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- The Home Guard during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

The Home Guard



Those known to have served with

The Home Guard

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Adams Cecil.
  • Alton Thomas. Sgt.Mjr,
  • Back Warren.
  • Bacon J.. L/Cpl.
  • Banham Alec.
  • Banks A.. Sgt.
  • Barclay Joseph Thomas. Flt.Sgt.
  • Barks Reginald William.
  • Bashford Nowell Royson Rex . S/Sgt.
  • Battle William. (d.18th August 1940)
  • Baxter George.
  • Bell T.. Lt.
  • Benson John Pugh. Capt.
  • Bird Stanley Zealley. Sgt.
  • Birkett James. CQMS. (d.1st Jun 1942)
  • Birtle Thomas William. Pte
  • Birtle Thomas Wybert. Sgt.
  • Boswell H.. Pte.
  • Bradley Thomas. (d.23rd February 1944)
  • Brinsmead John.
  • Brown Walter.
  • Burton George.
  • Byers A.. Pte.
  • Carpenter Sid.
  • Carter W. R. G.. 2nd Lt.
  • Caterer A. J.. Capt.
  • Caux S.. 2nd Lt.
  • Champion Walter Jack. Pte.
  • Chester Arthur Gerald. Tpr.
  • Chicken J. G.. Mjr.
  • Church A. E.. Capt.
  • Cockton W.. Cpl.
  • Colgrave DCM, MID. Joseph. Sgt.
  • Cooke Frank. Trpr.
  • Cooper Alan.
  • Cowan T. H. . Pte.
  • Coyle W.. Pte.
  • Crellin . lt.
  • Crichton George.
  • Crosson William Frederick.
  • Crowson Ambrose Henry Thomas. Lt.
  • Cunningham L. L.. Lt.
  • Curtis Frank.
  • Davies Alec Edwin. Sgt.
  • Dawson Thomas.
  • Dear William Frederick.
  • Dempster F.. lt.
  • Dennington Arthur.
  • Dight Clayton Henry Watkin. Pte.
  • Dix-Perkin T.. Col.
  • Dixon . lt.
  • Doggart J.. Lt.
  • Donnithorne DCM. C. A.. Mjr.
  • Dracup Miles. CQMS.
  • Dryden William. Pte.
  • Edgar W.. Lt.
  • Edwards J.. Pte.
  • Edwards William. Gnr.
  • Edwards MM. William Henry.
  • Elliot W. G.. Capt.
  • Eyres William.
  • Fairclough MM. Horace Chadwick. Pte.
  • Ferguson J.. Lt
  • Ferguson J. S.. Lt.
  • Fisher Thomas. Pte.
  • Fishwick R.. Pte.
  • Fletcher Charles.
  • Fletcher Len.
  • Fletcher T.. Lt.
  • Fondos George Nicholas.
  • Fondos George Nicholas. (d.10th Apr 1941)
  • Gardiner Mervyn.
  • Garner Jack.
  • Gill James. L/Cpl.
  • Godwin Russ.
  • Goss George. Sgt. Mjr.
  • Graves Thomas James.
  • Gregory F.. Capt.
  • Grime Joseph Edward . (d.3rd August 1944)
  • Grindale Joe.
  • Hall Alfred. Lance Sgt.
  • Hambler N.. Lt.
  • Hammond Patrick J.. Mjr.
  • Hannan Robert Alphonsus. Drmr.
  • Harper H.. Lt.
  • Harrison R. W.. Lt.
  • Harvey William.
  • Hawker K. W.. Mjr.
  • Haylett MC & Bar Robert .
  • Hetherington Tom. Gnr.
  • Heyworth G.. Lt.
  • Hicks .
  • Hodgson Henry Alfred. Pte.
  • Hodgson M. S.. Mjr.
  • Holland Alfred Joseph.
  • Houghton J.. Lt.
