What did the Home Guard wear?
The men were given military style training and, at first, they had no uniforms and little equipment. The public were invited to give their shotguns and pistols to the Home Guard and within a few months over 20,000 weapons were handed in. Many of the men made their own weapons too.
Did Home Guard ever fight?
Active military combat
They are credited with shooting down numerous Luftwaffe aircraft and the V-1 flying bombs that followed them in the summer of 1944. The Home Guard’s first official kill was shot down on Tyneside in 1943. The Home Guard in Northern Ireland also took part in gun battles with the IRA.
Why was the Home Guard called Dad army?
Operational from 1940 until 1944, the Home Guard – comprising 1.5 million local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service (usually owing to age, hence the nickname “Dad’s Army”) acted as a secondary defence force, in case of invasion by the forces of Nazi Germany and their allies.
Who served in the Home Guard?
The Home Guard was operational from 1940 to 1944, and was set up by the British Army during the Second World War. The nickname “Dad’s Army” was due to the average age of the local volunteers who signed up for The Home Guard, who were ineligible for military service, usually because of their age.
Did the Home Guard have a uniform?
The Home Guard was at first a rag-tag militia, with scarce and often make-do uniforms and weaponry. Yet it evolved into a well-equipped and well-trained army of 1.7 million men.
What were home guards in ww2?
The Home Guard was originally formed as the Local Defence Volunteers in 1940 and was responsible for guarding coastal areas and factories from invasion. It was disbanded in 1945. Most Home Guard records are still with the Ministry of Defence.
What was the age limit for the Home Guard?
17 to 65
What was the age limit in the HG? The age limit for members of the Home Guard was officially 17 to 65.
What was the average age of the Home Guard?
The Home Guard were more of a Lads’ Army than a Dad’s Army. 50 per cent were aged between 28-65 while the remaining numbers were made up of 22% aged 19-27 and 28% between the ages of 17 and 18. Women weren’t officially allowed to sign up so they formed their own defence corps.
Did the Home Guard get medals?
The Home Guard was part of the British Army and, as such, any member of the Home Guard has the same medal entitlement as a member of the regular army. Unfortunately as the Home Guard did not serve overseas the only medal which they were definitely entitled to was the Defence Medal.
Did the Home Guard get a medal?
When did the Home Guard end?
1945
The Home Guard was originally formed as the Local Defence Volunteers in 1940 and was responsible for guarding coastal areas and factories from invasion. It was disbanded in 1945.