"Over four years ago, in May 1940, our country was in mortal danger. The most powerful army the world had ever seen had forced its way to within a few miles of our coast. From day to day we were threatened with invasion.

In those days our Army had been gravely weakened. A call went out for men to enrol themselves in a new citizen army, the Local Defence Volunteers, ready to use whatever weapons could be found and to stand against the invader in every village and every town. Throughout Britain and Northern Ireland the nation answered that summons, as free men will always answer when freedom is in danger. From fields and hills, from factories and mills, from shops and offices, men of every age and every calling came forward to train themselves for battle. Almost overnight, a new force came into being, a force which had little equipment but was mighty in courage and determination.

In July 1940, the Local Defence Volunteers became the Home Guard. During those four years of cotinuing anxiety that civilian army grew in strength; under the competent administration of the Territorial Army Associations, it soon became a well-equipped and capable force, able to take over many duties from regular soldiers preparing to go overseas. I believe it is the voluntary spriit which has always made the Home Guard so splendid and so powerful a comradeship of arms. The hope that this comradeship will long endure was strong in me this afternoon while many thousands of you marched part me in one of the most impressive and memorable parades that I have ever seen.

For most of you - and, I must add, for your wives too, your service in the Home Guard has not been easy. I know what it has meant, especially for older men. Some of you have stood for many hours on the gun sites, in desolate fields, or wind-swept beaches. Many of you, after a long and hard day's work, scarcely had time for food before you changed into uniform for the evening parade. Some of you had to bicycle for long distances to the drill hall or the rifle range.

It was well known to the enemy that if he came to any part of our land he would meet determined opposition, at every point in his advance, from men who had good weapons, and, better still, knew how to use them. In that way the existence of the Home Guard helped much to ward off the dange of invasion. Then, too, our own plans for campaigns in many parts of the world depended on our having a great citizen force to help in the defence of the homeland. As anti-aircraft and coastal gunners, sentries at vulunerable points, units for dealing with unexploded bombs, and in many other ways, the Home Guard have played a full part in the defence of their country. Many will remember with special gratitude the unsparing help given to the Civil Defence Services in days and nights of terror and destruction.

But you have gained something for yourselves. You have discovered in yourselves new capabilities. You have found how men from all kinds of homes and many different occupations can work together in a great cause, and how happy they can be with each other. That is a memory and a knowledge which may help us all in the many peace-time problems that we shall have to tackle before long. 

I am very proud of what the Home Guard has done and I give my heartfelt thanks to you all. Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, you have served your country with a steadfast devotion. I know that your country will not forget that service."

Monday, 4th December 1944, broadcast to the Home Guard by HRH King George VI [1, p8/9]

YEAR

WINNER

Pts

RUNNER UP

Pts

THIRD

Pts

2019 (2)

Rich K

47

Maria

42

Matt

38

2018 (2)

John K

25

Richard

24

Carrie

22

2017 (1)

Maria

31

John K

28

Russell

22

2016 (1)

Brian

31

Maria & Steve W

29

-

2015 (1)

Maria

29

Derek B

23

Brian

17