This is a page within the www.staffshomeguard.co.uk website. To see full contents, go to SITE MAP.
Most recent update: 1st August 2017

This section of the site includes information and memories relevant to the Home Guard as a whole and not specific to individual units. Please go to Site Map to find those sections containing information about specific units.
GENERAL INFORMATION........... DATE-RELATED INFORMATION

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HOME GUARD TIMELINE: 1938 - 1945
See the Key Dates of the Home Guard's life set within the context of related domestic U.K. events and the political and military course of the war.

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AUXILIARY UNITS
Information on the Auxiliary Units, separate from the Home Guard and highly secret,  whose function was to operate behind the enemy lines after an invasion.

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DESPATCH RIDERS
Information on the responsibilities, training and equipment of Home Guard Despatch Riders.

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FINANCIAL COST OF THE HOME GUARD
Official information issued in 1944 relating to the cost of the Home Guard to the nation.

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MANUALS, HANDBOOKS, GUIDANCE and TRAINING MATERIAL
An extensive - and increasing - selection of Training Manuals and similar documentation is reproduced in this section of the website.

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PAPERWORK, RED TAPE AND 'BUMF'
Home Guards had to deal with an increasing volume of paperwork - orders, requests and guidance. Here are a few notes on this subject and also reproductions of two sets of typical documents, a Winter 1942 Defence and Training Instruction and some of the paperwork produced by a Kent battalion (1940-1942).

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RE-ENACTMENT GROUPS
Within the U.K. re-enactment scene there are a number of groups in different parts of the country who specialise in recreating the activities of the Home Guard of 1940-1944. These groups pride themselves in reproducing, as authentically as they can, all aspects of that service, including uniform, equipment and activities. They are often to be seen by the general public at such events as 1940s weekends. Their aim - like that of this website - is to commemorate the contribution made by the original Home Guards who served their country with devotion, energy and skill for four-and-a-half long years. The linked page provides information on some of them.

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SEARCHING FOR INDIVIDUAL HOME GUARD MEMBERS
You will find here some guidance on the options open to you when you are trying to find information about individual Home Guards and their service.  *************************************************************************

STRUCTURE, INSIGNIA and REGIMENTAL AFFILIATION OF HOME GUARD UNITS
An excellent Home Guard website, www.home-guard.org.uk, provides, amongst much else, invaluable information on the structure, insignia and affiliations of Home Guard units throughout the country. Click the title above to access it and then select "Home Guard". (You will leave this site).

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TRAINING RIFLES
A detailed and fully illustrated article describing the dummy rifles, ranging from very simple to highly realistic, which the Home Guard used for training and demonstration purposes in the absence of the real thing.
(Added December 2016)

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TYPICAL HOME GUARD HQ LOCATIONS
An indication of the type of accommodation selected by the Home Guard for its HQs.

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HOME GUARD LAPEL BADGES
A selection of Home Guard lapel badges.
(Added June 2017)

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HOME GUARD UNIT HISTORIES
A comprehensive list of Unit Histories of the Home Guard.
(Added July 2017)

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ANTHONY EDEN'S RADIO APPEAL - May 14th 1940
Click above to read the full text of Anthony Eden's announcement of the forming of the L.D.V. (later the Home Guard) and his appeal for volunteers broadcast on the 'wireless' on Tuesday May 14th 1940.

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WAR OFFICE TELEGRAM - May 15th 1940
Click to read the War Office's first instruction to all Home Commands of
the Army concerning the establishment of the new force, dated May 15th.

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FURTHER WAR OFFICE MESSAGE - May 18th 1940
Click to read the more detailed War Office instructions regarding the new force, dated May 18th

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THE NAZI ATTITUDE TO THE HOME GUARD - July 24th 1940
How William L. Shirer of CBS reported it to the American people.

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THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY - May 14th 1941
A contemporary article reviewing the first year.

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THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY - May 14th 1942
A contemporary article reviewing the second year.

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WESTERN COMMAND HOME GUARD ORDERS - 3rd June 1942

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THE STAND DOWN PARADE - December 3rd 1944
A moving, contemporary description by an onlooker.

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THE MESSAGE OF H.M. KING GEORGE VIth TO THE HOME GUARD - December 3rd 1944
The King's broadcast and message to the Home Guard on the day of the stand-down parades.

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