The Home Guard has won a place in our affection because of the excellent television comedy Dad's Army that was made 25 years ago yet delights us still. We may laugh at the antics of Captain Mainwaring, Sergeant Wilson and Corporal Jones but behind the humour of this organisation was a serious purpose when Britain was in danger of invasion during the Second World War.

War was declared on 3rd September 1939 and on May 14th the following year, the government broadcast a message asking for recruits to join the Local Defence Volunteers or LDV. On 23rd August 1940, Winston Churchill, then Prime Minister, changed the name from LDV to the Home Guard and it became the main protection for Britain until the war ended in 1945.

The Home Guard was formed because there was a real risk of invasion by the enemy. Most able-bodied men were already in the forces and those left were either too young, too old, unfit or in reserved occupations, those jobs vital to the war effort. But those who did volunteer were expected to fight an invasion of crack German troops with nothing more than a collection of old shotguns, pieces of gas pipe, broom handles and sticks with knives tied on the end instead of bayonets. The government expected 150,000 men nationwide to join but within the first month, 750,000 had volunteered. By the end of June 1940, the total had exceeded one million and this number did not fall until they were stood down in December 1944 although the Home Guard was not actually disbanded until 31st December 1945.

The objective of the Home Guard was to delay an invasion force long enough for the regular army to form a front line from which the enemy could be repelled. The force relied on makeshift kit and equipment at the outset but were eventually issued with proper uniforms and conventional weapons and on 20th May 1941, the first anniversary of its inception, the Home Guard was given the honour of mounting a guard at Buckingham Palace.
 

Recruiting for the 4th Bourne and Stamford Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, Home Guard, began in May 1940. The battalion commander was a retired naval officer and local magistrate, Commander Coventry Makgill-Crichton-Maitland who lived at Witham Hall. His second in command was Lieut-Col Horace Stanton, a Bourne solicitor, and the battalion headquarters were established at Witham-on-the-Hill. 

There were five companies in the battalion, Bourne, Stamford, the Deepings, Holywell and Uffington and Greatford. Each had their own commanders and headquarters. The Bourne company which also included Thurlby, Twenty, Manthorpe, Toft and Wilsthorpe was responsible for 24 stations or posts around the district and each had a garrison strength to man them including messengers. 

The total strength of the Bourne company was 339 men who were armed with 220 rifles, 20 machine guns and one Browning heavy machine gun. The other five companies, although smaller, had similar duties and were in touch by telephone, although these were the normal GPO lines installed in various houses and business premises that were conveniently situated nearby. The Deepings included Market Deeping, Deeping St James, West Deeping, Baston and Langtoft with 18 stations; Holywell company covered Holywell, Castle and Little Bythams, Careby, Carlby and Witham on the Hill with eight stations; Uffington and Greatford company also covered Tallington, Barholm and Braceborough with eight stations. 

Bourne's responsibilities included guarding a number of public utilities such as electricity sub-stations, the railway stations at Bourne and Twenty, Braceborough reservoir and the waterworks at Wilsthorpe, the crossroads at Witham and Northorpe and other strategic points on main roads around their sector. The action plan drawn up by the battery commander was a lengthy document that survives today and included details of both manpower and arms ranged around Bourne as a protection against any invading army. 

The other company strengths were:
Stamford: 250 men, 116 rifles and 22 machine guns. 
The Deepings: 193 men, 73 rifles and 17 machine guns. Holywell 93 men, 35 rifles and three machine guns. 

Uffington and Greatford: 94 men, 56 rifles and 6 machine guns. The battery commander warned his superiors that both the Holywell and the Uffington and Greatford sectors were thinly populated and would therefore require military assistance while Stamford would be responsible for manning vulnerable points in the town including the main bridge.

Most of the officers and NCOs had no military training and there was a great deal of confusion during the early days as they began to set up their administration and organise regular supplies, particularly petrol which was rationed because of the war. The source for Bourne was the Jubilee garage in Abbey Road but most of what they had went to the regular troops who were stationed in the vicinity and so the Home Guard usually went without. 

New equipment slowly filtered through and soon the unit was issued with rifles and live ammunition, a dangerous combination in the hands of untrained men. Three fatalities, one of them an officer, were reported in the North Midland Area, of which Bourne was a part, because of soldiers carelessly using their rifles and on 24th January 1941, the Zone Commander Colonel A C Hughes issued the following directive to all members of the Home Guard in Bourne, urging them to read the safety precautions associated with the handling of weapons:

Commander Crichton Maitland relinquished command on 14th February 1941 because of ill health and Colonel Stanton who was appointed to succeed him, lost no time in imposing a strict but fair discipline on the unit that had now become the 4th Kesteven Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, Home Guard. By 1942, an acceptable standard of efficiency had been established and the unit began issuing its first Routine Orders on January 14th giving details of future training and other rules and regulations concerning weapons, clothing and equipment. The battalion had by this time established its headquarters at No 11 North Street [the offices of Col Stanton's law firm, Andrews, Stanton & Ringrose] with Captain Henry Tinsley of West Deeping as adjutant and the Vestry Hall in North Street as the Drill Hall and a Bourne Invasion Committee had been formed to handle strategy in the event of an invasion.
 

