Customer Reviews

Gone To Ground

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I read a draft copy of this book a while ago and it's really gripping.

Bill Watson manages to capture the feeling of the people during this dark time in our 'what might have been' history. The bravery of the Auxiliary Units is very humbling and the book explores how they might have been treated by their fellow countryman.

A gripping read which I struggled to put down.

It is also really great that this research group has realised Bill's dream of getting his book published.

A fantastic, yet rather disturbing view into what 'might have happened' if Operation Sealion had succeeded. The role that the Auxiliary Units would have played is brilliantly brought to life by Bill Watson as Bob and his comrades do their best to disrupt the German occupying forces.

An interesting aspect of the book is the varying reactions of the local people as the German army reacted brutally to the Aux Units actions - the round up and shooting of innocent members of the public by the invaders in retaliation as well as Aux Units members themselves dispatching collaborators, brings to life the horrible consequences of war and occupation , and what the Aux Units would have had to contend with, mentally and physically.

The fact that Bill Watson was a member of the Duns Unit makes the book a rare opportunity to gain a real insight into the formation and training of the Units, helping to fill in some of the gaps that remain 70 years on.

This story was almost lost to the passage of time. Bill Watson sadly died in 2004.The book was never published for the general public as such, but his family had 80 copies printed for his 80th birthday.Mainly given to family and close friends etc,and a Kindle version and thats where it ended...Come forward to 2011 and a series of chance conversations with his son and the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team (C.A.R.T) who were given permission to have the book printed...And what a story this is. Set in Duns,a Border town in Scotland during WW2.Scotland has just been invaded and coming to terms with a sudden loss of freedom, literally overnight life changes for the worst and its during this early phase in the invasion that a special group of men known as Auxiliary Units slip quietly out into the dark night leaving behind them a life, simple and safe and most of all their family and loved ones.Never to have any contact again with them....ever...These men were the backbone of Brtian's Resistance network set up ahead of any invasion of the UK.
'Gone to Ground' is an apt title for this story as the Operational Patrols of the Auxiliary units who covered the east and south coast of Britain did just that..'Went to ground' and stayed there until the enemy occupying forces had etablished a foothold in this country..It was only then that they emerged from their underground womb to cause as much destruction and mayhem to those occupation forces who had kicked in the front door of Britain and were here to stay..uninvited as they were..Bill has the tone perfect, and the atmosphere of the setting is perfect...Grim and dark with a true depiction of occupation and suppression...Bill was actually one of those special group of men.. His first hand account written as a fictional story, but with first hand knowledge of how it was during those early days as part of a hand picked select few.....I read a draft copy in 2 days and was gripped by the sheer true to life scenario of a life under occupation and the secret life of those men who would give the ultimate sacrifice when the time came..Well done Bill, your dream has come true...Rest easy my friend......
David Blair
St Andrews
2011

This is a remarkable book - a bit like the Channel Islands experienbce in the TV drama "Enemy at the Door".To me, living in the Borders area described
and knowing all the streets, farms and countryside
in which the book is based itand having grown up
during the war when just such a possibility was
a threat it is particularly thought-provoking.

An interesting book, a novel well written and based on a little known British secret resistance organisation rushed into being in 1940 at a time when Hitler had ordered his Army to prepare for Invasion. Thankfully the invaders never came but this book tells the story of what might quite easily have happened. It brings out the the dangers to both the resistance group and local inhabitants.

I was really dubious about reading this book and assumed that it would appeal more to the gentleman readers more so than female readers like myself. How wrong could I have been!! I was hooked from the second chapter and could not put the book down! I found it such an easy yet gripping book to read and developed an affection for all the characters, especially the main character Bob.

This book took me on such a journey and it is terrifying to think what these brave men and women could have gone through, had Germany invaded. I lived every moment with these characters and now have a stronger appreciation for the sacrifices these amazing men would have made.

This was Bill Waton's first book and I felt that his descriptive writing was just right. The story moved at a good pace and I especially liked the ending. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, it was such a good read.