Home Guard (Local Defence Volunteers)

But Tony we all realise that, but doesn't it get you when some top star muscles in and can't leave their fame from showing. And some youngsters would think it for real.

Hi Kaga, no sorry, I just view it for what it is (although reports might suggest that the film is not as good as the original!) However, I do also believe that you are entitled to your own opinion.

THE BRUTAL EDUCATION It was just turned my twelfth birthday and my school report once again placed me in the top three boys in the school at my age. My parents were pleased but there was a shadow hanging overhead, the daily paper told of all foreign diplomatic planes to leave Croydon airport, war was imminent. Soldiers were billeted on us, rifles and bayonets in reach of our hands, papers full of foreign names our geography teacher had never heard of, nearly everything we read was brutal, big guns in front and rear of us, lessons on gas and gas masks, teachers joined the forces leaving us short, evacuation, etc. father brought home a rifle from the home guard, brothers friends and cousins visited in various uniforms and weapons. By August 41 my real education had hardly progressed, but I could handle a rifle like a veteran, knew every rank in the forces, British and German, knew almost every plane in the sky, by joining the ATC knew more military stuff, my cadet uniform allowed me to go to, home guard meetings and read weapon manuals, and with the danger of invasion increasingly looming, there were many boys of my age in the cadets, or messengers, all knowing at some stage we would be embroiled further into war. Photos in the papers glared at us of broken bodies, torn limbs, along with what we witnessed of the bombing, by the time I was fifteen I had already been in the air, receiving flying instruction. This was the education of majority of boys of my age, and for boys a couple of years older??

Have no idea what our younger generation think of those times, but it is hard today to think the word "denim" was not around in those days, the first time I heard of denims was the 'yanks' working suit (overalls) a few years later.

Oh for goodness' sake, I quite agree with TonyS, the film is a bit of fun. We went to see it on Tuesday last and thoroughly enjoyed its lightheartedness. Made a change from all the violence that is around!

Janey, Not sure you will be interested but . . . At the beginning of the war, a fellow came fishing along the canal were I was evacuated, we got to know him and his wife, he was a bank manager in Ball Hill, and he was the spitting image of Captain Mainwaring, same mannerisms etc, same damn suit, and the way he looked at you, at that time he had a flat in Ball Hill above a shop, during the war they bought a large house in Ansty. The first time I saw the series I jumped out of the chair and said, I know that guy, he's from Ball Hill, but of course there was about a twenty year or so gap. After the war he still came back to fish, and my parents were friends for some years.

Hi Kaga Of course I am interested! I love some of your tales. I am sure you could write a book about them - my favourite was the one you told about the tin bath having to be carted upstairs and down again when granny or someone needed a bath. That was hilarious.

I believe this is part of Courtaulds Home Guard It's certainly a Foleshill unit as my granddad, James Ernest Parker (2nd row, 2nd from right) lived in Parkstone Rd during the war, before moving to Booths Fields. Anyone any idea where it was taken ?

I'm not sure if this film clip has been posted before but I thought it might be of interest to some people on this thread if not. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060046308 My dad was in the Herbert's Home Guard for a while.

Thanks for sharing - interesting to see. Was the bit at 05:30 with the soldiers marching at the Barker Butts Lane crossroads with Moseley Ave?

I think you could be right - well spotted

Yep - it was those houses in the background that did it -

Well spotted Neil. Where was 'Carvell's' Café shown in the film?

That's the corner of Fynford Road and Radford Road - across the road from The Grapes

A former neighbour of mine was Home Guard at Baginton airport during WW2. One night he was on duty and it was very foggy. He heard a noise and made the usual challenge, "Halt, who goes there?" The moving noise continued. On getting no answer after several more challenges, he opened fire. It all went quiet, but due to the fog he could see nothing. However, next morning the relief troop found a very dead sheep! True story, or tall story, I don't know, but as kids it always made us laugh.