CH 21 Home Guard WW II Living History Group
Bringing the past to life
FAQs
What You Need To Know
We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of common questions and answers about our Living History Group. Browse the section, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
How often does Wirral Home Guard Reenactor's Group meet?
Our Spiritual Home is the welcoming "Home Guard Club" "D" Coy 21st Battalion Cheshire Home Guard Old Comrades Association to whom we are affiliated. We hold a meeting here on the first Wednesday of each month where we have a drink and discuss our strategy and plans. The club, based in Eastham offers a warm and friendly environment a good bar and snooker room and is a great place to meet socially
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https://www.facebook.com/EHGWirral/
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We will also be meeting on a regular basis at our new HQ ( RAF Hooton Park ) administered by the Hooton Park Trust, where we will engage in training, drill, and research.
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We will as a group also be engaging with the public, with schools and other groups in our role is Living History re-enactors at RAF Hooton Park on an ongoing basis
How do I join a meeting for the first time?
To join us, all you need to do is to decided that you want to participate in our events and drop us a line using the contacts page or mail us directly ( ch21homeguard@mailco.uk ) and we will give you all the information you need. New enthusiastic members are always welcome in many different capacities
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Additionally you can come to one of our meetings and have a chat with our members who I can assure you will be informative, welcoming and encouraging should you express an interest in joining us
Do I have to be a member to participate?
You do not need to be a member to participate, we are always grateful for help at events. You might like to come to an event and see what we do and then decide to join. Joining criteria depends on what you think you can offer the group. The core of our group is the Home Guard, and to be be a member of the Home Guard Section does require a certain degree of commitment and dedication, we we are always here to help and encourage
Other ways to keep in touch:
We are on Facebook and use this medium extensively to keep each other informed on a regular and ongoing basis other, and we have a dedicate WhatsApp Group. We plan our activities on a daily basis, and our facebook group is a vibrant group to belong to where we can share our thoughts and ideas
OUR ETHOS
PRESENTING OURSELVES
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We are a serious Historical Re-enactment group, whose aim is to portray "D" Coy 21st Battalion Cheshire Home Guard as it would have been in 1943, with respect and accuracy.
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We strive to be true to the spirit of the times, and in all things, working ever towards true historical portrayal.
Very often, the devil is in the detail!.
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When appearing in the public arena, we need to be constantly aware of our personal responsibility to the history we portray, the general public and to each other.
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Our appearance, turn out and behaviour is what others notice, and what will rate our success or failure in what we do.
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In terms of the Home Guard core section of the group, we have our rules, simply because there were rules back in the day, and so the rules are part of the re-enactment.
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Details of the kit required can be found elsewhere on this site, but on top of that, other things that need to be considered include for example appropriate hair styles, ( oh yes and beards only allowed with Royal Prerogative), the right kind of wrist watch. ( No digital watches in 1943!), and gents, your shirts under the B.D Blouses should be sensitive to the period in case your BD needs to come off during an exercise for example.
Those who are able to get period style glasses - these make a huge difference
- help and advice is always available from the members - THESE ARE AIMS SO Don't be put off by thinking we can always achieve perfection, ITS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO AIM FOR
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We will find ourselves in many different environments, doing many varied things from Guard Duty, to dealing with the public, practicing Drill, Digging trenches, supporting other groups, just as would have been the case in 1943; so the rule of thumb is, when you are in your kit, you are in 1943 !