Coats Mission
Encyclopedia
From 1941 to 1942 a special British army
unit existed for the purpose of evacuating the King and Queen and their immediate family in the event of German invasion. Led by Major James Coats
, MC, Coldstream Guards
, later Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Coats, Bt, it comprised a company of the Coldstream Guards. There were five officers and 124 Guardsmen. They were equipped with ten vehicles - four armoured cars, two armoured Daimlers, and four Guy wheeled cars manned by the 12th Lancers and the Northamptonshire Yeomanry
, in the Morris Detachment (commanded by Major W.A. (Tim) Morris, 12th Lancers). They were based in Bushy Park
, London. The Guy wheeled cars were at Windsor
.
The role of the unit, which supplemented the Guards battalions at London
and Windsor, was to remove the Royal Family
ahead of the advancing German army. It would be expected that the Royal Family would move from house to house as the strategic and tactical situation demanded.
Several country houses in remote locations, reportedly including Newby Hall
, North Yorkshire, Pitchford Hall, Shropshire, Madresfield Court
(Earl Beauchamp
's home in Worcestershire), and a fourth unnamed house (possibly Bevere Manor, Worcestershire), were designated as refuges. Madresfield Court reportedly replaced Croome Court, Worcester (the home of the Earl of Coventry
) in 1940. It was also a safe house
for King George III
in the late eighteenth century, in the event of an invasion by Napoleon.
After 1942 the role was taken over by the Household Cavalry
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
unit existed for the purpose of evacuating the King and Queen and their immediate family in the event of German invasion. Led by Major James Coats
James Coats
Lieutenant Colonel Sir James Stuart Coats, 3rd Baronet MC was a British skeleton racer who competed in the late 1940s. He finished seventh in the men's skeleton event at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. He served as President of the St...
, MC, Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
, later Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Coats, Bt, it comprised a company of the Coldstream Guards. There were five officers and 124 Guardsmen. They were equipped with ten vehicles - four armoured cars, two armoured Daimlers, and four Guy wheeled cars manned by the 12th Lancers and the Northamptonshire Yeomanry
Northamptonshire Yeomanry
The Northamptonshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1794 as volunteer cavalry, it later served in an armoured role before being reduced to squadron level in 1956...
, in the Morris Detachment (commanded by Major W.A. (Tim) Morris, 12th Lancers). They were based in Bushy Park
Bushy Park
- External links :***...
, London. The Guy wheeled cars were at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
.
The role of the unit, which supplemented the Guards battalions at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Windsor, was to remove the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
ahead of the advancing German army. It would be expected that the Royal Family would move from house to house as the strategic and tactical situation demanded.
Several country houses in remote locations, reportedly including Newby Hall
Newby Hall
Newby Hall is an historic mansion house and Grade I listed building situated on the banks of the River Ure at Skelton-on-Ure, near Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, England.-History:...
, North Yorkshire, Pitchford Hall, Shropshire, Madresfield Court
Madresfield Court
Madresfield Court is a country house in England, in the village of Madresfield near Malvern in Worcestershire. The stately home, near the village centre has been the ancestral home for several centuries of the Lygon family, whose eldest sons took the title of Earl Beauchamp from 1815 until 1979,...
(Earl Beauchamp
Earl Beauchamp
Earl Beauchamp was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for William Lygon, 1st Baron Beauchamp, along with the subsidiary title Viscount Elmley, in the County of Worcester. He had already been created Baron Beauchamp of Powyke in the County of Worcester, in 1806,...
's home in Worcestershire), and a fourth unnamed house (possibly Bevere Manor, Worcestershire), were designated as refuges. Madresfield Court reportedly replaced Croome Court, Worcester (the home of the Earl of Coventry
Earl of Coventry
Earl of Coventry is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. It was created for the first time in 1623 in favour of George Villiers, 1st Marquess of Buckingham. He was made Duke of Buckingham at the same time. For more information on this creation of the earldom, see the...
) in 1940. It was also a safe house
Safe house
In the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a safe house is a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger...
for King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
in the late eighteenth century, in the event of an invasion by Napoleon.
After 1942 the role was taken over by the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
.