Norfolk Home Guard

[signalman]

In this photograph titled 'Home Guard last parade 1946' is it my eyes or do the men seem to be wearing an arm badge attached to their Home Guard arm bands.Also as information, another 'final parade' from 1944.All comments welcome.Phil.

[signalman]

Another image.

[Peter Brydon]

From an article by Professor Charles Thomas in the MHS Bulletin of May 1968.


"..On July 23rd 1940,the War Office announced that the designation of the force would be changed to that of Home Guard following a boadcast by Mr.Churchill and the old LDV armlets began to disappear.Graves notes ( page 96 ) that on 3rd August 1940..... the various units were afiliated to County Regiments and armelts were issued with the badges of the regiments printed on them....."

Charles admits in the article that he has never seen any examples of these armlets.

The article does however give examples of other Home Guard Armlets other than the plain "Home Guard" ones but none seem to quite fit in with the picture.

P.B.

[54Bty]

Without a better picture it looks like 'Crossed Flags'!

[grey_green_acorn]

I wonder of the photograph is of a parade in 1946? Rather it is a photo of the unit taken during the war as all seem to be wearing/carrying respirator (gas mask) haversacks.
If we take it that Home Guard armlets were superceded by county designations issued and worn as arm badges on BD (but maybe not greatcoats?) in around 1941 and that respirators would not be carried post war my theory is that the picture in not from 1946? Also the other document indicates "final parade" and presumably disbandment in November 1944 when the Home Guard "Stood Down".
That said it looks like there are metal crossed flags badges on some armlets.

[Peter Brydon]

I have had a number of Home Guard greatcoats and they have all had county and battalion designations on both sleeves.

P.B.

[signalman]

Thanks for your observations and i agree re the greatcoats with the HG titles and county and battalions badges,with reference to the written caption on the rear of the photograph all i can say is thats what is written.The only observation i have is that if it had been taken during hostilities then they would (IMO) have paraded with weapons.I also thought that they were stood down in 1944. Regards Phil.

[Empire collector]

Greetings from Norfolk.
I have a book 'Norfolk at War' by Neil Storey. There is a photograph of the
4th Btn Norfolk Home Guard in there at their 'formal stand down' on 3rd December 1944.Most other Home Guard & Home front units were stood down in November & December 1944 after ther threat of invasion had past. So therefore the above photo probably ties in with the leaflet for 1944 not 1946.

As the war was still on going would it not be possible that the censor was a work on the photo, scratching away at the Home Guard armlets. This would give the bright funny marks shown on some of the armbands but not on others. Yet the Norfolk Rgt cap badges are still visable!

(The 4th Btn photo shows about 100 men but is so small that armbands cannot be seen in any detail).

Alan.

[Sonofacqms]

The photo shows the Home Guard arm patches which were worn before the county designations with, as 54Bty said looking like crossed flags superimposed on the patches. I think this may have been a section that was involved with communications taken early on during the war, some communications units wore the blue and white diamond on battledress, but this may have been later on. Possibly the crossed flags were an early embellishment. Being signals this could explain why they are not armed also coupled with the fact that there was a shortage of rifles early on.

[grey_green_acorn]

I have just tried to crop and enlarge the photo and the badges on the armlets do look like crossed flags so a Signals Section seems probable in Bn HQ.
The reason for an absence of weapons being carried is likely to be attendance at a Church Parade.

[signalman]

I have had the glass out on this one, valid point GGA re church parade,the only other observations are that none of the civilians appear to be carrying a respirator, and they appear to be wearing 37 pat anklets, which im not sure when HG wore them.I also agree with the crossed flags as the most likely badge on the arm bands, its a bit of a conundrum this one.Thanks again for all input.Regards Phil.

[Unknownsoldier]

I think this may be the re-inception of the Home Guard for the brief period in the 50s; just a thought? They were established december 51'

"The Home Guard Act (1951) established the new HG and was intended to compliment the regular armed forces as opposed to being another Civil Defence organisation. Both men and women were eligible to join up as unpaid and part-time volunteers with a minimum service period of two years (15 hours training four times a year). Being founded in peacetime, there was not the same level of enthusiasm for it nor the number of new recruits coming forward so recruitment targets fell far short. For example, by February 1952 just over 28,000 volunteers had signed up and about 4,000 per month for the remaining year, falling way short of the intended target of 150,000. By 1955 there were only 37,000 volunteers and by then generally acknowledged (including the Conservatives) that the new Home Guard may not be viable. There was also the expenditure to justify in those austere times and with vociferous opposition from the Labour Party the new HG’s days were numbered. Expenditure on the HG was gradually whittled down and with the retirement of Churchill as Prime Minister, the main driving force to retain the HG was removed. The new Prime Minister, Anthony Eden conceded with a major defence review which concluded that modern warfare with nuclear weapons reduced the need for conventional style warfare in Europe. The defence forces were trimmed back and the HG stood down in December 1955 then formally disbanded in July 1957. The roles of the HG would be superseded by the reduced size Territorial Army."

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/23885771@N03/4072081629/]

Scratch that, obviously the photo's date preclude this possibility, sorry - Yep, I'm dumb :-(

Tom

[Sonofacqms]

Well having a look again at the picture, the Home guard seem to outnumber the crowd, one vehicle in view and by the ladies and gents fashions, my money is on the early part of the war 1940/42.

[norfolk regt man]

Originally Posted by signalman

In this photograph titled 'Home Guard last parade 1946' is it my eyes or do the men seem to be wearing an arm badge attached to their Home Guard arm bands.Also as information, another 'final parade' from 1944.All comments welcome.Phil.

Picture is taken at Tombland Norwich, with the main gate to The Cathedral top right. This view has not changed much. and taken off the phone box site we have
Kiosk Particulars

Name Kiosk No 4
Designed by Office of Engineer in Chief GPO
Designed 1925
Introduced 1930
End of production 1935
Construction Cast iron, with teak door
Height 9 ft 3 in
Width 3 ft 4 in x 4 ft 4 in
Total installed 50
Total remaining 5