Arms of the Home Guard

[jacobtowne]

Here are photos I've come across, labelled Home Guard, Britain.

1. Are these the old Long Lee Mk. I rifles?

2. This must have been taken early in the war, since the Thompsons have the old style Cutts compensators. The rifles are Pattern 14 (U.S. M1917). Are these guys really Home Guard?

3. Definitely Home Guard.

JT

[Kyt]

What you're looking at are propaganda photos that were published the British newspapers following the fall of France. They were supposed to show that Britain was prepared for the invasion. You know, the whole "fight them on the beaches" etc. In fact the availability of weapons was pitiful and even the uniforms are a bit of a con (as there were hardly any available)

Have a look at

http://www.home-guard.org.uk/hg/sarms.html

"The Home Guard were trained in using the earlier M1928 version and they do appear in wartime propaganda photos using the M1928 but it was probably only issued in very limited numbers to the Home Guard. Any that were issued were quite often withdrawn and issued to the regular army whose need was more pressing than the Home Guard's"

[51highland]

Definately propaganda. When my Father-in-law returned to England from Dunkirk, there were not enough rifles for the army never mind the home guard. He told me that they went on exercises with broomsticks instead of rifles for about 3 months after Dunkirk.