Fighting Talk

HOME GUARD TRAINING - MILITARIA

Britain’s Home Guard may have had deficiencies, but one thing they had in plentiful supply was training advice – although not all of it was official 

Below: One of the first commercial manuals, from September 1940, ‘Field-Craft for the Home Guard’, was written and self-published by A T Walker. The sentiments expressed in his book typified the Home Guard’s ardour. Rare, £35
ALL IMAGES VIA THE AUTHOR (UNLESS STATED)

When Britain first formed its citizen militia in May 1940, it was, especially in key areas, rapidly and well equipped. However, one major challenge was how to train the fledgling force, some 1.7m strong at its peak. Commercial publishers were quick to fill the gap in knowledge, albeit not always with useful insight!

In fact, it may prove surprising to discover that more than 200 colourful – both visually and in literary terms – unofficial instructional booklets were commercially produced during the war, and that these outnumbered their official counterparts. Many were based on existing military manuals with the author’s own added commentary, extolling everything from old-school ‘Colonel Blimp’ tactics to downright acts of suicidal terrorism.

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