  • Houston Dennis James. Pte.
  • Howlett Stephen.
  • Hubert Bayliff H.. Sgt.
  • Hulme John William. Lt
  • Hunter J.. Pte.
  • Hunter Ned. Cpl.
  • Irving . Capt.
  • Irving Edwin.
  • Jenkins MC. L. R. G.. Mjr.
  • Johnson Henry.
  • Johnston William.
  • Kay William Alexander. Sgt.
  • Keen George Frederick.
  • King Ernest.
  • Kirkbride G.. Lt.
  • Lacey MID Tom. 2nd Lt.
  • Lake MiD. William. Cpl
  • Lambert Ken.
  • Land William.
  • Lang Roy James Earnest.
  • Laurie W. L.. Lt.
  • Lawson R. G.. Gnr.
  • Leach George Henry.
  • Lemon Kenneth.
  • Lemon Percy.
  • Lewins William.
  • Little J. E.. Lt.
  • Llewellyn Tommy.
  • Logie-Robertson William Patrick. Corporal
  • MacInroy Abe.
  • MacInroy Charles.
  • March Frederick Thomas.
  • Marriner Harry.
  • Marshall MM. John William. Sgt.
  • McEwan MM. James. Pte.
  • McIver Bernard.
  • McKeating T. G.. Capt.
  • McKeating W.. Lt.
  • McMullen A.. Pte.
  • McNarry R.. Pte.
  • Mitchell T..
  • Moffatt J.. Capt.
  • Moor John.
  • Moorcroft Henry Grosvenor.
  • Morley Mervyn.
  • Mounsey J.. Lt.
  • Muscott Will. Gnr.
  • Needham B.. Pte.
  • Neill H. G.. Pte.
  • Ogilvie S.. Capt.
  • Orange Jack.
  • Osborn Raymond Arthur. Able Sea.
  • Ousby T.. Lt.
  • Park R.. Pte.
  • Parkes William Arthur.
  • Payne Sid.
  • Peacock Thomas.
  • Poe John Charles Leonard. PO.
  • Price Fred.
  • Price S.. Cpl.
  • Prowse Ronald George Frederick. Sgt.
  • Pryer Maurice.
  • Pylon Geoffrey.
  • Ray S.. Pte
  • Reeve Herbert.
  • Reid . Col.
  • Richardson GM. Frederick.
  • Robert Hardy.
  • Roberts Francis John. Sgt.
  • Roots D.C.M. Lewis Arnold Philip. Major.
  • Rose. QC . Mjr.
  • Rothery .
  • Ruddock Harry.
  • Ruddock Kenneth Maurice. Pte.
  • Rutterford Edgar Harry.
  • Ryan Sid.
  • Sandbash .
  • Simpson R.. Pte
  • Small E.. Lt.
  • Smith H.. Lt.
  • South Raymond.
  • Southgate Jack.
  • Spencer Les.
  • Stalker Jonty.
  • Stevenson R.. Lt.
  • Steward Phillip.
  • Stoker Ernest.
  • Swan F. J..
  • Taylor Jack. Pte.
  • Thomas MM. Edmund.
  • Tombling Albert.
  • Tough James. Pte.
  • Twigg Sidney. Sgt.
  • Usher DCM. MM. E. W.. Lt.
  • Vale Billy.
  • Vickery Brian Campbell.
  • Vine Ernie.
  • Walker Stan.
  • Wash Wilfred.
  • Watchorne J.. Pte
  • Watkins Lionel Joseph. Sgt.
  • Watson Charles.
  • Watson Norman.
  • White John Joseph Henry. Pte.
  • Wilkinson Bert.
  • Wilkinson Jack.
  • Wilkinson Tommy. Mjr.
  • Wilson Ernie. Bdr.
  • Wing Douglas.
  • Wing Jack.
  • Wortley Dan.
  • Wright Charlie.
  • Wright Ken.
  • Wright Raymond.
  • Wylie Ernest. Cpl.
  • Young Thomas.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of The Home Guard from other sources.


