When the Home Guard was first formed it had its' own rank structure. As a unit of 'volunteers' it was felt that there should be a system of 'appointed' ranks and 'officers' did not hold Kings' Commissions. The ranks were as follows:
Home Guard Appointment Equivalent Army Rank
Zone Commander Brigadier/Colonel
Group Commander Colonel
Battalion Commander Lieutenant-Colonel
Company Commander Major
Platoon Commander Captain/Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant
Section Commander Sergeant
Squad Commander Corporal/Lance-Corporal
Volunteer Private
It was not until November 1940 that it was decided to bring the Home Guard structure in line with the regular army. From February 1941 officers and men were known by orthadox army ranks with the exception of privates. It was not until the spring of 1942 that the rank of 'volunteer' was dropped in favour of 'private' (at the time when conscription was introduced).
Right, on right: 1942 Austin K2 Auxilliary Towing Vehicle of the National Fire Service. Some 4,000 of these vehicles were ordered by the Home Office during the Second World War for the N.F.S. who used them to tow heavy trailer pumps.Based on the 2 ton lorry chassis,they were fitted with utility bodywork accomandating a crew of six,hoses and a 30ft ladder.The Austin K2 units were not designed to carry water,they just carried equipment and crew.
On left: Heavy pump and ladder mounted on Austin K4 chassis?
The heavy unit consisted of a 700 gpm pump mounted on a medium lorry chassis and was the chief self-propelled pump of wartime manufacture. A number of coachbuilders undertook the assembly by mounting Leyland-engined Gwynne two-stage pumps on either Austin or Morris Commercial chassis, Fordson-engined Sulzer two-stage pumps on either Ford or Bedford chassis, and Ford-engined Tangye single-stage pumps on Ford or Bedford chassis. All had 5 ½ in suction and four deliveries. In the early stages of the emergency period, about 1,000 pumps were built on Bedford chassis and others on Morris Commercial chassis before these makes were required to fulfil orders for military vehicles. Occasional use was made of other chassis, but thereafter fire engines were constructed on the Austin K4 and Fordson 7V chassis.
The Canadian Women's Army Corps was a non-combatant branch of the Canadian Army for women, established during the Second World War, with the purpose of releasing men from those non-combatant roles in the Canadian armed forces as part of expanding Canada's war effort. Most women served in Canada but some served overseas, most in roles such as secretaries, mechanics, cooks and so on.
Auxiliary Towing Vehicle
In the early stages of World War 2, an assortment of cars, taxis and light commercials was pressed into service with the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) to tow the 20,000 trailer pumps which it was estimated would be needed to keep the fire service adequately equipped for war. This proved to be a false economy because hire charges and repair bills swallowed up the savings expected from not buying purpose-built vehicles in the first place. During an air raid on Manchester in December 1940 so many of the city's make-shift towing vehicles were out of action or under repair that trailer pumps had to be pushed to fires by their crews. Against this background, in 1941 the Government approved the purchase of 2,000 two-ton vans for use as towing vehicles, each with internal seating for the crew and stowage for hose and small gear. Let it be said now that, although widely known now as the auxiliary towing vehicle, or ATV, there is no evidence to suggest the appliance was so called until after the war.
Production started in 1941 and continued apace until 1943. Few, if any, of the 5,750 towing vehicles believed to have been finally built would have been operational in time for the large scale bombing of London and other major cities during the Blitz of 1940/41. When over 1,600 local authority fire brigades of England, Scotland and Wales were nationalised on 18 August 1941 under the National Fire Service (NFS), the AFS and its towing vehicles were absorbed into the new national body.
Most of the new vehicles were built on the short wheelbase Austin K2 2-ton chassis but some were built on the Fordson WOT2 15-cwt chassis. Both were rear-wheel drive and the Austin was powered by a 6-cylinder, 3460cc petrol engine whilst the Fordson was fitted with a V8 3261cc petrol engine. It is believed that a few towing vehicles were also produced on the Guy Ant 15-cwt chassis but none are known to survive. All three vehicles were about the same size and the cautious weight designation of the Fordson and the Guy appears to reflect their primary use as military vehicles. The bodywork was steel with a specially strengthened roof to provide protection from shrapnel and flying debris. The driver and officer-in-charge sat up front while the rest of the crew sat in the back on what was described as padded seating accommodation, this actually comprising a cushion over the equipment lockers down each side of the rear compartment. There was no separation between the driver's cab and the rear crew area and it was possible to climb through from front to back. The open back of the vehicle was provided with a waterproof curtain that could be drawn across to keep out rain and snow. Like the Green Goddesses of the post-war AFS, the ATVs were probably built by a number of different companies with no fire engine building experience. Most had a body that was 6 ft 9 ins wide but some, for no reason known to me, had a narrow 6 ft 4 ins body. The standard body overhung the rear wheels while the narrow body was virtually flush with the rear wheels. In common with all NFS vehicles, the towing vehicles were painted grey to conform with British Standard Shade No. 32, which I believe later became colour 632 Dark Admiralty Grey under BS 381C - Colours for Identification, Coding and Special Purposes.
