Home Guard.

[Dieppe]

According to the following website (near the bottom of the article) Wolverton's Home Guard were the only HG unit to have a band.
Wolverton Town Band | brass band music for all occasions

[von Poop]

Some nice pictures of the Findon Home guard 'in training' Mock invasion (for the press?) 3rd of August 1941:
THIS IS FINDON - We Will Fight Them On The Beaches

[john549]

Sapper, What cap badge did you wear ?
I had a relative in Petersfield Home Guard and I am trying to find out if he wore the 'Royal Hampshire' cap Badge or the 'Wessex Regiment' Capbadge
Since you were \hampshire Based perhaps you will remember
Thanks John

[Owen]

John,
Wessex Brigade badge did not come into use until 1958.
Then 1967 it became the Wessex Regiment badge when said Regiment was formed.
Just found this which may help.
BBC - WW2 People's War - Records of Hampshire Home Guard units

Hampshire Record Office in Winchester holds records of a number of Home Guard units (originally Local Defence Volunteers) from around the county.

[sapper]

I cannot recall ever having a cap badge! Only the Home Guard insignia on the shoulders. One thing I do recallthat at the time it was a very serious business indeed, AND not the figure of fun that its seen as today. Long hours of duty on Guard at night.
Sapper

[Owen]

Good page on Dorset Home Guard units here.
The Dorset Home Guard - Home Front - WWII - The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester, Dorset?

With an Order of battle here.
Order of Battle - Home Front - WWII - The Keep Military Museum, Dorchester, Dorset?
Which was your unit, Brian?
3rd (Poole) Bn?

[aron]

Originally Posted by Harry Ree

Don't forget that a number died in service for their country.I know of a Home Guard Volunteer who lies in a local cemetery who was killed on duty during a river patrol at a time when the invasion was said to be imminent.I think he saw service in the First World War.

Four years later,his only child, a son was killed in RAF air operations over Germany and has no known grave.A holder of the DFC he was barely 21 years old and had been in the ATC from its inception to entering RAF service.He survived the Nuremburg raid in March 1944 only to lose his life,6 months later.

does any body know where i can get information about shoulder badge number's for our local home guard unit.thanks

[von Poop]

Hi aron,
If you can tell us where the unit you're interested in was based then people may will have a better chance of helping out.

Cheers,
Adam.

[sapper]

Hi Owen.
I serve in the Rebridge Southampton unit of the Home Guard. We guarded the Totton flyover bridge and the railway yard, I cannot recall the battalion. That was during the Blitz. We were out and about during the bombing on the town and docks.

Then I was moved to Poole, where I belonged to the Hamworthy Home Guard. Our HQ was in an old wooden building on a spare bit of ground next to the Pub. It was the pub that was at the end of the road, when you crossed the lifting bridge onto the Hamworthy side. I know the wooden building went years ago. I am not sure if the pub is still there?

Again I cannot recall what battalion I serve in? I was very young at that time. Much of our duties were night time Guard and mine watching over Poole harbour. We had a compass with a pointer ,.If we saw a sea mine being dropped froma aircraft, we had to make a reading of the splash.
We never did see one! But one lunch time while were eating our sandwiches, A Catalina came in, touched down on the water and blew up in a myghty explosion. Nothing left all gone!

Oddly enough, when I joined the army, I was told to report to Newcastle (Gosforth) in my full HG uniform. I still had it when I finally departed in Holland.
sapper

[Bodston]

Hey Swanage!
This picture is from George Forty's 'British Army Handbook 1939-1945'. Showing an array of Home Guard weaponry lined up on the platform at Swanage Railway Station. In aid of War Savings.



Does it bring back any memories, Brian?