The occasion was the day my father received his long awaited home guard uniform and we decided on a family photo of us all in uniform. As a rule, fascism is associated with dictatorship or a strict hierarchical, authoritarian structure where the state gets total control. Sir harry chauvel was recalled to duty as inspector in chief of the volunteer defence corps vdc at the age of 75, the australian version of the british home guard. These records wo 409 cover the county of durham only for papers relating to the rest of the home guard you can apply using the forms on gov. The above photos show a genuine uniform not a reenactment version at a reenactment event. Gena philibertortega is a genealogist and author of the book from the family kitchen. It was composed of one and a half million volunteers who were otherwise not allowed to go into military service. The british home guard pocketbook osprey publishing. Much of this would apply to the regular army as well, and since theres no reprint of regular army manuals this is a serviceable substitute.
Children of world war ii find out what life was like for children in the second world war. Rare ww2 wiltshire home guard history 1940 1944 ebay. The first she knew of it was on a bbc news bulletin on the wireless. Top 5 facts about the real dads army the home guard were tougher and rougher than you might think. British home guard and their weapons weapons and warfare. Bbc ww2 peoples war heaton moor home guard by joe carley. Original military hard back book no dust jacket entitled the history of the wiltshire home guard 1940 1944. The home guard initially local defence volunteers or ldv was an armed citizen militia supporting the british army during the second world war. The home guard in the second world war 19391945 the. Illustrated book, featuring contemporary black and white photographs and. One has a tommy gun, the other a bren light machine gun. World war 2 documents can give a fascinating view into dorsets modern history, and come in a range of media, from large posters to personal letters. Published under the auspices of the wiltshire county territorial association, 1946.
Dacorum home guard ww2 home guard, hemel hempstead. Members of this dads army were usually men above or. Books the northamptonshire home guard, 19401945 a history of the services of men and women of northamptonshire who in the world war of 19391945 forsook their rest and leisure to rally in defence of the homeland and defiance of the invader. Life and training at trentham military camp, training at burnham military camp, home guard, ruapehu draft parading through wellington arrangement. Home guard personnel records and enrolment forms 19401945 contact the ministry of defence for home guard personnel records and enrolment forms service histories. Many of the chaotic undertones of the show dads army had moorings in the real history of the force. With the winter of 194041 approaching, and the likelihood of an invasion reduced, the home guard subcommittee of the army council, at its meeting in october 1940, had decided that, with the longer nights and the fact that dawn and dusk would occur during the hours of civilian employment, the standard of vigilance maintained up to that time could not be continued during the winter months. Nathanson that became one of the most iconic war movies in history. Evacuation began on 1 september 1939, two days before war was declared. During the war, the image of the home guard was carefully managed but was already creating its own myths. Uk recommendations for military honours and awards 19351990.
This title evokes memories of world war ii in a domestic setting and asserts life on the home front from the perspective of those left behind to defend it. Home guard sectiontrades battalion harrogate home guard ww2 history, military. On may 14, 1940, anthony eden, the secretary of state for war, announced on bbc radio the formation of the local defence volunteers ldv. They were originally called the local defence volunteers. The oxfordshire home guard and womens hg auxiliaries living history group was formed in january 20 and is dedicated to the memory of those who were prepared to give their lives when the invasion of the united kingdon in ww2 was a very real threat. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Home guard records search dads army personnel records.
The home guard and the defence of the united kingdom 19401944 9781848842694. At the end of july 1940 the name was changed from local defence volunteers to home guard. The main part of our world war two range was sculpted by michael and alan perry. Clyde langer being transported back to the british coast during world war ii, and featured the home guard. Somerset versus hitler countryside books, 2001 isbn 1853065900. By the start of september, the units were considered much more effective. Home world war ii regimental histories of the british army. Home guard officer lists 193945 forces war records. Anderson agreed with churchills suggestion but it was not until the german army had launched its western offensive that.
