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Home Guard

mw0njm. said:
A secret Birmingham base taught the real Home Guard how to ...
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Pete,

Even though there was almost no acknowledgement of the fact, virtually all the information in that article was based on original work that I had done and published in my HG website, including the images which had been entrusted to me by correspondents. So let's cut out the middle man!

Here is an opening link to the various pages which deal with the Birmingham Street Fighting School. It will take you to all the associated information which I have on this subject. Much more far-reaching and detailed than that newspaper article and better images.

By the way, Bristol Street, not Road. As Mike has indicated, No.130 was a large disused church on the corner of Ashley Street.

Chris
 
ChrisM said:
Pete,

Even though there was almost no acknowledgement of the fact, virtually all the information in that article was based on original work that I had done and published in my HG website, including the images which had been entrusted to me by correspondents. So let's cut out the middle man!

Here is an opening link to the various pages which deal with the Birmingham Street Fighting School. It will take you to all the associated information which I have on this subject. Much more far-reaching and detailed than that newspaper article and better images.

By the way, Bristol Street, not Road. As Mike has indicated, No.130 was a large disused church on the corner of Ashley Street.

Chris
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thanks Chris for all your time and help with the HOMEGUARD site.its very interestin reading
 
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ChrisM said:
Pete,

Even though there was almost no acknowledgement of the fact, virtually all the information in that article was based on original work that I had done and published in my HG website, including the images which had been entrusted to me by correspondents. So let's cut out the middle man!

Here is an opening link to the various pages which deal with the Birmingham Street Fighting School. It will take you to all the associated information which I have on this subject. Much more far-reaching and detailed than that newspaper article and better images.

By the way, Bristol Street, not Road. As Mike has indicated, No.130 was a large disused church on the corner of Ashley Street.

Chris
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thanks Chris. for yoyr hard work its a better link
 
Thank you for your kind words, Pete.

For the select band of members who follow the subject of the Home Guard, it might be useful to have a guide as to what I have available for Birmingham, all of which is accessible online (and some of which is there through the generosity of members of this Forum, past and present).


BIRMINGHAM (non-specific areas)
OVERVIEW (1940) - INITIAL BATTALIONS (1940) - BIRMINGHAM ATTACKED! (1943) - STREET FIGHTING SCHOOL - POST OFFICE HOME GUARD - A.F.S. HOME GUARD - CITY TRANSPORT DEPT. HOME GUARD - CITY UTILITIES HOME GUARD - NOTABLE VISITORS - OTHER FACTORY AND UTILITY UNITS - THREE BIRMINGHAM HOME GUARDS - OTHER BIRMINGHAM WW2 INFO.

and

BIRMINGHAM (specific areas, as follows)
ACOCKS GREEN - ASHTED - ASTON - BORDESLEY GREEN - BOURNVILLE - CASTLE BROMWICH - CENTRAL BIRMINGHAM - DERITEND - EDGBASTON - ERDINGTON - HALL GREEN - HANDSWORTH - HARBORNE - HOCKLEY - KINGS HEATH - KINGS NORTON - LADYWOOD- LONGBRIDGE - MOSELEY - NECHELLS - NORTHFIELD - PERRY BARR - QUINTON - ROBIN HOOD - SELLY OAK - SHELDON - SMALL HEATH - SPARKBROOK - SPARKHILL - STECHFORD - STOCKLAND GREEN - WARD END - WASHWOOD HEATH - WITTON and GREAT BARR - WITTON and GEC - WITTON and KYNOCH WORKS - YARDLEY

See also the Worcestershire section for other locations which are now part of Birmingham

OTHER WARWICKSHIRE LOCATIONS
BIDFORD-ON-AVON - COVENTRY(New) - HILMORTON - KENILWORTH(New) - KINETON - KNOWLE and DORRIDGE - LEAMINGTON - LILLINGTON - MARSTON GREEN - OLTON - RUGBY - SOLIHULL - SOUTHAM - STRATFORD-upon-AVON - SUTTON COLDFIELD - SUTTON COLDFIELD and BISHOP VESEY'S GRAMMA R SCHOOL - UFTON - WARWICK

See also the Staffordshire and Worcestershire sections for other neighbouring locations.


These aren't links. To see this information with convenient links, please go to:
(It's safe!)

Chris
 
Please can anyone tell me. . i know the HG were volunteers. and not regular army. so were they entitled to medals as were the regulars. besides the DM?
 
Thank you, Viv, that is a new one for me. I think it also escaped the gaze of Michael Minton in whose excellent book "Heroes of the Birmingham Air Raids" there doesn't seem any mention.

These men were members of 23rd Warwickshire (Birmingham) Battalion whose area of responsibility included parts of Erdington and Aston (where no doubt the incident occurred). I have quite a lot of information online about this unit and, elsewhere and there is some good quality cine film of them parading through Aston.