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Want to know more about The Home Guard?


There are:4737 items tagged The Home Guard available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War.


Pte. William Dryden Greatham Btn.

My great uncle, William Dryden was farmer from Greatham in County Durham. He was a member of the Home Guard and an Auxiliary Unit which formed part of the ring around industrial Teesside. If anyone has any further information please get in touch.

Angela



Col. T. Dix-Perkin Workington Btn.

Col Dix-Perkin was the Sub-District Commander of the Home Guard in Workington, Cumbria




F. J. Swan No 1 platoon 3rd (West Leicester) Battalion

Glenfield Home Guard 1944

As an underage member (graduating from the Army Cadets aged 15) of No 1 platoon, 3rd (West Leicester) Battalion, Home Guard, I vividly remember during our training sessions, being shown a road block entry to the village which consisted of holes set across the road, into which we had to insert upright lengths of tram track cut into about six foot lengths. We were then shown how we should take one of these lengths, and ram it into an enemy tank track. Another masterpiece which we were instructed to do, was to use our Boyes anti tank rifle, which fired a half inch bore bullet, to dent the rim of a German "Tiger" tank gun turret so that it could not be traversed. The bullet itself was insufficient to penetrate the armour plate of the tank.

We later had a "PIAT" launcher issued to us. This had a missile loaded into a cradle and was fired from on the shoulder like a bazooka. The missile itself looked like a small bomb, with fins, but also it had a long point at the front. The principle was that the charge would go down this point, after penetrating the armour, and explode inside the tank. Fortunately, we never had need to try out these items in real life. After D Day, a lot of Home Guard units were used, on a voluntary basis, and at weekends, to pack various items of ordnance for use by the Army in France. Our particular task seemed to be make bundles of cross pieces for for the top of signal posts to attach the wires to,like telegraph poles.

I was called up just 4 days before Christmas in 1944, and went to Cameron Barracks in Inverness. I was told to report in my Home Guard uniform.

F J Swann



George Burton 3rd. C.O.L. Battn.

I joined the Home Guard as a messenger with 3rd. C.O.L.Battn. we were based at 10 Stone Bldgs. Lincoln Inn (with the Inns of Court T.A.) in August 1940. Our O/C was Maj. Rose, a QC, a lot of members were either barristers or lawyers. I was 14yrs old at the time and lived at Drury lane, before going into the army at 17 1/2 yrs. Through the day I worked as a vanboy in Smithfield meat market. When I first joined with my bicycle, the only weapons we had were Pikes, which were nearly twice my height,later we got the American p14 rifle, and later still got a Piat gun, we also got a lot of training from the Hampshire Regt. Before I got my uniform I just had a forage cap with the Royal Fusiliers badge and an L.D.V. armband, later we got issued with just denims before khaki issue.

George Burton



Frederick Richardson GM.

My grandfather Frederick Richardson served in the local Home Guard and was awarded the George Medal for bravery. However, I cannot seem to find any record or reference to it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Guy Richardson



Robert Haylett MC & Bar

I have for a number of years tried to trace how my Grandfather, Robert Haylett, 37931, 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry, won his Military Cross. During WWI, he was commissioned in the field from Company Sergeant-Major to Lieutenant and then to Captain.

I have an old portrait of him in the uniform of the Home Guard during WW2, it is a photo that has been “touched up” ie coloured. On it he is shown wearing his WW1 medal ribbons and what appears to be two white and purple ribbons. I remember seeing the medals and there was a small silver rosette on the MC, signifying a second award.

If you have any information or know where I can obtain it please contact me.

William Haylett



Joseph Edward Grime ARP (d.3rd August 1944)

I'm researching our Family Tree and we have very little information about my husbands' paternal grandfather, whom we believe served in London in the ARP, being killed in either Croydon or Crawley towards the end of the war, in active duty. His name was Joseph Grime and he was from Stoke on Trent. We think he'd have been born around 1908 and he was married to Florence. He left two children, Norman and Pauline, who, as they were so young at the time, didn't know very much about their daddy, only that they should be very proud of him. Steve, my husband, lost his dad very young too, so we're at a bit of a loss to find out more about this brave man. I have a lead on his gravestone in Stoke, so next time we're up there we'll be searching it out but in the meantime I'll let you know if I find out anything else. If anyone has any suggestions for searches for him, we'd be so very grateful. UPDATE: Joseph Edward Grime served with the Home Guard. He died at Ministry of Works Depot., Aurelia Road, Croydon on the 3rd of August 1944. He was aged 38 and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Grime, of 61 Yoxall Avenue, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent and husband of Florence Mary Grime, of 1 Oxford Crescent, Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent.

Louise Grime



Reginald William Barks

My father, Reginald William Barks, served in the Home Guard in Ipstones near Leek in Staffordshire.

Rose Sutton



Lt John William Hulme

My Father, John William Hulme was Lt. Hulme in Cleobury Mortimer Home Guard, South Shropshire. Can anyone provide any information on the Home Guard in South Shropshire?

Gill M. Hulme



Lt. Ambrose Henry Thomas Crowson 3rd Warwickshire (Nuneaton) Btn.

Ambrose Crowson was my Great Grandfather. At the time of the second world war he was the manager of the Birch Coppice colliery, I believe he was living in the Atherstone area at the time. Ambrose was a former officer of the Leicestershire Regiment during WW1, having been commissioned as 2nd Lt early in 1918. During the German spring offensive of May 1918 he was captured, suffering from shell shock, in his trench after a heavy and sustained German bombardment. He was captured on 27th of May 1918, along with some of his fellow 8th Battalion and 4th Battalion officers, and was subsequently interred at the Schweidnitz officers P.O.W. camp in Germany (this is now part of modern day Poland). He was repatriated in 1919.

I know little of his 2nd World War service, other than his willingness to volunteer once again to 'do his bit' I know that he had commanded a home guard unit, despite the fact he was working at the coal mine 7 days a week. I obtained his Home Guard unit information, I'd always believed he commanded the Dorden and Grendon home guard, but this may not be the case.

Matthew John Crowson









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