Home Guard

[NeilEvans]

Hi,

What was the critera for Home Guard CWGC commemorations?

Below are two examples:

Commonwealth War Dead

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...asualty=2711613

Civilian War Dead

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...asualty=3154945

Why the difference is status?

Neil Evans

[Terry Denham]

Neil

The Home Guard was one of the Recognised Civilian Organisations and as such different rules applied to their deaths if they were to qualify for war grave status.

The death had to 'occur whilst officially on duty and confirmed by the War Office' (MoD today). The death had to occur between 31.07.40 and 01.11.44 inclusive. Death later but by 31.12.47 would also count if due to injury sustained on duty during those dates.

Therefore, not all Home Guard deaths qualify. Your second man died in an air raid at home and so was not 'on duty'.

[NeilEvans]

I suspected as much

Reason for asking is i found a Captain of the Home Guard died 03/07/1944, but whilst 'off duty', hence he is not commemorated.

Thank You Terry.

Neil

[Neil Clark]

Neil,

We have all come across cases like this one. It's absurd that the War Office classed the Home Guard as a "civilian organisation" when it patently wasn't. Are the rules the same for members of the Volunteers (Militia) during the Great War?

Your man should be recorded as a civilian war death though (providing of course he died from direct enemy action)? If not then you can have his name added quite easily. Of course this ONLY extends to WW2 civilians which is also very unjust. Chris Harley is active in this respect - http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/CIVILWARDEAD/

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

My uncle, Stanley Edgar Jenkins, was a Home Guardsman killed (while off duty) in an air raid on Ashford, Middlesex, on 23 February 1944, but his name appears with other victims of the raid (including a 21 month old baby) on the Stanwell war memorial.