The Home Guard has always seemed a comical outfit ever since BBC's Dad's Army comedy series. I know that in reality the Home Guard made a major contribution to our Home Front defence. However, I never fully appreciated how dangerous Home Guard duties were until recently while researching my late father's war in Helensburgh, Scotland. On the night of September 15, 1943, on a narrow unlit road between Dumbarton and Helensburgh there was a terrible fatality. The Home Guard lorry was on its way to man AA guns at Cardoss and Helensburgh when it came across a lorry travelling the opposite direction on a narrow stretch. Both vehicles had blackout headlights. Unfortunately, the other lorry had an overhanging load that cut through the open backed canvass roofed HG vehicle like the Grim Reaper's scythe. As a result five young HG soldiers were killed, eight were seriously injured, in the worst single loss suffered by HG in WW11
The five casualties were all serving with the 71st (Clyde) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery Home Guard Gunner John TOTTEN Gunner James Bell Burns ROSENBURG Gunner Hugh COPELAND Gunner David KELSO Gunner Archibald MCINTYRE
Hello Robin During an air raid on Mitcham on the night of 16/17 April 1941, eleven members of the battalion were killed. The local Home Guard | Dad's Army | World War 2 | Helier Memories a couple of threads here Remembering Today 19/4/41 A.F.White Home Guard 57th Surrey (Mitcham) Bn. Home Guard Headstones regards Clive
As the numbers of HG manned AA batteries increased they were able to respond. The HG did more than mount guard.
Thank you for the feedback. Worst Home Guard loss of life in Scotland. Dad hated HG after a long day's flying with the RAF