Meanwhile, intensive military training was underway for the battalion with lectures, drill and weapon training, firing practice at the Edenham and Swayfield ranges, first aid, unarmed combat, aircraft recognition, and even courses at regular army camps such as Catterick in North Yorkshire. Regulation uniforms had been issued and by February 1942 the men were given gas capes and greatcoats. Weekend manoeuvres to test their fighting ability were held and on 17th May 1942, the battalion took part in Exercise "Hereward" and Colonel Stanton reported afterwards: "It was noted with pleasure the enthusiasm with which members of the battalion turned out and performed their respective duties and members are to be congratulated. I think it will be agreed that much was learnt from this exercise and it is hoped that the lessons will not be forgotten."

He was also against any form of absenteeism: "All members of the battalion who attend courses at Bourne will sleep in the accommodation provided unless they have previously obtained permission from the battalion commander not to do so. Several cases have been reported recently of members returning home to sleep without obtaining this permission."

There was also plenty of recreation for the men and a battalion sports day was held on the Abbey Lawn on August Bank Holiday 3rd August 1942 while a boxing tournament was held at the Corn Exchange on 18th December that year.

Colonel Stanton was now beginning to get the feel of his new command and was anxious to tighten up on discipline. On 15th July 1942, he issued the following instruction in the weekly battalion orders: "It has been noted that there is a considerable slackness in the saluting and all ranks are to be instructed that they must on all occasions salute officers of all services. Slackness in saluting reflects upon the soldier's unit and upon the training he has received. It discloses lack of esprit de corps and self respect."

The colonel was also concerned about slovenliness in other areas: "Smoking is forbidden in all War Department vehicles. It is forbidden to travel with the tailboard of a vehicle down. It is forbidden to sit on the tailboard or sides of a vehicle. Not more than one man may sit in the seat next to the driver. An NCO or man must be appointed by name to be held responsible for discipline in the body of the vehicle."

There was also punishment for those who did not comply with army rules and regulations. Private S G Stokes of B Company, 4th Kesteven Battalion, Home Guard, was brought before a Field General Court Martial at Bourne on 7th September 1942 on a charge of "when on active service conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline". He was found guilty and sentenced to 56 days' detention although he was later given 28 days remission.

On Monday 14th September 1942, the battalion's headquarters moved from No 11 North Street to No 32 West Street [recently occupied by the Qu'Appelle Home for the Elderly] and on 1st October, the 4th and 5th Kesteven Battalions amalgamated as the 4th Battalion but Colonel Stanton retained command with Captain Tinsley as his adjutant and training sessions continued at the Drill Hall [the Vestry Hall].

By the autumn of 1943, Italian prisoners of war had begun to arrive in this country and were kept at several camps in South Lincolnshire, one at Hanthorpe House, near Bourne. But Colonel Stanton had no intention of his men mixing with the enemy and his battalion order of 9th September made it quite clear that although they would not be insulted or subjected to public curiosity, there would be no fraternisation and they would be expected to salute British officers.

The battalion had also recruited a number of older boys from the Hereward School in Bourne and a special HQ Platoon was formed to take them but their recruitment was not welcomed by everyone in the battalion and this lead to a special order being issued by the commanding officer on 8th September 1943. "This school is a Home Office approved school and is not a Borstal institution", he said. "The personnel of this platoon are seventeen years of age and are members of the community who have been less fortunate than the majority of citizens. They are at the Hereward School to be trained to be useful citizens and this can, in part, be brought about by their fellow Home Guardsmen encouraging them to realise they are members of the community and have the responsibilities as such. It is hoped that the reference to these fellow Home Guardsmen as 'the Borstal Boys' will cease."

Colonel Stanton issued his last order on 22nd December 1944 when the tide of the war had turned in our favour and the Home Guard were being stood down. He had been in command for three years and was also retiring from the army. He told his men: 

I wish to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of your loyal support and co-operation. Throughout the period of my command, I have always been struck by the tremendous enthusiasm and energy with which all of you have discharged your various tasks. Many of you have served with me throughout those momentous three years. When first I came, we expected invasion and on almost all fronts, things looked black. I was not long in learning that there was no reason to fear invasion in this district as you would certainly have given more than you received and I also found that bad news only increased your determination and enthusiasm in training. Together, we have seen that scene change and I take leave of you confident in the knowledge that final victory is in sight. That change is in no small measure due to you, however humble each one of you may have thought his duties. You have all been in the team and I am proud to have 'played' with you. For your loyalty, your support and your kindness, I thank you all most heartily. Goodbye and good luck.

On the same day, Captain Henry Cole Tinsley of West Deeping, who had served some time as the battalion adjutant, was awarded the MBE (military division) in recognition of meritorious service with the Home Guard. By the time the Home Guard stood down, a total of 1,600 men from the town and district had passed through the ranks of the Bourne battalion, some going on to regular military service, others posted elsewhere, while a smaller number were medically discharged or had reached the age limit for which they were eligible for service and a few were found to be temperamentally unfit or were unlikely to become efficient soldiers and told that their services were no longer required. In addition, three men died while still serving.

The last act of the Home Guard in Lincolnshire was to send representatives to the Victory Parade that was held through the streets of London on 8th June 1946. Each of the seven battalions in the county were asked to send a representative but competition was so keen that the names were selected by drawing out of a hat and the representatives for the Kesteven battalions were Sgt W H Mitchell and Sgt W F West.

There was also the task of handing in arms and equipment and a list drawn up by Colonel Stanton shows the progress that the Home Guard had made since those early days in 1940 when they were equipped with makeshift weapons and the formidable armoury that had been amassed since then. It included 878 rifles, 400 Sten guns, 56 Bren guns and 54 Lewis machine guns, eight anti-tank rifles, 700,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and 100 hand grenades. Not one of them had been fired in combat.

REVISED MAY 2013

See also Invasion plans