The home guard defended key targets like factories, explosive stores, beaches and sea fronts. Operational from 1940 to 1944, the home guard had 1. The nickname dads army was due to the average age of the local volunteers who signed up for the home guard, who were ineligible for military service, usually because of their age. Our british home guard and german paratroopers and aircrew seem to be especially popular for scenarios based on fictional invasions of england. The programme lists some names of officers and men and this copy is signed by a lot of the men attending. Home guard defences north benfleet, benfleet mysteries. Dec 16, 2014 the name similarity is not a coincidencethe filthy thirteen were the reallife inspiration for the dirty dozen, a book by e. When returning from the spanish civil war, wintringham wrote a book called how to reform the army. In the book, as well as a large number of regular army reforms, wintringham called for the creation of 12 divisions. The british home guard was a defence organisation of the british army during world war ii. There were over 1200 separate home guard units across the uk, these have all been cross matched against individual records. British home guard simple english wikipedia, the free.
Page 1 of 4 items home national library of new zealand. A fully illustrated booklet is also available to read at south benfleet library in the high road. Home guard reenactment groups the home guard of great. World war 2 home guard and auxiliary units foggieloan. The home guard was operational from 1940 to 1944, and was set up by the british army during the second world war. Published in october 1941 and reprinted three times by march 1942, when this fourth impression was printed. The booklet covers world war ii defences throughout castle point and basildon. If information on our local defences is of interest to you, an excellent, in depth study into our local defences during world war ii was prepared by a. Ww2 peoples war homepage archive list timeline about this site. Apr, 2015 april, 2015 britains citizen army, the home guard, helped shore up the nations defences during the early years of the second world war. Illustrated book, featuring contemporary black and white photograph. The men that served in the home guard were all volunteers and were mostly those that were too old over the age of 40 or too young under the age of 18 to serve in the forces.
The home guard or local defence volunteers ldv was formed in 1940 when there was a real risk that hitler might invade britain. In october 1939, winston churchill suggested to sir john anderson, the head of air raid precautions arp, that a home guard of men aged over forty should be formed. This was considered too much of a title and it became the home guard, though the nickname look, duck and vanish did stick rather unfairly as the work done by the home guard was very important. Ww2 home guard manual of camouflage 1942 roland penrose. Home guard manual of camouflage is a very rare original ww2 camouflage handbook written by the english surrealist roland penrose. The greeks on 1 december 1940 continue reinforcing their troops on the albanian front.
On the evening of 14 may 1940 the secretary of state for war, anthony eden, gave a radio broadcast announcing the formation of the local defence volunteers and called for volunteers to join the force. In his 1974 book the real dads army, the historian norman. At the beginning of the second world war a large number of middleaged men volunteered for war service. To mark her service with the ldv and home guard she was presented with a solid silver salver which was inscribed. The idea of an armed and organized volunteer army ready to repel an invasion seems sound, but the reality was far from it. The trousers were tucked inside leather gaiters for protection. This is a brief guide to researching british army and government records for a person who served in the home guard, also known as the local defence.
Bbc ww2 peoples war records of hampshire home guard units. On friday 10 may 1940, the germans had started their. May 05, 2019 this world war ii battle defies the history books it was fought after the war ended on v. The unit histories are listed by 1940s county, as follows. Portrayed by the classic sitcom dads army as a group of bumbling old. Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense the term home guard was first officially used in the american civil war, starting with units formed by german immigrants in missouri, and may derive from possible historic use of the term heimwehr home guard to describe units. British, home guard, south staffordshire regiment, zone hq. More general histories and publications dealing with specialised aspects of home guard activity are not included. The home guard was one of the strangest and least military armies ever formed. Hertfordshire home guard living history group was formed in 2012 and is a tribute to the hertfordshire home guard, who answered anthony edens call in may 1940.
These records may be supplied to next of kin and other members of the public after the home guard members death. Apr 20, 2015 the home guard was originally known as the local defence volunteers ldv. Proceeds to be devoted to the wiltshire regiment old comrades association. The widespread impact of ww2 is seen across the archives, with documents relating to ww2 in multiple collections. The auxiliary units or ghq auxiliary units were speciallytrained, highlysecret quasi military units created by the british government during the second world war with the aim of using irregular warfare to help combat any invasion of the united kingdom by nazi germany, which the germans codenamed operation sea lion. This page lists a large number of home guard unit histories, most of which were first published shortly after the services standdown in december 1944. British home guard facts for kids kids encyclopedia facts kiddle. In the event of an invasion, most patrols would have a concealed base to operate from. The home guard of great britain links and further reading.
