Home Guard Stand Down 

This film shows the official "Stand Down" of the Home Guard ( late LDV) on Sunday 3 December 1944. The central event is a march of over 7000 Home Guardsmen drawn from units all over Great Britain, through the West End of London and culminating in a parade in Hyde Park. This particular footage shows the HG on parade at Horseguards. Many reviews took place, by the C-i-C through a host of civil and military dignitaries to a banquet given by the Lord Mayor of London. Special "Orders of the Day" were issued, emphasizing the important role the HG had played, and as always, HM The King had message of thanks from a grateful nation. "Standing Down", however, was not the same thing as "Disbanding", indeed the HG was not officially disbanded until 31 December 1945. It was briefly revived during the "Red Scare" of the 1950's, mainly to guard against a Communist Fifth Column in the wake of Burgess and Maclean.