Exeter home guard
What are the home guards?
On the 10th of may, 1940, Winston Churchill became prime minister of Britain and realised that, while thousands of British troops were trapped at Dunkirk, the security of the entire nation was at risk because of the lack of much needed soldiers. Churchill decided that Britain's safety was to be the number one priority and so he decided that the country should be protected at all times, but not by real soldiers, as they were all needed for actually fighting, but by older men who couldn't fight properly, but still wanted to do their bit for the war effort. Collections of able bodied older men formed in towns, villages and cities in order to protect their area from Nazi invaders, spies or planes, and they were known as the home guard. Since the real army had to have all of the proper equipment, such as proper guns, and the government simply didn't have the the money to supply home guards with all the equipment the army has, Churchill decided that the home guards should be armed with cheaper weapons, such as Blunderbuss's, pikes and cheap explosives. |
"The security of our island, from invasion, cannot be achieved with out a body of a million and 3 quarters of men who can be available at very short notice." Winston Churchill talking about the home guards and saying that Britain wouldn't be safe in the time of WW2 without the home guards. he is Implying that they are not just old men with no experience, but are, infact, essential to succeed in winning the war
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The Exeter home guard
The Exeter home guard took part in marches across the city, the groups went to their local churches, took part in parades, but most importantly, they trained hard so that they would be ready for the Nazis if they really did come to Exeter. One of the largest and most famous exercises the Exeter home guard battalions ever did was a simulation of a German invasion from the south and from the west. The "invaders" had to infiltrate headquarters at the heart of Exeter and the other battalions had to catch them and arrest them. Some of the invaders came close by dressing up in civilian clothing and walking into the city, but they were apprehended. Others tried to sneak into the city at night by wearing the defenders cloths, but all attempts failed, but eventually the game was won when a "captured" enemy threw his brief case on the floor of the headquarters, while being interrogated, and claimed that it was full of explosives. The Exeter home guards also helped to build a 14 and a quarter mile trench and barbed wire barrier around Exeter. In total, the Exeter Home guard completed around 10 miles of the Barrier and the regular army completed the rest. When the Exeter Blitz began in 1942, the brave home guards helped to evacuate buildings even though the precarious structures could have fallen at any moment. There were some casualties of the Exeter home guard, during the blitz, including Lt. Col. F J C Hunter, there were many hazards that the Exeter home guard had to face like the blazing fires and collapsing building. When the blitz was destroying the city, the Exeter home guard undertook many extra duties at that time: fire fighting, traffic control, removing furniture from damaged property, clearing debris from the streets, and of course, rescuing those trapped in the rubble. Even though the Nazis never did invade Britain, it is certain that the Exeter home guard was not a waste of time because they helped so much when Exeter needed them.
The Exeter home guard took part in marches across the city, the groups went to their local churches, took part in parades, but most importantly, they trained hard so that they would be ready for the Nazis if they really did come to Exeter. One of the largest and most famous exercises the Exeter home guard battalions ever did was a simulation of a German invasion from the south and from the west. The "invaders" had to infiltrate headquarters at the heart of Exeter and the other battalions had to catch them and arrest them. Some of the invaders came close by dressing up in civilian clothing and walking into the city, but they were apprehended. Others tried to sneak into the city at night by wearing the defenders cloths, but all attempts failed, but eventually the game was won when a "captured" enemy threw his brief case on the floor of the headquarters, while being interrogated, and claimed that it was full of explosives. The Exeter home guards also helped to build a 14 and a quarter mile trench and barbed wire barrier around Exeter. In total, the Exeter Home guard completed around 10 miles of the Barrier and the regular army completed the rest. When the Exeter Blitz began in 1942, the brave home guards helped to evacuate buildings even though the precarious structures could have fallen at any moment. There were some casualties of the Exeter home guard, during the blitz, including Lt. Col. F J C Hunter, there were many hazards that the Exeter home guard had to face like the blazing fires and collapsing building. When the blitz was destroying the city, the Exeter home guard undertook many extra duties at that time: fire fighting, traffic control, removing furniture from damaged property, clearing debris from the streets, and of course, rescuing those trapped in the rubble. Even though the Nazis never did invade Britain, it is certain that the Exeter home guard was not a waste of time because they helped so much when Exeter needed them.