EARLY YEARS & LINEAGE

9265 THE HOMEGUARD

During the Second World War my Father was a member of the home-guard.  He was in a reserved occupation, since the chemicals produced in his factory were of national importance.  So the only alternative he had was to join the home-guard.  This British institution has been immortalised by the 'Dad's Army' programme on television, though in this its own home-guard members are seen as amateurs who enjoy themselves playing soldiers.  I don't think my father's own home-guard was amateur. It once defeated a guards regiment in mock battle, but they certainly enjoyed their work -- and were totally committed to it.

I guess, therefore, I saw my father in army uniform quite often in my younger days; though I can't really remember it.  On the other hand I can remember him keeping his sten gun on top of the wardrobe -- and making me a wooden one of my own!  He found out after the war that he had been the sten gun champion of Merseyside.  They used to test soldiers on a range in Birkenhead docks, in a bombed warehouse where dummies were made to pop out of all sorts of places and my father -- despite his spectacles -- was apparently the holder of the highest score for the region! 

He really did love his time in the home guard. In particular he enjoyed the map reading exercises, since he was very good at this -- as I was later on.  They used to chase all over the Wirral, building their knowledge ready for the invasion; which of course never came.  He was particularly happy that his commanding officer was also his boss at work.  He was the boss my father considered was the best in his whole career.  The family name was 'Giffard' and he was due, on the death of his father, to become Lord Halsbury. He treated my father and the men much better than the other managers at Prices did.  And the same was true of the home guard contingent, and was the main reason for the spirit he engendered in it. 

Mind you, even that was not enough my father, for he was also an ARP (Air Raid Protection) warden. His busiest time, needless to say, was when Liverpool was being very heavily bombed. He was able to go out in the garden and -- even though he was 6 or 7 miles away from the fires - being able to read the newspaper in the light of the flames from them.   

Surprisingly his own factory, which was next to Bromborough docks, was not bombed.  On the other hand, there was a rumour at the time that the docks and factories were protected.  Unilever, which was already a major multinational, reportedly had done a deal with both governments (it had significant manufacturing plants in Germany as well). The British would not bomb its German factories and the Germans would not bomb its British factories!  Such is the cynicism of politics and business.   

So, when not in the home guard, he patrolled the streets; though in fact we never got bombed.  In fact I was born in the middle of a raid -- which was occasioned by a German plane being shot down by an anti-aircraft battery in the vicinity.  The only other problem was when my mother accidentally put an incendiary primer on the fire.  When it exploded in it blew the fire all over the dining-room! 

My father did work all the hours God gave him during the war, and undoubtedly – as you will see from my uncle Sid’s diaries -- he worked much harder than any of the soldiers.  But he enjoyed life as he never did at any other time.  And so did the most of the soldiers.  It was a time when everyone pulled together. Even the upper classes, or at least the usually stand-offish middle classes, mixed with everyone else. But this spirit finished the day the war ended!  In the war itself everyone had a feeling that they had something to do, their life was fulfilled, even if it was just beating Hitler. 

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