The Coats Mission was a special British army unit established in England in 1940 for the purpose of evacuating King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and their immediate family in the event of a German invasion of Britain during the Second World War.[1] It was led by Major James Coats, MC, Coldstream Guards, later Lieutenant-Colonel Sir James Coats, Bt.
The force consisted of:[2]
Initially, two of the Guy Armoured Cars in each troop had their guns removed and additional seats installed to carry members of the Royal Family. These were replaced by four specially built Daimler armoured limousines.[2]
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.[3] [4]
Should invading German forces have reached the Midlands, the Royal Family would have been taken to Liverpool and evacuated by sea to Canada. Hatley Castle on Vancouver Island was purchased in 1940 as part of this contingency.[5] [6] If that last resort option had been required, the family were to travel to Holyhead for transport to Canada by the Royal Navy.[7]
The mission was disbanded in 1942 and the task of evacuating the Royal Family in an emergency was transferred to a detachment from the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment.[2]