These wonderful pictures were sent to us by Dorchester researcher John Pidgeon, who is hoping readers will help him unearth more details of the Dorset Home Guard.
He has been collating details and photographs on the county’s Home Guard and Auxiliary units for 12 years and will be grateful for any information or photograph sent his way.
The first picture has appeared in books and even in the Echo in our VE Day issue.
On the back is the caption “2nd Battalion (Dorchester) Dorset Home Guard c1943” but from the uniforms and insignia the date is late 1940. Does anyone recognize their local Inn or perhaps a family member in the picture? The 2nd Battalion area includes Dorchester Town but extends as far as Maiden Newton, Evershot, Buckland Newton, Puddletown, Owermoigne, Martinstown and Swyre.
The second pair of photographs is from 1941 and shows the crew of a Browning heavy machine gun belonging to a Dorset village platoon of 10 men.
These men would have worked 12 hours or more on the land during the day and then one night in four would have mounted a watch for infiltration by paratroopers or fifth column saboteurs.
Three of the men have served in WW1. Perhaps a reader recognises their father or grandfather.
If so, get in touch with John by emailing jcpidgeon@btinternet.com
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