A Postscript to the Home Guard
An interesting parade took place at the Barracks, Kingston-upon-Thames on 24th March 1947, arranged by Lieutenant Colonel G W Kennedy DSO OBE MC when a donation of £ 175 from the Hinchley Wood Horne Guard was presented by Mr F H Turner, representing "D" Company to The East Surrey Regimental War Memorial Fund. The cheque was received by the Chairman of the Fund, Brigadier G R P Roupell VC who made suitable response. There were fourteen ex-members of the 53rd (Surrey) Battalion Horne Guard on parade.
The Battalion raised the magnificent total of £3,150 during the war for the Prisoner-of- War Fund. Another interesting personality attending the parade was Mr James who raised nearly £100 in sixpences during the war in his spare time by going round with a collecting box. A total of £6,000 was raised by Horne Guard Battalions for the Prisoner-of-War Fund.
The 55th Battalion The East Surrey Regiment Horne Guard, whose Headquarters were at Cheam, was one of the few Home Guard Companies to sustain casualties during the war. One man was killed and twenty very seriously wounded when their Headquarters was demolished by a flying bomb following D Day in 1944.
Related
