Tributes are being paid to a Bath war hero who has died at the age of 91.
Bob Millard was a member of the Bathampton Auxiliary Unit Patrol, and in later life worked hard to get veterans the recognition they deserved.
Before war broke out Mr Millard reported to the local fire station as a messenger.
In the summer of 1940 he joined the Local Defence Volunteers, which soon became the Home Guard.
It was during this time that Mr Millard had his first experience of the Auxiliary Units, though this time he was on the receiving end when a member of an existing unit blew up a hut he was guarding.
He was asked by a friend if he wanted to be part of the Auxiliary Units, and following a meeting at a house in Bathwick Street, where he was asked all about his family, knowledge of the local neighbourhood, and his expertise of weapons, he was accepted.
Mr Millard then began training to become a guerrilla soldier, which included trips to Coleshill House in Wiltshire, the headquarters and main training facility of the Auxiliary Units.
There he was taught everything from explosives, sabotage and assassination techniques to map reading and night exercises.
Back in Bath the patrol would regularly practice what they had been taught at Coleshill as well as identifying possible targets to attack in the event of a German invasion, including the main London to Bristol railway line and Claverton Manor.
By 1942 the immediate threat of invasion had ended, and so members of the unit were allowed to volunteer out, and Mr Millard joined the Fleet Air Arm as aircrew
He was involved in anti-submarine patrols, attacks on The Tirpitz off Norway, and then eventually with the British Pacific Fleet working the Pacific with the Americans in their campaign against the Japanese mainland.
In later life Mr Millard became the main spokesperson for the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team, helping to raise awareness of the work of volunteers in the Auxiliary Units.
A tribute to him said: "Bob summed up the typical Auxiliary Unit member.
"A normal young man, who when his country was in mortal danger answered the call, prepared to face almost certain death to protect all that he loved.
"Like most of the veterans he lived most of his life keeping his secret, and only when called upon in his later years did the full remarkable tale of his time in the Auxiliary Units come out."
CART founder Tom Sykes said: "Bob was my primary inspiration for forming CART.
"He regularly contributed information, had a passion for spreading the word and informing the young and most importantly of all, was my friend.
"Bob was warm, funny, kind and a true hero. He will be sorely missed by my family and the whole Aux researching community."