In January 1943 the NFS issued an Operations and Training Note specifying the standard method of stowing Austin towing vehicles, so that any fireman could find the equipment on any such vehicle in the dark. Each vehicle was to carry 20 lengths of rolled hose, which would have been 2½ or 2¾ inch canvas hose, some rubber-lined, in 50 ft or 75 ft lengths. Eleven lengths were stowed in a hose locker running across the vehicle behind the front seats and where possible locally fitted racks were provided above this locker for the other nine. The racks could also be used to accommodate kit-bags and anti-gas clothing. Electric hand lamps were stowed in the driver's cabin and other tools, such as axes, picks, spades, saws and a crowbar were stowed in the under-seat lockers behind. A medical case, canvas buckets, lines, hose bandages, hand pumps and hurricane lamps were also to be found in locker boxes but hose ramps were kept on the floor at the front of the body. Other equipment provided locally, such as foam and foam
branches, was accommodated wherever it would fit. A long ladder, a short ladder and a hook ladder were carried on the roof, along with a branchpipe holder. Missing from this equipment is everything, apart from delivery hose, needed to get a pump to work. This is because suction hose, hydrant gear and hose fittings were carried on the trailer pump itself.
Wartime fires were so large that regional reinforcing moves were common and towing vehicles engaged on such calls were required to carry extra equipment to sustain both the vehicle and its crew on potentially long journeys in the blackout. This included fuel, oil and grease for the vehicle, and food for 48 hours in sealed tins and 2 gallons of drinking water for the crew. A kit bag with two blankets was specified but it is likely that provision would have been made for the whole crew of five men. Washing and shaving gear, a change of underclothing, protective clothing in haversacks and other personal equipment was also specified, together with one tin of anti-gas ointment per pump first-aid box.
The Austin K2/Y is a British heavy military ambulance that was used by all Commonwealth services during World War II. Built by Austin, it was based on the civilian light truck Austin K30, differing mainly by having simple canvas closures in place of driver's cab doors.
The K2/Y could take ten casualties sitting or four stretcher cases. The rear body, known as No. 2 Mk I/L was developed by the Royal Army Medical Corps and built by coachbuilder Mann Egerton. The interior dimensions were approximately 2.6 meters long, 2.0 meters wide and 1.7 meters high. At the rear of the vehicle there were two large doors. From the driver's cab the wounded could also be accessed through a small internal door with a seat. The exterior was mainly made from painted canvas.
A letter from one's sweetheart?
A girlfriend or wife was considered a sweetheart. Since they were sweet and sugar is sweet and they reported what was happening at home, a letter from a sweetheart was called a sugar report.
Becoming acclimated to the way a ship moved meant a sailor was getting his what?
Without a seaman having his sea legs, he could slip and slide on the ship and get seasick.
What is a SNAFU?
Situation. Normal. All _ucked Up.
"Kilroy Was Here" was a type of what?
Graffiti: The words were associated with the drawing of a bald man, who sometimes had a few hairs, with a big long nose, who peeked over a wall with the fingers of each hand clutching the wall. This graffiti is engraved on the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Who was a G.I. Jesus?
A G.I. Jesus was a member of the Armed Forces who served as the religious minister at camp. Regardless of the soldier's denomination, he or she could confide in the chaplain.
When a person went "bucking for a Section 8" they were trying to get what?
Discharged from the military. Some soldiers would do anything to grab a Section 8 - from getting themselves declared crazy to shooting themselves in the foot!
A person who gives his opinion on everything is a what?
An Armchair General did not care if he was informed or not, he still had an opinion. A modern version would be a Monday morning quarterback.
What did the letters CB mean?
There were usually only two reasons a soldier would be confined to his barracks. One was if he was sick but not sick enough for the infirmary, and the other was if he was being disciplined.
When someone said, "See the chaplain," what did he or she mean?
They didn't want to hear his/her troubles. Soldiers could see the chaplain to talk over their problems, no matter how big or small they were. Chaplains were also available to give last rites to those who were dying or died, and to marry couples.
A know-it-all about military regulations was called a what?
Barracks lawyer. A barracks lawyer was a know-it-all who complained more about military regulation than anything else. He was also known as a guardhouse lawyer.
Canned or tinned food was called what?
During WWII, C-rations were better than nothing but they did not taste very good. As time went on, the military put the food in a pouch and added goodies such as brownies.
Why didn't men like to get a Dear John letter, even if their name was John?
It was a break-up letter. When a Dear John letter arrived, it was his sweetheart informing him that she found someone else to date or marry. Many times, having a sweetheart back home was the only thing that gave the soldier a will to live.
