Over 1,000 Volunteers at Blantyre

It was stated officially yesterday that Blantyre Police are highly pleased with the response made for volunteers for service under the A.R.P. regulations.

Up till now over 1,000 men have appeared at the Police Station and agreed to give their services for immediate duty.

The men have already been allocated to districts and sub-districts under senior officers and are representative of all classes in the community, which includes business men in Glasgow, local doctors and business men, miners and school teachers.

Gas masks have been stored in the local police office for some time past, but now masks are stored in different halls in Blantyre.

Glasgow Herald, September 29th 1938

Note from Bill: The A.R.P. and the Home Guard were formed as a backup to the army, to defend the towns and villages of the United Kingdom should the Germans invade, but they were armed initially with only what could be scrounged up and private weapons. They eventually were properly armed and usually consisted of men in reserved occupations, those unable to fight due to a medical condition, or those who were too old to fight.

The Y.M.C.A. building was used as the “Home Guard” training H.Q. during the war.

Behind the building was an other building, which became McSeveney’s Coachworks, was used for training, also there were trenches at the back (where some children used to play at being soldiers.)

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