Summary: The basic duties and training of the Home Guard.
Description: Film opens with contrived shots of HG's leaving their houses, and adding new duties to their civilian roles (eg a Gamekeeper's rounds compared to a patrol; an MP's oratorical gesture duplicated in throwing a grenade etc). The original enthusiasm of the HG is to be preserved while equipment and training improve - much of the film is given over to a school where an intensive one week's course is given by instructors, some of whom have Spanish Civil War experience. HG's are shown learning grenade-throwing, primitive anti-tank tactics, and the use of various weapons (grenade discharger, Browning machine gun, Thompson submachine gun) also on exercises in concealment and silent movement, and anti-aircraft rifle fire (with Lysanders providing the 'targets'). Film closes with shots of a combat exercise in London (Railway vs Post Office HG) and the guarding of a ministry: the opening theme of readiness is repeated over silhouette shots of a patrol.
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Strand (Production company)
Moffat, Ivan (Production individual)
Taylor, Donald19111966British film producer and director. (Production individual)
Marlborough, Charles (Production individual)
Tasto, Charles R (Production individual)
Speight, Robert (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Home Guard (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Westland Lysander (object name)
combat [simulated], British (object name)
operations, British military - routine (object name)
society, British - precautionary (object name)
training, British military: Home Guard (object name)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 938 ft; Running time: 10 mins
