Home Guard 'D Coy' Aston Park Birmingham

Summary

D Company of the Home Guard marching, parading and performing a number of exercises in front of a civilian crowd at Aston Park in Birmingham. Filmed by George Hollis.

Year:

1940

Duration:

0:11:40

Film type:

Black & White / Silent

Genre:

Amateur Film

Master format:

16mm

Description

D Company of the Home Guard congregate on Trinity Road, Birmingham before marching to Aston Park behind a military marching band. At Aston Park soldiers in the company perform drills and exercises in front of a civilian crowd. These include: machine gun practice; repelling an aerial attack; bayonet practice and unarmed combat. The company then conducts a march past high ranking Home Guard officers. Finally the company returns to Trinity Road where they 'fall out' and relax.


Credits

No credits specified


Notes

The Home Guard was formed in August 1940 out of the Local Defence Volunteers.
Trinity Road in Aston, Birmingham has been suggested as a possible starting point for the film and the march to the park. It has also been suggested that the event was staged by the Home Guard to show off their new uniforms.