A Hershey Bar was actually used as a form of what in parts of Europe?
Exchange. Soldiers in Europe used the famous chocolate bar as a means to "buy" something. If a hooker had a low rate and a candy bar could be used as a method of exchange, she was labeled a "Hershey Bar."
A D-ration was what?
Vitamins in blocks of chocolate. D-Rations have been a part of a U.S. soldier's military rations since 1937. This ration served two purposes: a pocket-ration taken for a burst of energy and a boost for morale.
Mae West was not only a famous actress, but soldiers also used her name to describe what?
An inflatable life jacket. The Inflatable life jacket was invented by Peter Markus in 1920, and he got his patent in 1928. WWII was the first major war that had Inflatable life jackets to protect their soldiers.
A poster of a sexy movie star was called a what?
WWII brought on the age of the pin-up. Men needed beautiful women as morale boosters. Some of the most famous pin-ups of WWII were Rita Hayworth, Veronica Lake and Betty Grable.
A pecker checker checked soldiers for what?
VD. The pecker checker was a doctor or a medical assistant. A pecker checker was also known as a pricksmith.
What was R & R?
Rest and relaxation was also known as rest and rotation. R & R gave soldiers a break from fighting to chill out in a neighboring town, camp or base, away from the action.
Beans was a nickname for what?
Cooks sometimes had special relationships with the sergeants. For example, if a cook allowed a sergeant to bypass the food line, that cook might avoid having their name put on the duty roster to do more work. Sometimes cooks who fed the army or marines had to build makeshift kitchens out of fuel barrels.
What was a noncom?
A non-commissioned officer was, and still is, a military officer who does not have his or her commission. A commissioned officer usually earns their commission through going to college instead of coming up through the enlisted ranks.
AWOL means what?
Absent without leave. In order to take a break from service, a soldier or officer needed to request leave and have it approved. An AWOL soldier or officer was one who took a break without obtaining the proper approval first.
A pineapple wasn't a fruit, it was slang for what?
A grenade is a small explosive device that is thrown by the soldier's hand. Grenades can explode on impact or after a set amount of time.
Lettuce or carrots were called what?
Rabbit food. Carrots or lettuce may have been called rabbit's food, but rabbits shouldn't eat all vegetables.
Gruesome twosome was what?
Regulation shoes worn by the WACS (Women's Auxiliary Corps, U.S. Army) were uncomfortable. Although the WACS were frowned upon and hated by their male counterparts at first, as time went on the women earned respect from their peers.
Dumbo was not only a Disney character, but also slang for what?
Rescue seaplane. Dumbo's mission was to rescue U.S. pilots and seamen who were in trouble. The original plane was a heavy bomber aircraft that was converted to carry a lifeboat. The lifeboat could be dropped in the water near the people who needed to be rescued.
What was Anastasie?
Censorship. This term was used widely in France. It was named after St. Anastasie, who had her tongue cut out by the order of Emperor Diocletian, and was therefore unable to speak.
A canary was not only a bird, but also slang for what?
A canary was a nice-looking woman, and a group of ladies called Canary Girls worked in munitions factories in England during WWII. The women who handled sulfur were nicknamed Canary Girls.
"Sparks" is the nickname given to what?
In the U.S. Navy, radio operators were found in the "Radio Shack." The various positions included Broadcast Operator, Inbound/Outbound Traffic Checker and Teletype Repairman.
A unlucky or sad soldier was nicknamed what?
The slang came from the comic strip of the same name. "Sad Sack" was a comic that told the story of an unnamed sorry private in the U.S. Army and his humbling experiences of military life.
Lead poisoning wasn't about filthy water or lead paint during WWII, but rather, it referred to what?
It wasn't just any bullet; it was a shot that caused death or injury. Bullets are made from lead.
Housewife was slang for what?
Soldiers received sewing kits at different times and places. Therefore, one soldier's sewing pack could be different than the man's next to him. Most kits had two to six spools of thread, plus a couple of needles, a thimble and a pair of scissors.
A disgusting lemonade powder found in rations was called what?
Soldiers said the drink was so disgusting that they used it as a cleaner. Coffee also had the nickname of battery acid.
A man or woman who flagged a 4-F was what?
A 4-F or 4F was a designation given to a new U.S. military recruit who was unfit for duty. He or she could have been found not acceptable due to dental, medical or other problems.
If a person didn't have "jack" they didn't have any what?
Money. Not having "jack" is a term still used in the present to mean that one does not have any money. The term can also mean that a person doesn't have a home, job, spouse or food.
What was a Behavior Report?
A letter to a girlfriend. The behavior report let a soldier's girl know how he was doing and how much he cared for her. The sweethearts at home looked forward to letters from the front just as much as the men looked forward to the sugar reports from home.
