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Joseph Lucas Formans Road - Home guard duties of Billy Spiers

Noodles

knowlegable brummie
Am interested in finding out in which home Guard Battalion my father served. His name was Billy Spiers (William Edward) born 1910. He served in the Home Guard 1940-1945 period and was employed throughout by John Lucas Formans Road as a Battery Die-caster classed as 'Essential duties' because at Formans Road they made batteries for Tanks and other armoured vehicles. Our house was bombed out in (I believe) the Autumn of 1940 whilst my Dad was on fire watching duties on the roof of Lucas Formans Road factory. When he came off duty in the morning, on returning home he found our house in (I believe Doloban Road) in ruins and minus my mother Hilda Spiers and your truly (Bobby) aged 2. He eventually made his way to Main Street, Sparkbrook where he found Mom cradling me in the cellar with his mother.

I have never learned in what Battalion he served but found the posting on 24th Warwickshire in this Forum the one of most interest, as the Battalion reputedly covered Sparkhill, parts of Moseley and Sparkbrook. If anyone knows of my father -known always as Billy Spiers and a keen amateur footballer (capped for South Birmingham as a schoolboy, and later playing for and later captaining Lucas Formans Road - or knows of anyone else employed by Lucas at Formans Road during the war, I would like to hear from them. Dad sadly died in 1982.

I only have one photo of him at that time and that is a family with my mother holding my sister and Dad holding my hand. He was in Home Guard Uniform but the photo far too indistinct to make out any details. Any help to further my knowledge of his Home Guard life will be most welcome.
 
Am interested in finding out in which home Guard Battalion my father served. His name was Billy Spiers (William Edward) born 1910. He served in the Home Guard 1940-1945 period and was employed throughout by John Lucas Formans Road as a Battery Die-caster classed as 'Essential duties' because at Formans Road they made batteries for Tanks and other armoured vehicles. Our house was bombed out in (I believe) the Autumn of 1940 whilst my Dad was on fire watching duties on the roof of Lucas Formans Road factory. When he came off duty in the morning, on returning home he found our house in (I believe Doloban Road) in ruins and minus my mother Hilda Spiers and your truly (Bobby) aged 2. He eventually made his way to Main Street, Sparkbrook where he found Mom cradling me in the cellar with his mother.

I have never learned in what Battalion he served but found the posting on 24th Warwickshire in this Forum the one of most interest, as the Battalion reputedly covered Sparkhill, parts of Moseley and Sparkbrook. If anyone knows of my father -known always as Billy Spiers and a keen amateur footballer (capped for South Birmingham as a schoolboy, and later playing for and later captaining Lucas Formans Road - or knows of anyone else employed by Lucas at Formans Road during the war, I would like to hear from them. Dad sadly died in 1982.

I only have one photo of him at that time and that is a family with my mother holding my sister and Dad holding my hand. He was in Home Guard Uniform but the photo far too indistinct to make out any details. Any help to further my knowledge of his Home Guard life will be most welcome.
Hi Noddles,

Both my parents were employed by Lucas at Formans Road during the war.

They met each other in February 1940 (Mum worked in the office, until she turned 18, then conscripted to the factory division). They were both in the Home Guard. Dad was also a passionate footballer. He played for Lucas, as their goal keeper, both during and after the war.

Dad was 12 years junior to your father. I have his certificates for being in the home guard, thanking him for his service. My Mum's home, in Sparkbrook, was also bombed out in 1940. She recalled sheltering with her gran in the packed public air raid shelter in Sparkbrook.

I know I have seen photographs of Dad with the Lucas football team. I will try and find them. I'm sure he would have known of your Dad, through the sport they both played. He died several years ago and Mum died only last year, aged 96.

Good luck with your search.
 
Lovely to hear from you Trob and amazing to find such similarities with your own family details and my own, particularly being in the Home Guard and bombed out in Sparkbrook. I have photos of Dad playing for Lucas Formans Road (Battery Dept) and one (which Dad had mounted and coloured, showing red shirts ) is for the 1931-2 season, winners of the Lucas inter-departmental cup. That means too young to include your Dad. I have other photos tucked away somewhere of is Lucas team winning or being runners-up in the finals of the Works leagues of the day. He was playing well into the 1950's and even got a mention in the Sport Argus for the length of time he had played in amateur football for Joseph Lucas and he was into his 40's. When I was old enough Dad took me to matches hoping it would stir my interest in the game, sad to say that never worked but loved going along to matches and met other 'sons' of players.

How old was your Dad when he became Goalkeeper? It will be interesting to know if Dad does feature on any photos. Dad played left back and could kick a ball from his own goal area, right up to the opponents end, a fact mentioned in the Sports Argus.

Thanks again for responding and if you come up with anything you think might be of interest I would love to hear further from you.
 
Noodles and Trob,

Tracking down individual Home Guards and their unit affiliation is difficult and it often relies on pure luck and the smallest fragments of information. If you go to my website (link below), Noodles, you will find a section entitled “Searching for HG members“, which will give you a few possible lines of enquiry to think about.

It would also be interesting to see whatever information is available - the fuzzy photograph and also any documentation which survives, as has been mentioned.

Chris
 
1634900697007.pngSorry still cannot see a web link - only Report and I do not wish to report anything. Kindly show a link I can follow - many thanks
 
Lovely to hear from you Trob and amazing to find such similarities with your own family details and my own, particularly being in the Home Guard and bombed out in Sparkbrook. I have photos of Dad playing for Lucas Formans Road (Battery Dept) and one (which Dad had mounted and coloured, showing red shirts ) is for the 1931-2 season, winners of the Lucas inter-departmental cup. That means too young to include your Dad. I have other photos tucked away somewhere of is Lucas team winning or being runners-up in the finals of the Works leagues of the day. He was playing well into the 1950's and even got a mention in the Sport Argus for the length of time he had played in amateur football for Joseph Lucas and he was into his 40's. When I was old enough Dad took me to matches hoping it would stir my interest in the game, sad to say that never worked but loved going along to matches and met other 'sons' of players.

How old was your Dad when he became Goalkeeper? It will be interesting to know if Dad does feature on any photos. Dad played left back and could kick a ball from his own goal area, right up to the opponents end, a fact mentioned in the Sports Argus.

Thanks again for responding and if you come up with anything you think might be of interest I would love to hear further from you.
Hi,

I haven't found the photograph s of Dad as goal keeper but have found a cup presented to my Dad: Tom Roberts Hon: Secretary. 1944-1950. Formans Rd Section. Lucas Sports Club. Good Luck with your search. 16493324441602482054459696976013.jpg
 
Hi Trob,
Although I only have a score of medals acknowledging my Dad achievements (or rather that of of his Forman's Road Team) playing football - and retained and mounted in presentation cases- I have (or certainly had) an almost identical pewter tankard acknowledging Dad's achievements playing darts for Lucas Formans Road. Can't remember the dates but certainly post his football career. Sadly I recall the tankard had suffered a few dents when found clearing out his possessions, and by mutual agreement with my sisters discarded - mainly because there were so many other dart related cups and plaques. At one point I recall noting his dart trophies were nearly as plentiful as those he received playing amateur football, although none quite equalling the cap (red with gold tassels) he was awarded playing football for South Birmingham in his early teens.
 
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