"The Home Guard 1939-1945" The Home Guard: During an exercise in Colchester in August 1942 involving Home Guard and Civil Defence personnel, German troops were supposed to have landed and were attacking the locality. The town was out of bounds to troops not on duty and inhabitants told to stay in doors; realistic training ensued. In a camouflaged post a Home Guard Lance Corporal has his Hotchkiss gun trained on the road for any attacking force.