A few months later, in July 1942, the Battalion would suffer the tragedy of two losses amongst its members during one of the last air raids on the city.

Chris
 
mw0njm. said:
Please can anyone tell me. . i know the HG were volunteers. and not regular army. so were they entitled to medals as were the regulars. besides the DM?
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There were medals for bravery and other distinguished conduct, Pete. Several examples of the George Cross/George Medal, many of those to Brummies; and a number of others, including awards of the B.E.M., King's Commendation, M.B.E. and O.B.E.
 
ChrisM said:
There were medals for bravery and other distinguished conduct, Pete. Several examples of the George Cross/George Medal, many of those to Brummies; and a number of others, including awards of the B.E.M., King's Commendation, M.B.E. and O.B.E.
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Thanks for reply Chris.
 
I know my grandfather Charles Coughlin served but I've no idea about his HG service, he did WW1 in the South Staffs but I assume in WW2 home guard it would be the Warwickshire.
I remember him in uniform but at the time didn't take enough notice.
 
Eric Gibson said:
I know my grandfather Charles Coughlin served but I've no idea about his HG service, he did WW1 in the South Staffs but I assume in WW2 home guard it would be the Warwickshire.
I remember him in uniform but at the time didn't take enough notice.
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Howard Fisher Morris.
 

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I have been asked, off-line, whether there is a national memorial to the 1206 Home Guards who died whilst performing their duties, like several who have been mentioned here recently.

I am not sure whether they are specifically mentioned in the Home Front memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum - does anyone else know? - but otherwise there appears to be nothing there, which there should be. In the absence of that, surprisingly, the only truly national one of which I am aware is one at Corbyn Head in Torquay.

I have a lot of information online about that, here (safe to click on): http://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/DotherReminiscences92Devon.htm

Chris

(Source: Adrian Chan-Wyles via staffshomeguard)
 
The George Cross was awarded posthumously to Sgt George W Inwood collected on his behalf by his widow and son. Viv.

0811BAD7-8028-47CF-AD46-5D8C476D6EC8.jpeg
 
Thanks, Viv. I re-told the story of this gentleman's incredible bravery online some time ago. The incident was in Bishop Street and involved heavy loss of life. I managed to tie it in with the recollection, which surfaced 65 years later, of a sailor named Ernie Humphreys of Barford Street who was the sole survivor of those whom George Inwood managed to extract, at the cost of his own life. Worth reading, to realise exactly how dreadful that night was and to appreciate the courage and dedication of all those involved.
http://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/DotherReminiscences87Deritend.htm (Safe to click on).

Chris
 
A terrible disaster. So many families affected with several killed in single families. George Inwood was incredibly brave and such a sad end. Viv.
 
i am looking to find info on my father james summers who was in a reserved occupation in steel rolling mill in digbeth.
He was in the home guard but i cannot find any information on him or which unit he was attached to. Is there a central registry anywhere.
Thanks colin
 
col1955 said:
i am looking to find info on my father james summers who was in a reserved occupation in steel rolling mill in digbeth.
He was in the home guard but i cannot find any information on him or which unit he was attached to. Is there a central registry anywhere.
Thanks colin
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No, Colin, no central registry or anything like that. It's a real problem identifying individual Home Guards.

I once wrote up a few guidelines as to how to go about it, to improve chances of finding something out. They are here:
A Home Guard would normally be a member of either a unit very close to where he lived at the time, in a village or suburb; or the factory unit of the company or other organisation where he worked, assuming it was big enough to justify a separate unit.

Please do let us know if you make any progress - or have any further clues about his HG service.

Chris
 
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Pedrocut said:
Anti-aircraft defences at Yardley.
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Thanks for that, Pedrocut. At that time these batteries would be manned entirely by Regular Army blokes - Royal Artillery, I think. As the prospect of the invasion of France started to emerge, there was obviously a need to release regular troops for eventual service overseas and it was for this reason that, from late 1942 onwards many of those in urban and nearby areas were persuaded to "volunteer" (often with great reluctance) for anti-aircraft service in nearby batteries. New HG conscripts were often directed there too.

They would have taken over the sort of equipment shown here in 1939 with their predecessors, and spent hundreds of nights manning the batteries around Birmingham where it was used. And supplemented by then with the newer rocket launchers.

Cold, uncomfortable, a right pain, one would imagine. And, by that stage, probably boring as well as the priorities of the Luftwaffe were increasingly elsewhere.

Chris
 
There is a new thread started "Black History Inquiry" which asks a question as to the contributions of persons of colour during the war, potentially in the auxiliary territorial service.

Any ideas of service in the Home Guard ?
 
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