Who were the Home Guard and why are they still famous?
The Home Guard was a World War 2 volunteer defence force comprised of civilians, formed in 1940 to defend Britain from German invasion and lasting until 1944. More commonly known as, and later kept in the public memory by a television show called, Dad’s Army.
In September 1939 Britain declared war on Nazi Germany after the latter invaded Poland. By mid May 1940 German forces had invaded Belgium, France and the Netherlands and were running amok.
Even before British forces were pushed off the continent, many in Britain feared a German invasion of their island would follow. Civilians began spontaneously arming themselves, to the concern of the government. More on the Western Front.
Prompted by the need for a new force to provide an initial defence of the British shores - to slow down a German advance long enough for the regular army to counter – and the need to channel the fears and armaments of some British civilians into something controlled, Secretary of State for War Anthony Eden returned to a proposal originally made by Churchill in 1939 and made a radio broadcast on May 14th 1940 asking for volunteers to a new Local Defence Volunteers Force. This was to be formed from people either too old to serve in the regular armed forces or in ‘reserved occupations’, jobs considered too important to the nation to allow them to leave and become soldiers. He asked people “'to give in your name at your local police station and then, as and when we want you, we will let you know.”
There was little initial planning behind the request, and the response came as a shock: within 24 hours 250,000 men had volunteered, rising to 1.5 million by the end of June, much more than anyone had anticipated.
The weapons and uniforms promised to the volunteers took a while to arrive, having to initially be improvised locally; some were even equipped with sword bayonets welded into lengths of pipe. When the weapons did arrive they were frequently models used in the First World War, but some new (albeit cheap) devices like the Sten gun filtered through. Requests for better weapons and equipment never went away.
In July 1940 Churchill changed the name of the LDVF to something he felt was more inspiring: The Home Guard. The newly formed units were brought under the aegis of local army regiments. Ranks and commissions were added by February 1941, and the age limit lowered to 17 to allow for the Home Guard to function as training pre-conscription. As time passed the Guard became more formalised and professional. By the middle of 1943 there were 1 .75 million Home Guard across the nation, and their role had increased: they worked in civil defence in cities, defence against air and sea invasion, guarding vital factories, stores and communication points from sabotage, operated anti-aircraft device, helped clear rubble and build defence lines, patrolled open fields for German landings and generally helped to free up the regular armed forces for the continent.
By mid 1944, with the threat of Nazi invasion seemingly over and British forces again fighting on the continent, the impetus for the home guard faded and they were stood down in December the same year. Men were allowed to keep their uniforms. 1206 men had died either on duty or from wounds suffered from Home Guard activity, and over 500 more were seriously injured.
Despite the average age of the Home Guard in 1943 being 30, the image of the force as men too old to join the regular armed forces led to it being nicknamed “Dad’s Army”. This became the name of a television comedy series of the 1970s about the Home Guard which, despite what its detractors may say about making them look incompetent, has helped to keep for force very much in the public’s consciousness thanks to repeats.
The Need for Defence
In September 1939 Britain declared war on Nazi Germany after the latter invaded Poland. By mid May 1940 German forces had invaded Belgium, France and the Netherlands and were running amok.
Even before British forces were pushed off the continent, many in Britain feared a German invasion of their island would follow. Civilians began spontaneously arming themselves, to the concern of the government. More on the Western Front.
The Local Defence Volunteers Force
Prompted by the need for a new force to provide an initial defence of the British shores - to slow down a German advance long enough for the regular army to counter – and the need to channel the fears and armaments of some British civilians into something controlled, Secretary of State for War Anthony Eden returned to a proposal originally made by Churchill in 1939 and made a radio broadcast on May 14th 1940 asking for volunteers to a new Local Defence Volunteers Force. This was to be formed from people either too old to serve in the regular armed forces or in ‘reserved occupations’, jobs considered too important to the nation to allow them to leave and become soldiers. He asked people “'to give in your name at your local police station and then, as and when we want you, we will let you know.”
There was little initial planning behind the request, and the response came as a shock: within 24 hours 250,000 men had volunteered, rising to 1.5 million by the end of June, much more than anyone had anticipated.
The weapons and uniforms promised to the volunteers took a while to arrive, having to initially be improvised locally; some were even equipped with sword bayonets welded into lengths of pipe. When the weapons did arrive they were frequently models used in the First World War, but some new (albeit cheap) devices like the Sten gun filtered through. Requests for better weapons and equipment never went away.
The Home Guard
In July 1940 Churchill changed the name of the LDVF to something he felt was more inspiring: The Home Guard. The newly formed units were brought under the aegis of local army regiments. Ranks and commissions were added by February 1941, and the age limit lowered to 17 to allow for the Home Guard to function as training pre-conscription. As time passed the Guard became more formalised and professional. By the middle of 1943 there were 1 .75 million Home Guard across the nation, and their role had increased: they worked in civil defence in cities, defence against air and sea invasion, guarding vital factories, stores and communication points from sabotage, operated anti-aircraft device, helped clear rubble and build defence lines, patrolled open fields for German landings and generally helped to free up the regular armed forces for the continent.
By mid 1944, with the threat of Nazi invasion seemingly over and British forces again fighting on the continent, the impetus for the home guard faded and they were stood down in December the same year. Men were allowed to keep their uniforms. 1206 men had died either on duty or from wounds suffered from Home Guard activity, and over 500 more were seriously injured.
Dad’s Army
Despite the average age of the Home Guard in 1943 being 30, the image of the force as men too old to join the regular armed forces led to it being nicknamed “Dad’s Army”. This became the name of a television comedy series of the 1970s about the Home Guard which, despite what its detractors may say about making them look incompetent, has helped to keep for force very much in the public’s consciousness thanks to repeats.
