Home Guard 55th Surrey - Sutton & Cheam

[jmwood]

Hi,

I am trying to find out some information about my great-grandfather who I believe was in the 55th Surrey - Sutton & Cheam Home Guard. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information available about the 55th Surrey and wondered if anyone knew of any listings or records. We have found a photo of the 1944 Champion shooting team from the 55th and there is someone that looks like him but as yet have found no-where to check this out.

Thanks

[jds1949]

Records of men who served in the Home Guard are still with the MoD. The National Archives has digitalised the records of men who served in the Durham area as a pilot project. I think the plan is to put them all online eventually - but how long that will take is anybody's guess.

I did find this one reference online for a document at the Imperial War Museum:

http://m.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030002699

I notice that Sutton Library has a Local Studies Section - so it might be worth contacting them:

https://www.sutton.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15681

Hope that helps a little,

jds1949

[jmwood]

Thanks for the pointers. I'm going to the National Archive soon, so they might know how this Durham project has gone and if they plan to continue.

[Tina Claydon]

Dear JMWood,

I know the photo you mention of the shooting team of the 55th Sutton & Cheam.  Its in my Shire book, The Home Guard by Neil Storey.  My late father was also in the 55th Sutton & Cheam Home Guard.  If its any help I have a photo that belonged to my Dad of them.  I'll gladly scan it and email you a copy if you don't mind sending me your email address.  I can only recognise my Dad and don't know who anyone else is in the photo though!

Tina

[GrahamSimons]

Thanks for the pointers. I'm going to the National Archive soon, so they might know how this Durham project has gone and if they plan to continue.

There has been discussion elsewhere on this project - from what I remember they've hit data protection issues as so many Home Guard men were young, rather more than they expected, so there's a problem with disclosing their records - I can't locate this discussion any more, so cannot give a source. You can order HG records from the MoD as for all veterans, I understand.

You might find info on activities of this unit in the local archives, or conceivably with the parent regiment, but would be very unlikely to find personal info. There was a published HG List, in parallel with the Army List, of officers - I found my father in that, but it told me nothing I didn't know already, indeed it couldn't tell me that he'd had previous service as Other Ranks. I found the List on the open shelves in the National Archives library (which has all sorts of fascinating books, well worth exploring, by the way).

[johncrowner]

The BBC site The peoples War contains about 290 stories about the Home Guard. It might be worth a look! I am also trying to find details of my fathers service with the surrey home guard based at Layhams garage in Caterham. Frustratingly, the CO of hs company has his story on this site, but makes no mention by name of any of his troops.

[Freddieflintstone]

Hi, I'm new on here. My Father and Grandfather were both members of the Sutton and Cheam home guard. I know this is an old post but would but if you do pick it up I would love to see the photo you have
Many thanks

Dear JMWood,

I know the photo you mention of the shooting team of the 55th Sutton & Cheam.  Its in my Shire book, The Home Guard by Neil Storey.  My late father was also in the 55th Sutton & Cheam Home Guard.  If its any help I have a photo that belonged to my Dad of them.  I'll gladly scan it and email you a copy if you don't mind sending me your email address.  I can only recognise my Dad and don't know who anyone else is in the photo though!

Tina