Questions on the British Home Guard

[Richard Hedlund]

I have some questions regarding the British Home Guard. In the summer and autumn of 1940, mainly.

1. How were they organised? In each town, each county?
2. Who commanded them? Did they have their own chain of command, or were there local authorities?
3. How was the supply of basic equiptments? Rifles, ammunition, helmets, gasmasks and etc.
4. Slightly odd question, but does anyone know any marchsongs the HG had?

I am doing a bit of research on them, any info would be highly appriciated.

Best Regards,
Richard

[Andy H]

I have some questions regarding the British Home Guard.

1. How were they organised? In each town, each county?
2. Who commanded them? Did they have their own chain of command, or were there local authorities?
3. How was the supply of basic equiptments? Rifles, ammunition, helmets, gasmasks and etc.
4. Slightly odd question, but does anyone know any marchsongs the HG had?

I am doing a bit of research on them, any info would be highly appriciated.

Best Regards,
Richard

They were eventually based on a County structure or affiliated to the local Regiment. The Cheshire Regiment had some 39 Home Guard Battalions badged as such. These are quiet seperate from the regular or reserve Btn's serving in the front-line. The major Home Guard unit was the Battalion which would have a distinct geographic area to patrol/defend or guard. However within the Battalion there were indvidual Companies and Platoons that had a town/city label attached to them. The average Battalion was some 1500 strong though there was no set structure or limit. Most Battalions were commanded by either a Lt-Col or a full Colonel

The ToE was very varied and also it depended on what stage of the war your concentrating on. Obviously were all aware that after Dunkirk the LDV (as the Home Guard were originally named) had very little in the way of weapons and uniforms. As the war progressed this became less so.

By 1943 there were some 1,100 such Home Guard Btn's which equalled some 1.75million men. The average age had now dropped to under 30 and only some 7% were now old WW1 ex-servicemen etc

Some 1600 Home Guard personnel were killed whilst performing there duties. The biggest single loss was at a gun battery when a accident caused the death of its 5 man crew.

Some useful links
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4142414.stm
http://www.home-guard.org.uk/hgmain.html

Regards

Andy H