British Home Guard Units?

[tynchal]

Are there any Home Guard reenactment units in the US?  I live in the Chicago area, go to Rockford every year (among other events) and would probably have been a prime recruit for The Home Guard since I am 71 years old.  My son is a member of the 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards, and I go to all the events he goes to.  I'd like to do more than just pay my entrance fee as a spectator.  If there aren't any organized units, maybe there are others who would be interested in starting one.  =T=

[tcrabb]

Have you considered the French Resistance?
TC

[tynchal]

I have, but since my son is in The Coldstream Guards, 5th Battalion reenactment unit, I plan to go British. Thanks for your input. =T=

[tcrabb]

I was just thinking that you could join your son on the field during an event by portraying a French local, instead of remaining in the "static display area".
TC

[tynchal]

Unfortunately, I'm "mobility impaired" and am unable to go tactical. I can stand and walk a short while, but I'm better at sitting and meeting the public who stop by the camp during an event and ask about the equipment. Besides, when The Guard is deployed in an action at an event, someone needs to watch the camp in their absence, perfect job for a Home Guard LOL. =T=

[Cobblers]

I've been doing LDV / Home Guard impressions in the NE for about ten years now and I don't know of any units of Home Guards here in the States. Have you though about which Home Guard unit to depict?

Cheers,
Peter

[tynchal]

I've been corresponding with the founder of a UK unit, and if he says OK, I might join the 4TH Battalion Redcar Home Guard Attached To The Green Howards (Detached). Detached in that I doubt I'll be attending any of their events in the near future. I found them on Facebook and we struck up a conversation there. If I could find a Home Guard unit attached to the Coldstream Guards (my son's unit), I would depict them; but so far, I haven't found such a unit. Btw, if you ever decide to make the trip to see the WWII Days in Rockford, IL, let me know and I can arrange some lodging for you.

Cheerio,
Jeffrey

[Cobblers]

There wouldn't be a Home Guard unit associated with the Guards. The only HG. unit (that I know of), that wore a Guards Reg't. cap badge was a unit raised from Buckingham Palace grounds staff, and they got to wear the cap badge of the Grenadier Guards. All the other HG. bns. wore the cap badge of the county regiment, but they were not "attached" to the regiment or part of it. The Home Guard bns. were administered through the Territorial Army Associations, not the Regular Army. The Home Guard would come under Army control once the invasion occurred. HGs from the City of London wore the cap badge of the Royal Fusilers, those from the County of London (if i've used the correct title), wore the cap badge of the K.R.R.C. Hope this helps.

Peter

[tynchal]

Thanks for that. Here's the link that I used to look up the Redcar HG FB page www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/J10GeneralInformationReenactmentGroups.htm#othe There seems to be quite a selection of units to portray. =J=

[Cobblers]

Very nice, even Perthshire got listed. There are all sorts of units that one can portray. Factory, Post Office, Railway, the General Service bns. Even the Ministry of Foods had a Home Guard unit. The next question is which part of the war you wish to portray as this will determine what uniform to get. Personally I like summer 1940 when the need was the greatest. By mid-late '41 most units are in P37 BD, and HG pattern webbing,as well as other HG pattern gear is getting issued.

Peter

[KG]

Have you considered falling in as actuary who is still recovering from injuries? That would explain why you are in the rear echelon camp while the rest of the group is deployed.

[tynchal]

Not a bad idea, KG. I'll see how this Home Guard approach develops. =T=

[Cobblers]

To explain why a uniformed HG is in the Coldstream's camp can explained by having the Coldstreams camped near where you live.

A. Since the Coldstreams are close by your HG unit was involved in a tactical exercise, Guards vs Home Guards.

B. You are there for a weapons/map reading/signals etc. training that the Coldstreams have agreed to do for the local HG unit.

C. You are there just to visit your boy, but you have to go on duty that night, manning a road block. To save time you have already put on your uniform so that you can get to your post right after you leave camp.

Cheers,
Peter

[tynchal]

Oct 8, 2015 5:12:53 GMT -5 Cobblers said:

To explain why a uniformed HG is in the Coldstream's camp can explained by having the Coldstreams camped near where you live.

A. Since the Coldstreams are close by your HG unit was involved in a tactical exercise, Guards vs Home Guards.

B. You are there for a weapons/map reading/signals etc. training that the Coldstreams have agreed to do for the local HG unit.

C. You are there just to visit your boy, but you have to go on duty that night, manning a road block. To save time you have already put on your uniform so that you can get to your post right after you leave camp.

Cheers,
Peter

WoW! Thank you, Peter! I hadn't gotten that far in my planning as yet, and I really like the last one about visiting my boy.  As for a time period, I'll probably focus on early 1942, but more research is needed.  =T=

[Cobblers]

A definite must buy is a copy of In The Space Of A Single Day by Jon Mills. It goes into the nitty gritty of HG Uniform. Though it will be hard to find being out of print. Another title would be The Real Dads Army by Norman Longmate. If it is a newer edition ignore the reenactor on the cover. A good photo source is David Carroll's The Home Guard. David Carroll also published a title Dad's Army which is an overview of the Home Guard 1940-1956.

By early '42 the uniform of the Home Guard is pretty well established.

Steel helmet, Mk II. Army rejects were also issued to the Home Guard and Civil Defense.

FS cap, regimental badge of county reg't.

P37 Blouse. Some Austerity Pattern blouses do show up but they are surrounded by a sea of P37.

Home Guard shoulder titles. The issue ones were khaki cotton with printed cream lettering.

County code and bn. number. The official ones were khaki cotton with printed dk. blue lettering. One patch for the code and another for the bn. number. They were often sewn together with one patch on top of the other.

P37 trousers.

Civilian shirt. The HG did not get issued army shirts. Some officers seemed to have bought officers shirts.

P39 leather gaiters coloured dark brown. Web ones appear more often than not on officers.

Ammo boots, black.

Pattern 1903 belt, coloured brown.

P39 bayonet frog.

Web braces.

HG pattern "sleeve". Since the P03 belt did not have any buckles in the rear for the braces, a webbing loop, with the buckles sewn on, was designed to slide over the belt and worn in the rear of the belt.

HG pattern pouches.

HG pattern haversack. These were originally designed to hold ammo, waterbottle, and everything else, before the pouches were designed.

MK VI gasmask carrier. Very few MK VIIs show up.

P03 waterbottle carrier. Please note these do not have the canvas insert at the shoulder, and the strap is attached to each brass ring rather than passing from one side to the other. Waterbottles were issued on a scale of one per two men.

Peter

[tynchal]

Thanks again for all the information and resources. We will be dealing with some health issues for a bit, but should resume getting things together thereafter; but lots of reading to do in the meantime. =T=

[tynchal]

I've been researching The Gloucestershire Battalions (Bristol) Home Guard, in particular the 9th Bttn which was responsible for the Northeastern part of Bristol during the war. Since I was born there in January 1944, I plan to portray someone who might have looked in on me and my mum, Molly Shakespeare Ashlock. I'll probably identify as being in D Company, 16 Platoon.

[a6skin9]

I'm starting an Ulster Home Guard unit in the mid-Atlantic region for anyone who is interested.

Attachments:

[tynchal]

Well, after much research on the various battalions stationed in and around The City of Bristol, it looks like the one stationed closest to the western edge of Staple Hill where I was born was the 12th Battalion, headquartered at Packer's Factory (no information found) and C Company operated out of Fishponds. Other companies were in Packer's Ground, Kingswood and Broomhill. Still working on getting outfitted.

I have used this map link to research the area maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition= If anyone can enlighten me with information about the research so far, I would be most thankful.