Home Guard Hull

[emmsthheight]

Hi

Would anyone know please where we would find any records for Hull Homeguard and also whether they would include individual records for those serving in the home guard>

Also, are there any records online?

Thank you

Emms

[Rena]

this is a Home Guard website 

http://www.home-guard.org.uk/hg/hgfaq.html

which explains you should use the link to this Veterans Page - once there you will see the link to click on for a relative requesting information which costs £30 !! (I'm having 2nd thoughts already!)

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

[emmsthheight]

Hi Rena

Thank you for that.

Like you say, the £30 is defifnitely offputting!

Ah, now, is it a coincidence, or is this going to be the same as the army service records.  I think £30 was the amount quoted.

I'll have a look at those and let you know how I get on.

Thank you again.

Emms

[emmsthheight]

Hi ena

Thank you very much!

I had a very woolly idea about the Home Guard and how they were formed and run, although I was well aware of the vital work they did.

That's made it really clear.  For instance, in my ignorance, I wasn't even aware that the Home Guard was part of the army and didn't know they had a similar structure.

So that form is the same one we have for a post war service record, only available to spouses and Next of Kin and free to a spouse.

Thank you very much!

Emms

[Rena]

My father was in the Home Guard WWII somewhere in Hull, but for some reason I always assumed it had something to do with his workplace which had a large workforce.  There's a photograph in existence somewhere which shows his battalion in their khaki uniforms in front of a row of bushes but there's no clue of the name.

We didn't see much of him,as he was either at the factory or waving us goodbye before he cycled off for the weekend homeguard stint.  I read somewhere that there was a rifle shortage for the homeguard but he definitely had one.  I also remember telling us that his first job if ever the enemy landed was to blow up the street where were lived.  This was to tie up the enemy resources looking after civilians so the homeguard could be free to blow up railway lines and other espionage activities.

[emmsthheight]

Hi Rena

Thank you for telling me about your Dad.  I didn't realize they went away for the weekend, or how proactive their activities could have been.

Interesting, that link says that many units were based on the workplace,  I wonder if that was the case with my friend's relative?

I also discovered recently, that my great uncle's service record has survived from WW1 and on the end is a separate set of records for service just near the start of WW2.  I'm not sure if it just said reserve or if it could have said Homeguard.  I must have another look.

I know loads of them were in the reserve but I've not seen another reccord like that.

Thank you again.

Emms

[Rena]

I haven't done any research on the homeguard or wardens, I only know what I picked up in my younger days.

For instance my father was an engineer working at Priestman Brothers Ltd., Thomas St & Williamson St. Hull.  Every factory asked for (and expected) volunteers for air raid watch.  These volunteer men & women would be up on the factory roofs searching the skies for enemy planes - if one was spotted they had to sound the Klaxon horn which was bolted to the roof.  every shop and factory had buckets filled with sand for dousing small flames.  When the next Klaxon station heard the neighbouring Klaxon sound they too would sound their alarms ..... If you think of the olympic torch being carried in relays and handed onto the next person that's what happened with the Klaxons.   Upon hearing the sound civilian families would  either crouch in the strongest place in the house (under the stairs) or take to the nearest Anderson shelter in a neighbourhood garden or some other public designated place of safety.

Being on guard duty wasn't without other dangers ... my father recounted a story about one office girl who'd finished her stint and was cycling home towards North Bridge aboiut 2 a.m. when a local notorious gang of men saw her (either called Silver Blade or Silver Hatchet Gang).  she pedalled furiously and was keeping ahead of them until she came to the incline leading to North Bridge and  no fervent wish could stop her momentum from going slower and slower with the gang gaining on her, then baying at her back wheel and then flailing fingers trying to grab her.    Prayers answered and she managed to get to the top of the incline and speed down the hill before they could drag her off her bike.... what a shocking experience. 

If you heard a knock on the door in the hours of darkness it was usually a warden informing you he could see a crack of light from your window & you'd better organise your blackout curtains a bit better or else.

[anthonyhermann]

I have  been looking for home guard my Granddad was in I have a photo taken in east park but when I try to send it says its two  big to send 
I got intoch with Mr Proctor who sent the photo to the paper but he was unable to tell mutch as he was only 17 .1/2 at the time and shortly went of to war I know they did most of the training in East Park  and were located at what was the Co-op on Marfleet lane hope this is of some help

Tony

[anthonyhermann]

this is the photo

Tony