Eton Home Guard Platoon
On May 14th 1940 Anthony Eden, War Secretary in Churchill’s Government , broadcast to the nation regarding the threat of invasion by German Parachutists and Fifth Column agents. He called upon men between the ages of 17 and 65 and not engaged in military service to offer their service to form a local defence force, to known as Local Defence Volunteers, LDV for short. These came forth in great numbers, reporting to Police Stations to register. Weapons were short, shotguns being the armaments of many. The volunteers helped in the construction of anti - tank ditches, placing obstacles on possible air landing points as well as helping to guard strategic landmarks and communications.
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The Initials ‘LDV’ was quickly translated by comedians of the day into “Look, Duck and Vanish”.
By July 1940 the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, Renamed the force, ‘Home Guard’. Units were affiliated to their regular county regiments.
This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham.
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