Documents de la Garde nationale durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, Lancashire, Angleterre, 1940 à 1945

Historical Context

This collection includes records of Home Guard battalions active during WWII in Lancashire, England. The Home Guard, established in May 1940, was initially instituted as the Local Defence Volunteers. Detachments were formed in towns, villages, factories and other localities to provide information and local protection especially in the event of a German invasion. The Home Guard expanded to some 1.6m men in 1942. It was organised into battalions, generally consisting of four companies each of four platoons. Battalions were grouped into zones which usually corresponded with counties or sub-divisions of a county. In the Lancashire administrative area, there were over 100 Home Guard infantry battalions, plus numerous artillery regiments, motor transport and other units. These appear to have been grouped into at least two zones: one administered by the West Lancashire Territorial Army and Air Force Association, the other by the East Lancashire division of that Association.

Following the Allied invasion of Europe, the Home Guard was deemed unnecessary and was stood down on 1 November 1944, and finally dissolved in 1945.

This Collection

Details available vary but users may find:

• Name
• Rank
• Residence
• Birth Date
• Enlistment List
• Transfer Date
• Promotion Date
• Resignation Date
• Death Date
• Relatives