By ©. M. Grecx In spite of German threats to treat our Home Guard as franes tireurs and shoot them down without merey when they land here <Awhich they would in any case, whether regarding them as soldiers or civilians—the eagerness of everyone not eligible for the regular services to join the Guard is the liveliest proof of what our nation is. Since the Home Guard was formed as the Local Defence Force it has changed out of all semblance to the original rather casual body.
organization has been tightened up, it is being provided with proper uniforms, and regimental badges are to be "given to it. Some revive associations of centuries past; others have some local or personal connection; London units afMiated to the Royal Fusiliers will wear the red and white rose. There is talk of designing, a special tie for the Guard.
Over 1,000,000 men have now joined besides a number of women, good riders who are doing. cross-country communication work on Dartmoor, the Sussex Downs and similar Some weeding out is now being Age is no disqualification. There are men of 60 who are more vigorous than men of 40. But there are necessarily some whose enthusiasm outrun their physical ability 0 stand the strain of the night watches, And some of the original. amicers are being gently shelved. Already the Home Guard is a formidable force, Tt will soon be a terrible tone and if the Germans wish to treat it as francs tireurs, well, let them try.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.