Dec 29, 2025
British soldiers and members of the local Private Defence Force prepare a camp for captured German submariners - North of England, Nov 1939. Photo by Fox Photos
Private Defence Forces began to spring up in various parts of England shortly after war broke out. These were funded by large private companies that were intent on protecting their investments in the event of invasion. It wasn’t until May 1940 that the British Government officially recognised the need for a Home Force and launched the LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) scheme later to become the Home Guard.