We do not know the full facts surrounding this story and wonder if any readers of the site can add anything to this article. The fabric of the trousers, jacket and cap was a hardwearing khaki coloured serge. Hearing of the british home guard training with wooden rifles etc, i came across this while reading up on our first general, sir henry harry chauvel. The northamptonshire home guard, 19401945 a history of the. The home guard of great britain home guard reenactment. Apr 11, 2017 a group of home guard are trained in the use of a northover projector near the factory at which they work, somewhere in england, 1941. Britains world war ii defence corps were more of a lads army than a dads army and were drilled and trained relentlessly to combat the threat of german invasion. Sunday 1 december 1940 two members of the home guard in surrey, 1 december 1940. The home guard in war and popular culture the home guard was a key, if suicidal, element of the defences of britain in 19401 and thereafter took on increasing responsibilities for air and coastal defence.
World war 2 facts fascism the label fascism is used to describe any movement or political ideology inspired by benito mussolinis italian fascism. The trade of certain members of home guard units could be identified by the weapons they carried and the clothes they. The home guard was an armed citizen militia supporting the british army during the second. Written by briggen green, commanding 4th battalion, sussex home guard and training adviser for the sussex zone, this book is based on his experience and, in his own words, is the result of my ransacking the dusty pigeonholes of memory and the condensation of many books, official instructions and. Instant arsenal the premier online military history magazine. The book only exists as a typed and bound manuscript. The seller has kindly allowed me to share their photos with you. An interesting site dealing with most aspects of the home front during wwii and including a. The home guard was begun at the outbreak of war with local volunteer units which were formed in several regions, as an unpaid voluntary parttime force organised in county battalions under war office control. They had received training, and carried out a good number of exercises at night. At night they patrolled fields in which the enemy gliders or paratroops might land. The book draws on the early days of the local defence volunteers from the moment when anthony eden broadcast an appeal, to the official standdown of the home guard n 1944.
The home guard was originally known as the local defence volunteers ldv. The home guard was considered the last line of defense for britain during wwii. This book was published in order to provide civil defence advise to the population and prepare them for the coming attacks during the second world war. Prior to the outbreak of the war, the government had not planned a volunteer home defence army but with the impending fall of france in june 1940, the population had other ideas. Dad had been in the home guard right from the beginning, but now he had a uniform and a gun. However, the book was mostly inspired by a magazine article about the filthy thirteen, one that embellished quite a few things. The home guards or state guard were organized to fill the vacuum left when the national guard was called up, depriving states of an organized militia that could be mobilized for repelling.
This may be of interest if you have an ancestor who served with the 52nd home guard in ww2. Author of a number of books on local aspects of the english civil war. Although germany would eventually abandon all plans of landing troops on british soil, the home guard and its oddball arsenal continued to hold the line until the very end of the war. Current research interests include the british home guard of ww1 and ww2, together with the plans for creating of a british resistance movement against the nazis. How close to reality was the depiction of the home guard in the bbc series. The things that a home guard member was supposed to know included things like. This world war ii battle defies the history books it was. The stand down of the home guard in 1944 came as something of a surprise to doris. Photographs of military activities and war work in new zealand during world war 2, 19391945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use. Book of humorous articles and related cartoons by basil boothroyd from. The home guard uniform was modelled on that of regular soldiers. It does not however, contain details of home guard defences. Moi reports the website holds the home intelligence reports of the second world war which include regular surveys of public opinion on events, policies and the state of morale on the home front. May 14, 1940, is considered the day the home guard started.
Photographs relating to world war 19141918, world war 19391945, occupation of japan, korean war, and malayan emergency ref. Written by briggen green, commanding 4th battalion, sussex home guard and training adviser for the sussex zone, this book is based on his experience and, in his own words, is the result of my ransacking the dusty pigeonholes of memory and the condensation of many books. Day may 8, the day germany capitulated to the allies allied authorities hoped that the. From dacorum at war 1987 exhibition handbook dacorum museum advisory committee although things were not easy in the ldv at first. He would get to know the facts later but it would save him from being called up to the regular forces quite so early. The home guard was set up in may 1940 as britains last line of defence against german invasion.
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