HOME GUARD UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT.

This is something new to me, I have been told its a Gas Detector past spreader it does have the MOD arrow but unfortunately the date is not clear 19?? . Possibly Home Guard/ ARP?

Training rifle L.D.V. or Home Guard. After Operation Dynamo the evacuation at Dunkirk of British, French and Belgium soldiers, much of their equipment was lost including rifles so the Army had to be rearmed, at the same time a civilian based army was to be raised, and armed This was called the L.D.V., Local Defence Volunteers, later to become the Home Guard. As the Army was obviously to be armed first the L.D.V. or Home Guard had to make do with what ever was to hand but soon replica rifles were made so they at least had something to train with, to begin with most were very basic affairs but gradually began to look like the real thing. This one at lest looks close to a Lea-Enfield from a distance, it has a stylised bolt and trigger, a magazine that looks similar to a real one and a thick butt plat, the barrel is solid but has a shallow hole drilled in the end, it also is of a similar weight to the real thing. I have seen an identical one on the internet stamped with makers name William Durose from Tunstall, Staffordshire so I am going to assume that this one was made by the same company, the only markings I can find on the rifle are the numbers 170?

Home Guard special Pattern haversack dated 1941. Introduced in 1940 and unique to the Home Guard it has a integral shoulder strap, the length of which could be modified by stitching in folds to reduce it. Its made of the rubberised material normally used for groundsheets and capes, inside it has two compartment's as shown in the picture.

Local defence volunteers armband.

Leather Home Guard Anklets no date but stamped with War Department and arrow.

1903 pattern Home Guard belt dated 1942 with War Department and arrow makers stamp G.L.W.Size small.

Pouches, web, ammunition (Home Guard pattern).both dated 1942 but unfortunately not a pair, one is made by Bag Craft and the other by M.E.C.o (Mills Equipment Company). The only difference between the two is the web strap on the back is sown on in different places one higher than the other. The two pockets inside the pouches are for a cleaning kit and oil bottle.

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