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| WWII Home-Guards and the GPO |
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| message from Russell W. Barnes on 28 Jun 2005 |
Perhaps someone can enlighten me please, given the collective knowledge on
related subjects!
During WWII, the Workington Home-Guard was divided up into different
companies: 'A'-Company, 'B'-Company etc... 'C'-Company was made up from
railway employees, corporation electricity and gas company workers, bus
company employees and GPO staff. The Workington HG formed the 5th
(Cumberland) Battalion Home-Guard, and was affiliated to the Border
Regiment.
Shortly after formation - according to anecdotal evidence and a one-line
comment in some contemporary records - the GPO staff were taken out of
'C'-Company and affiliated to a Lancashire unit, totally seperate from their
former 'C'-Company cohorts. The reason I was given for this was that the
GPO was considered to be of such great importance and the equipment, lines,
routings etc were considered too secret for anyone other than GPO employees
(who had probably signed the Official Secrets Act in any case). The area
GPO headquarters was based in Lancaster, hence the affiliation to a
Lancashire Regiment
Did this type of Home-Guard segregation occur elsewhere? Was it a
nation-wide policy? Although 'A'-Company (for example) was a steel-works
company, and other companies were formed from their employees, they still
retained the affiliation to the Border Regiment and were part of the overall
area battalion.
Are records kept on such historical matters by BT? Where might I start
looking for official documentation on the GPO Home-Guard?
All comments gratefully appreciated.
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| Chip replied to Russell W. Barnes on 28 Jun 2005 |
On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 22:39:35 +0100,it is alleged that "Russell W.
Interesting. I hadn't heard of this before. If the GPO did keep the
records, they'd likely be in the BT Archives in London.
( http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/BTsHistory/BTgrouparchives/ )
I for one have always found the archives staff very helpful indeed.
Also the M.O.D may have public records available to researchers,
someone in uk.rec.subterranea will likely have more information on
this side of things.
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| Dave Croft replied to Russell W. Barnes on 29 Jun 2005 |
Try the group "thegpotrafficoffice" on Yahoo.
This is a group for ex-GPO employees.
Also see http://www.lightstraw.co.uk/ate/
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| Russell W. Barnes replied to Dave Croft on 30 Jun 2005 |
"Dave Croft" <davecroft@nospammershere.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3ie3m9Fl8al7U1@individual.net
8><----------------------------
Many thanks, Dave.
I have had some interesting and useful feedback from
'thegpotrafficoffice' members and 'Light Straw'. - A good starting
point!
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