can I get some big love for Auxiliary Unit vet Ken Welch (the good looking chap on the right in the two pics). I was lucky enough to be part of the brill team that took him to his Operational Base for the first time since November 1944! All part of a History Hit doc coming soon!

What a awesome few days. I won’t say too much but there’s going to be a brilliant documentary coming up on History Hit in the near future! Thanks to @thehistoryguy.bsky.social for the opportunity to tell some incredible stories about the reality of Britain’s defences in the SWW!

An incredibly exciting and moving day. More soon…!

Really good fun chatting with Angus on the WW2 Podcast. We talked through the reality of Britain lane defences in 1940 and how it was not all Dad’s Army but a proper, joined up, effective strategy #ironsidewasright open.spotify.com/show/0mResZkn1…

1/2 Want a Second World War valentines story? Auxilier Clive Gascoyne was patrolling the woods around his area Kent. He was shocked to come across an entrance hath of an OB. Thinking it was an traitor’s base he drew his pistol went down the ladder.

Do not buy this! This is not a Aux stand down lapel badge but a fake from a well known faker. Stay away!

My youngest was asked to write a piece on ‘staying safe’. She could have chosen anything but went for the Home Guard during the SWW & added some Aux related bits too! I blame WeHaveWays - def not my fault… #afflicted

There can’t be any ‘undiscovered’ OBs right? So long after the war they must have been all found/destroyed. Not the case I’m delighted to say! This, found’ by CART in the SW England! Bunks in place, hatch mechanism still there & even poss rum jar!

A genuine Auxiliary Units stand down lapel badge on sale on eBay. Still cheap (at the moment) if you want a piece of Britain’s Second World War secret defences! Also as an added bonus there’s an image of me in the sale details!

Both daughters having a quick swim, just enough time for a coffee & to crack on with book three! ‘The Last Recruits’ is out in Summer 2026 & tells the remarkable story of four men who join Paddy Mayne’s 1SAS from the Aux Units & take part in the liberation of Europe! @headofzeus.bsky.social

Had a great time talking to Tony and Max at the Underground Strategy pod about the secret layers of civilian defence in Britain during the Second World War - so good in fact they’ve had to split it into two eps! First available here undergroundstrategy.com/podcast

Great to be talking at @favlit.org this spring. @historialchats.bsky.social is a great speaker w a fascinating story too!

Delighted to be heading to the Faversham lit fest again!

A brief, but as always brilliant chat with @ww2tv.bsky.social talking about Aux Units & my new book 'The Last Recruits' (Summer 2026). The role that ex-Auxiliers played in the SAS supporting the liberation of Europe has been, up until now, untold. I hope to do them justice! @headofzeus.bsky.social

1/2 Lots of debate about #RogueHeroes /Mayne's lack of VC. 1 thing is for certain, Mayne heard about Aux Units standing down in early 44, & recognised their worth as highly trained irregular troops. Around 400 joined 1 SAS. List of known Aux in SAS here: bit.ly/40mwom2

So good to be writing again! Can’t wait for you to read about the amazing stories of men who join the SAS from Aux Units & take part in the often overlooked Op Gain in the summer of 44 in France. Secret bunkers, resistance, betrayal & extraordinary courage #TheLastRecruits

Merry Christmas everyone! A busy one here in Budleigh but as always a spectacularly cold start to get you ready for the rest for the day! Both daughters came in - first time for the youngest. Not sure she’ll be back!

What marks Christmas more than a Pub Landlord Christmas carol mash-up...?! Reminded me of lock-down quizes but with a Second World War bias!

Thanks so much Chris - massively appreciated!

A fabulous review from Peter Caddick-Adams in The Critic Magazine. I loved writing Fortress Britain 1940 so to be included in PCA’s 12 books for Christmas is the icing on the Christmas cake!

So delighted to be speaking @favlit.org again next year (23rd Feb). Tickets are available now to hear me chat about the reality of Britain in 1940 and the incredible bravery (and ruthlessness) of the British population. Tickets available here: favershamliteraryfestival.org/whats-on/histo…

Always amazing to see one of your books out in the wild! Here it is in esteemed company at @waterstones.bsky.social Exeter (and it’s signed)!

I’m delighted to announce I’ve signed with @headofzeus.bsky.social I’ll be writing about 4 members of the Aux Units who join 1 SAS. These 4 take part in Op Gain in July 44 - it’s the most amazing true story! Can’t wait! @thehistoryguy.bsky.social

Serge Vaculik dropped in with D Squadron, 1 SAS as part of Op Gain in July 1944. Captured, lined up to be shot and escaped. This is going to be a cracking read! @almurray.bsky.social

This is brilliant - great archive interviews with members of the Home Guard and their various roles. This is particularly interesting for me with loads of mentions of my home town of Budleigh Salterton! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

📅 #OnThisDay 3rd Dec 1944 – The Home Guard stood down as the invasion threat faded. Far from bumbling #DadsArmy, @historialchats.bsky.social shows their Auxiliaries were skilled, ruthless, and ready to make any occupation a nightmare. 🎖️💂‍♂️ 🎧 https://pod.fo/e/130a66#OnThisDay#DadsArmy#OTD #History #Podcast

I’m going in and already loving the start. The the firefighters of the AFS/NFS are another aspect of Britain’s Second World War effort that do not get enough credit. Great to see them highlighted at the beginning of the film! #Blitz

A beautiful morning here in Budleigh with the beach defences looking glorious! These are right on the beach so unsure of their use. @ckolonko.bsky.social will know…! If nothing else highlights that the scars of the Second World War remain with us everywhere.

Going through some pics of my grandfather in the ARP & ATC. The ARP grp pic is interesting. Look at the range of people involved. Men, women, kids, vicars - a community effort! Really interesting esp after listening to We Have Ways Blitz series (gdad 3rd from rt standing ARP & left of the 3 ATC)

The brilliant @stubertphoto.bsky.social on the We Have Ways livestream. Loved his talk at WHW fest this year so great to hear it agin. 100% a brilliant book in it - go, go, go Stu!

6 years ago I delivered my first presentation on the Auxiliary Units. So much has changed since then - if you'd told me then that by 2024 I'd be two books in and starting on a third as well as everything else I've managed to fit in, I'd never have believed you! Thanks to everyone for their support!

It's grown again

My daughter’s school choir have ‘released’ Abide With Me for Remembrance Day. I think they’ve done a beautiful job. www.facebook.com/share/v/19fo...?

At the going down of the sun. #wewillrememberthem

Remembering the members of the Auxiliary Units who lost their lives in the Second World War. Some during service at home others after joining up, particularly the SAS. Particularly those on Op GAIN in summer of 1944. Link here tinyurl.com/4br9ejyw WeWillRememberThem

What an awesome day. A long dog walk this morning, which happened to go past an Auxiliary Unit OB… And then an Exeter City win against Charlton. Lovely stuff!