The Home Guard was made up of over a million men, aged from 17 to 65, who volunteered at their local police stations. They were usually men who were not eligible for the regular army - older recruits, men who did not pass the medical test for the regular army, and those in reserved occupations. Although many of the older recruits were World War 1 veterans with military experience, most of the volunteers were untrained.

Platoons of Privates usually trained once a week. They learnt how to keep watch and report on the situation in their town, village or city, and how to fight. Training covered patrolling, weapons' handling, unarmed combat and basic sabotage. The Home Guard had to be prepared to attack the enemy, with or without weapons, and destroy German weapons and equipment should they attempt to invade from the air, sea or land.

The Home Guard sections were issued with a series of instruction booklets dealing with areas of 'battlecraft' as diverse as signalling and map reading to using anti-tank guns. There were units like the Upper Thames Patrol that patrolled the river, and factory units formed of workers to protect the premises in an emergency. Although they had different places to guard, the Privates were still trained in the same way.

The Privates were expected to have an excellent knowledge of their local area, so that they would be aware of places that enemy soldiers could hide. They practised patrolling the area and to find vantage points and hiding places in bunkers, caves and buildings. This helped them to work out where the enemy could hide, and where they could take cover themselves in order to mount counter-attacks. The Home Guard took down road signs and local clues to confuse the Germans, so that if they invaded they would quickly become lost.

Home Guard Patrols had to be skilled in moving quickly and stealthily as a team. The instructions booklet Battlecraft and Battle Drill for the Home Guard emphasises the need to stay out of sight and close to the ground, to move in formation, and to keep continuous all-round observation. A handy list of hints on page 40 of summarises what not to do. 'Don't loiter below windows...Don't search obvious places. The enemy isn't a fool,' and, 'Don't throw your weapons about. They must shoot straight when you meet the enemy.'

As well as knowing their area, the Privates were expected to be familiar with the local population. They had to keep their eyes open for enemy spies and saboteurs. They acted as sentries, checking identity cards and following up reports of strangers.

The Home Guard was known as 'Dad's Army' because of the number of older volunteers. The Germans never invaded and the Home Guard did not get the opportunity to prove their abilities and skill in action. Whilst they were generally seen as amateurs, specialist units like the coast defence, anti-aircraft, motor transport and bomb disposal units played an active part in air raids. And 137 members of the Home Guard were awarded medals and commendations for valour and risking their lives to save others during the war.

This booklet, Battlecraft and Battle Drill for the Home Guard, was published in 1943. The British government feared a German invasion during World War II, and so set up the Local Defence Volunteers/Home Guard (HG) in 1940. The HG was made up of volunteer units of men in towns and cities across Britain, and was sometimes known as 'Dad's Army'. Their job was to observe and report any signs of enemy presence, and to defend their local area against enemy invasion. The volunteers trained every week and practised manoeuvres that would prepare them to fight off an attack.

Each unit had to patrol their local area regularly, and this booklet, which was issued to section commanders, has instructions and diagrams on patrolling. The instructions include - how to patrol in particular areas, such as woodland and streets; how to scale walls and search houses, and how to use grenades. There are five chapters: Dealing with the General Characteristics of a Patrol; Scouts; Methods of Carrying Out Patrols; Fighting Patrol Against Airborne Troops, and Patrolling in Built-up Areas.

Weapons and uniforms were prioritised for the regular army so the Home Guard often had to improvise. The booklet shows how to make a homemade periscope (to look over bushes and walls while on patrol) and hessian covers for boots, to quieten footsteps so that one could move around without detection.