Blouse, Battledress, 1937 pattern: Sergeant, 22nd Battalion (City of London) Home Guard

Following the reverses on the Continent and the evacuation from France of Regular and Territorial Army troops, it was realised that the Nation would require an additional second line defence force. Initially raised by a public broadcast as an appeal from the Secretary of War on 14th May, 1940, volunteers were sought aged between 17 to 65 to form an organization known as the Local Defence Volunteers. The call to arms was enthusiastic and over a quarter of a million volunteered within the first 24 hours. Under Winston Churchill's premiership, the LDV changed title to become the 'Home Guard' in July of the same year. Their initial role was to provide active defence of 'key points', e.g. bridges, rail terminals, the coastline and to be a deterrent against parachute operations. Weapons and uniforms were slow to be realised, but in an attempt to raise the profile of the force denim battledress together with khaki Field Service Caps were issued, but later the standard Army issue serge BD uniforms followed (detachments wore the cap badges of those regiments to which they were geographically affiliated). By mid-1943 HG membership sustained over 1,000 battalions and at it's height could filed around 1.7 million men. Although never to see combat in the role for that which it was created, the HG became a very useful training establishment for young men prior to their conscription. With the nature of the conflict changing and invasion of the Homeland no longer a threat, the Home Guard was officially stood down in September 1944. Whilst over 1,000 personnel lost their lives in uniform, almost 600 were also injured on service.

Following the reverses on the Continent and the evacuation from France of Regular and Territorial Army troops, it was realised that the Nation would require an additional second line defence force. Initially raised by a public broadcast as an appeal from the Secretary of War on 14th May, 1940, volunteers were sought aged between 17 to 65 to form an organization known as the Local Defence Volunteers. The call to arms was enthusiastic and over a quarter of a million volunteered within the first 24 hours. Under Winston Churchill's premiership, the LDV changed title to become the 'Home Guard' in July of the same year. Their initial role was to provide active defence of 'key points', e.g. bridges, rail terminals, the coastline and to be a deterrent against parachute operations. Weapons and uniforms were slow to be realised, but in an attempt to raise the profile of the force denim battledress together with khaki Field Service Caps were issued, but later the standard Army issue serge BD uniforms followed (detachments wore the cap badges of those regiments to which they were geographically affiliated). By mid-1943 HG membership sustained over 1,000 battalions and at it's height could filed around 1.7 million men. Although never to see combat in the role for that which it was created, the HG became a very useful training establishment for young men prior to their conscription. With the nature of the conflict changing and invasion of the Homeland no longer a threat, the Home Guard was officially stood down in September 1944. Whilst over 1,000 personnel lost their lives in uniform, almost 600 were also injured on service.

Blouse Single-breasted battledress blouse of khaki serge cloth with a stand & fall collar, pleated breast pockets and concealed fly-front buttons. The blouse has white on khaki 'HOME GUARD' shoulder titles and khaki square patches sewn beneath with the lettering 'COL' above '22', printed in black (22 Battalion, City of London) . Beneath the above are cloth diamond-shaped badges, the upper triangle being white and the lower of blue. On the right upper sleeve, above three sergeant's rank chevrons is attached a brass hammer & pincers trade badge (armourer/armament artificer/fitter/smith). To the lower right sleeve is sewn three red cloth service chevrons, indicating three years' completed service. Above the left breast pocket are sewn the medal ribbons of the following awards: 1915 Star; British War Medal 1914-1918; Victory Medal.