Collection HG - HOME GUARD

Identity area

Reference code

HG

Title

HOME GUARD

Date(s)

  • 1940-1946 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

1.25 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Upon the formation of units of Local Defence Volunteers (later re-named the Home Guard) in May, 1940, it was considered desirable to recruit volunteers from the Council's staff primarily to provide protection for the Council's buildings and other properties in the event of invasion but also as part of the general L.D.V. organisation throughout the country. In this way, the London County Council Battalion was set up.

In February 1941, a second battalion was formed and the two units were designated the 47th and 48th County of London (LCC) Battalions. Colonel H.R. Oswald, M.C., an Assistant Clerk of the Council was the officer commanding the Battalion and later the Group of two Battalions throughout the entire period of their existence.

Archival history

HG 1940-1946 Collection 1.25 linear metres Home Guard x Local Defence Volunteers

Upon the formation of units of Local Defence Volunteers (later re-named the Home Guard) in May, 1940, it was considered desirable to recruit volunteers from the Council's staff primarily to provide protection for the Council's buildings and other properties in the event of invasion but also as part of the general L.D.V. organisation throughout the country. In this way, the London County Council Battalion was set up.

In February 1941, a second battalion was formed and the two units were designated the 47th and 48th County of London (LCC) Battalions. Colonel H.R. Oswald, M.C., an Assistant Clerk of the Council was the officer commanding the Battalion and later the Group of two Battalions throughout the entire period of their existence.

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council. Some records received as separate gift (AC/54/092).

Subject files, 1940-1944, on a range of topics including general organisation, "H" Company (County Hall), "P" Company (Parks Department), "E" Company (Chief Engineers' Department), "C" Company (Cooper's Hill), "F" Company (Fire Brigade Department), "S" Company (Supplies Department), Public Health Company and No.2 Battalion (later 48th County of London Battalion), Mental Hospitals Company, medical organisation and equipment, food rationing and mobile canteens, Battalion Funds, Courts-martial and courts of inquiry, explosions, accidents and injuries, loss of arms and ammunition, dress regulations, storage of ammunition, revolvers, appointment of officers, adjutants and quartermasters, Permanent Staff Instructors, new conditions of service for home guards, man-power figures, attachments and locations, Women Home Guard auxiliaries, compensation for loss of earnings, casualties, discipline, Home Guard duties and civil defence, personnel over 65 years of age, transport, armoured fighting vehicles, Winter and Summer training, assaults at arms, ranges, operations, exercises, security and intelligence, mine watching exercises, anniversary parades, standing-down of Home Guard and awards and commendations.

Also Army Council Instructions; regulations for the Home Guard; Home Guard Information Circulars; Home Guard Instructions; London District Home Guard Orders; London County Council Group Orders; 47th Battalion Orders; 48th Battalion Orders; Guard report books; papers relevant to the history of the London County Council battalions, including copies of the printed histories of "3" and "C" Companies by Majors Brand and Belsham; papers relating to the formation of Old Comrades Association and Home Guard Training Manual (third edition).

HG/1-57: Subject files; HG/58-66: Orders; HG/67-75: Occurrence Books, HG/76-84: General administrative.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright: City of London
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

See ACC/1101 for the Middlesex Home Guard.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 LCC , London County Council x London County Council 48th County of London Battalion of Home Guard 47th County of London Battalion of Home Guard London County Council Battalion of Home Guard Home Guard x Local Defence Volunteers British Army Military administration Military personnel Civil defence Military training Social work Armed forces Volunteers Leisure Leisure time activities Parades Cultural events Defence State security Military education Courts Administration of justice Courts martial Social behaviour Awards Social norms Disasters Explosions Accidents Wars (events) World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Health Health policy Food control Rationing Food rationing Transport Vehicles Motor vehicles Armoured fighting vehicles Organizations Military organizations Higher science education Military exercises Military equipment Weapons London England UK Western Europe Europe Administration Organisation and management Equipment

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council. Some records received as separate gift (AC/54/092).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Subject files, 1940-1944, on a range of topics including general organisation, "H" Company (County Hall), "P" Company (Parks Department), "E" Company (Chief Engineers' Department), "C" Company (Cooper's Hill), "F" Company (Fire Brigade Department), "S" Company (Supplies Department), Public Health Company and No.2 Battalion (later 48th County of London Battalion), Mental Hospitals Company, medical organisation and equipment, food rationing and mobile canteens, Battalion Funds, Courts-martial and courts of inquiry, explosions, accidents and injuries, loss of arms and ammunition, dress regulations, storage of ammunition, revolvers, appointment of officers, adjutants and quartermasters, Permanent Staff Instructors, new conditions of service for home guards, man-power figures, attachments and locations, Women Home Guard auxiliaries, compensation for loss of earnings, casualties, discipline, Home Guard duties and civil defence, personnel over 65 years of age, transport, armoured fighting vehicles, Winter and Summer training, assaults at arms, ranges, operations, exercises, security and intelligence, mine watching exercises, anniversary parades, standing-down of Home Guard and awards and commendations.

Also Army Council Instructions; regulations for the Home Guard; Home Guard Information Circulars; Home Guard Instructions; London District Home Guard Orders; London County Council Group Orders; 47th Battalion Orders; 48th Battalion Orders; Guard report books; papers relevant to the history of the London County Council battalions, including copies of the printed histories of "3" and "C" Companies by Majors Brand and Belsham; papers relating to the formation of Old Comrades Association and Home Guard Training Manual (third edition).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

HG/1-57: Subject files; HG/58-66: Orders; HG/67-75: Occurrence Books, HG/76-84: General administrative.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: City of London

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

See ACC/1101 for the Middlesex Home Guard.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area