Detailed maps for the Home Guard defence of the village of Brockenhurst and surrounding areas. What is recorded here in pen and ink is remarkably close to the textbook examples set out in various Home Guard training manuals.
All photographs remain copyright of the Solent News and Photo Agency. They are shown here for historical reference.
Hand drawn plans for the defence of Beaulieu
Why I have put the article link here and copied two of the plans as reference is not just because such material seems to disappear from the web when you look for it again,
but also because they are a good test scenario for anyone exploring through gaming the historical likelihood of the Home Guard surviving a German airborne or seaborne invasion.
Looking at maps like these, you realise more that the Home Guard should be seen both as a deterrent and “suicide squad”, whose job on their own known and prepared home ground was to delay the German attack village by village, town by town, for a few vital hours whilst the regular army could be mobilised into suitable position.
They are in modern emergency services terms the equivalent of First Aiders and First Responders.
It is open to question whether in an Invasion scenario there was the chance for the Home Guard to withdraw and melt away to avoid heavy losses or an expectation that they should stand their ground and sell themselves dearly.
Thankfully this question was never tested out in real life. Exploring this through tabletop or board gaming is thankfully our only option to resolve this question.
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN, 10 September 2020 / March 2023
Look Duck and Varnish 