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MEMORIES
AND INFORMATION - STAFFORDSHIRE HOME GUARD
22nd STAFFORDSHIRE (WOLVERHAMPTON) BATTN.
and
Pte.
JACK HIGGS
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John Louis Higgs (1920-1992,
and normally known
as Jack)
was a member of the 22nd Staffordshire (Wolverhampton)
Battalion whose area of responsibility was the Penn
side of the town. During the war he lived with his mother
and father at 8 Regent Road,
Penn.
Jack no doubt
performed the normal Home Guard infantry activities
throughout his service from February 1941 to stand-down in
December 1944. There are family memories of him on guard
on the roof of the Penn Cinema and elsewhere in the
Battalion's area. One story he told was of someone in
charge who, whilst instructing, accidentally fired through
the roof with a rifle. According to another memory, there
was a 22nd Battalion motto: "We are the 22nd Staffordshire
Home Guard, We never shirk our duty, Honesty,
Regard.............."
But Jack
also had other duties. He was a member of the Battalion
band. It is not known whether Jack's Battalion was the
only one amongst the several Wolverhampton units to have
the ambition - and the talent - to form a band. Nor,
regrettably, has any image of its performances yet come to
light. But it is safe to assume that the band would
normally have been present at any ceremonial parade in
which the 22nd Battalion participated, not least those to
celebrate the various anniversaries of the founding of the
Home Guard, other morale-raising appearances and,
especially, the final stand-down parade on Sunday,
December 3rd, 1944.
Two group images
survive: in the first one the band members are included within a much larger
group photographed at
"Ellerslie", Riley Crescent, Penn (the setting for
several other 22nd Battalion group images shown
elsewhere
within this website).
Click on the above
image to see a magnified version
In the following image,
perhaps photographed on the same occasion and certainly at the same
location, the band
is seen alone. Jack Higgs is seated with his
instrument in the middle row, sixth from the left.
(N.B. This image contains numbers against individual
members, presumably to identify them, but the key is yet
to be rediscovered).
Click on the above
image to see a magnified version
Jack Higgs was in a reserved
occupation throughout the war but nevertheless eventually
applied for pilot training in the RAF: he was accepted at
first but later received a letter saying that he would not
be required after all "as the war would be over in
months."
At last the end
came and Jack, like everyone else, received his King's
Certificate acknowledging his significant contribution to
the war effort.
Jack was
a musician in private life too. He played for
Bill Stean
and his Band and a record from those days survives
entitled "Down in the Valley".
However he did
not pursue his musical career after the war.
He married Joan Maureen Price on 2nd
September 1944 at St. Bartholomew's Church and went on to
raise a family in the post war years.
**********
In memory of
Pte. Jack Higgs
and all his comrades
in
22nd Staffordshire (Wolverhampton) Battalion,
Home Guard
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Further information
on this Battalion
-
Many of the men of the 22nd
Staffordshire (Wolverhampton) Battalion can
be seen in a number of magnified, high definition
photographs
on this
page of the website. Most of the officers are
identified and they include men of whom mention is made on
this page.
- Further pages exist containing the story of
an officer in the Battalion,
2/Lt. John
Penrose and of
Sgt. Geoff
Hanley, to whose HG service there was much more than
met the eye.
- For other
references to this and neighbouring Battalions, please use
the Mems-Staffs
link
below or the site
SEARCH
function.
Acknowledgement
Grateful
acknowledgement is made to Philip Higgs for providing this information about his father and generously permitting its publication.
Images
©
Philip Higgs 2016
