1944: Britain's Home Guard is officially stood down at a special farewell parade in Hyde Park, London.
straycat
Never knew that. Okay, presumably that's because by late 1944 all danger of an invasion had passed. So that's understandable.
However, in my mind I had always simplified it down to the Home Guard being roughly equivalent to America's National Guard. And the National Guard is always present -- not only now, but dating all the way back to when we were still the American colonists. It's just that it wasn't called the National Guard then, but rather militias. As you probably know, our National Guard gets called in to deal with security not only at times like 9/11, but also after natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
So -- probably a dumb question, but then when have I ever let that stop me -- does Britain keep no such militia-type organization present at all times, war or no war?
Bramleyman
straycat wrote:
So -- probably a dumb question, but then when have I ever let that stop me -- does Britain keep no such militia-type organization present at all times, war or no war?
Yes, the Territorial Army.
straycat
Thanks, Bramleyman. That immediately brought to mind questions like how long has the Territorial Army been around and why wasn't it assigned to protecting the homeland when WWII broke out? -- Maybe, thought I, because they were called up alongside regular army to prepare for frontline fighting, while homeland defense was left to the older men in the newly formed Home Guard? Anyway, I googled Territorial Army and found out -- on a nice concise little history page -- that they were around long before WWII. Oddly, though, it said nothing about what they were doing during WWII -- only mention of post-WWII service alongside regular army: "Territorials have served alongside our Regular forces in almost every post-1945 conflict in which Britain has been involved."
Enlighten me further, if you would please. Were Territorials called up to fight alongside regular army in WWII, thus creating the need for a special Home Guard? And did the Home Guard exist ONLY for the duration of WWII, after which the Territorial Army resumed the duty that the Home Guard had performed?
Oz
The TA were called up in 1939 and served alongside the regular army on all fronts. They were generally absorbed into regular units. The TA isn't necessarily a home defence unit: it is a reservist unit to provide back up to the regular army - home or away.
With the TA going abroad, the home defence cupboard was left bare. However, the TA Associations became the local administrators for the HG, organising weapon supplies and distributing kit and orders etc. The TA's important role in the running of the HG, particularly at the HG's (LDV) formation and the stock taking at the end, is largely forgotten.
The HG was reformed in 1952 till 1957 (lasting a year longer than the wartime HG) to meet the threat of a Russian invasion. However it was a failure with very few people joining it as they could not, quite rightly, see any point of a HG in the nuclear age.
straycat
Thanks for the additional info, Oz. I see that I must immediately cease and desist from mentally equating Home Guard with National Guard.
Dave Homewood
One notable member of the TA who was mobilised into the regular army at the outbreak of war was Arthur Lowe.
Britain has had many predecessors to the Home guard in terms of citizens armies raised when the threat of invasion looked likely. Some even went into action.
There was the Fyrd way back in 871 AD under King Alfred, and through every major crisis since right up till WWII there were similar forces. There was another similar force in WWI but I have forgotten its title. I think it had the words Volunteer Corps in it.
straycat
Dave Homewood wrote:
One notable member of the TA who was mobilised into the regular army at the outbreak of war was Arthur Lowe.
Britain has had many predecessors to the Home guard in terms of citizens armies raised when the threat of invasion looked likely. Some even went into actiion
That's exactly why I couldn't quite believe Britain would stand down the Home Guard without some other sort of militia coming back to take over, peacetime or war. I could vaguely remember from American history classes -- oh so long ago -- that the American colonies were responsible for their own defense and therefore organized militias modeled on the British style. So, I thought, how could Britain have been without a militia force even before creation of the Home Guard.
Still find it a little curious that the Territorial Army website where I read their history just skipped over the TA's activity during WWII. I would have expected them to give prominent mention to their service during that conflict, since Britons -- justifiably -- remember their time standing alone against the Nazis as their finest hour.
Dave Homewood
But the Territorial Army in WWII efectively became the regular army and the TA no longer existed, as far as I read things. That is what happened here with our Territorial Air Force, on the 4th of September 1939 they became regular operational units of the RNZAF. The TAF was not re-instated till well afetr the war, 1948, here.
In December 1944 when the Home Guard was stood down officially it was because the whole country was basically a military machine and the war was being won. there was little chance of the Germans invading now, a great deal of the Europe coast from which they would launch an attack was now in Allied hands. Plus as well as the masses of British and Empire units in Britain to now defend that country there were also loads of US units training or resting whilst their combined front lines were taking it to Hitler acorss the Channel.
So the risk was low. however if anything had happend, those millions of men who'd been in the Home gaurd were certainly ready for the challenge. they were all still trained and armed. They didn't forget what to do if gerry parachuters began to drop. Many platoons continued to meet and train unofficially. They just had to fund and administer themselves because the Government no longer wanted to. it was probably more an economic decision in the end to halt the HG, put the funds into the regulars who were now taking the second front to Germany.
straycat
Dave Homewood wrote:
But the Territorial Army in WWII efectively became the regular army and the TA no longer existed, as far as I read things.
Ahhhhh, I see.
And yes, I had no trouble understanding why by late 1944 they would be confident that all threat of invasion had passed. So that particular need for a Home Guard had ended. I suppose by then the government must have thought the funds used for Home Guard units could be better spent on front-line troops -- since I think by then ALL of the Allies were concentrating on doing whatever it takes to finish off the war in Europe ASAP.
oldrocker
Good propaganda move as well I would have thought, standing down your home defences in an official ceremony before the war had, in name at least, been won.
Dave Homewood
The New Zealand Home Guard was stood down at the end of 1943 believe it or not.
