time, with its places of entertainment
and forces rest centres, such as the
American Red Cross Club, Rainbow
Corner, on Shaftesbury Avenue,
or the Canadian Beaver Club, off
The Mall. To help these newcomers
find their way around London, guides
were produced by organisations such
as the British Council or the Young Men’s
Christian Association. They can prove quite useful to historians and
researchers, as they provide various addresses of headquarters
and units based in the capital at the time. These pamphlets
come onto the market for £15 to £20. To assist visitors in their
travels, London Underground provided red, white and blue striped
‘HM & Allied Forces on Leave (in Uniform)’ day tickets, which still
occasionally surface for £20.
Interestingly, wartime London-related militaria can also be found
further afield. One example is an A5 leaflet dropped by the Germans
on British troops, attempting to undermine their morale by fostering
worry about their loved ones at home. Dating from the Baby Blitz of
March 1944, it shows a screaming woman, with the title “London
“Blitzed” Again!”, backed with “The Truth about the recent German
raids on London: quotations from unimpeachable sources”. This rare
leaflet fetches around £75, but be aware of reprints.
This short selection of objects, which all exude ‘Blitz spirit’, show
the wide range of items connected to London’s involvement in World
War Two which can be collected today. There is no specific book
on the capital’s wartime collectables, although there are numerous
histories that provide a background to the subject.Widely reproduced since the war, originals are not so easy to
distinguish but are not expensive when you can find them, at £15.
Of course, London’s everyday defence was left to the Home Guard,
of which, not unexpectedly, there were a considerable number of
units guarding the capital. Inner London was protected by 35 general
service battalions, each of more than 1,200 men, with a further 63
battalions covering the outer boroughs. The former battalions wore
printed shoulder titles bearing the initials ‘COL’ (County of London),
with a battalion number below, while the latter wore ‘LON’. Some
of the battalions, in what is now Greater London, wore titles
assigned to surrounding counties, such as ‘MX’ for Middlesex or
‘ESX’ for Essex. It should not be forgotten that the Home Guard
also manned many of the capital’s anti-aircraft guns and rocket
batteries and had corresponding insignia. These Home Guard titles
are generally on offer at £35-£55, dependent on the unit, but again,
watch out for copies.
One unusual collectable relates to the City of London Civic Guard.
Formed in October 1942, it was part of the London Region invasion
defence organisation [see Militaria Collecting issue 141] and was
created to assist the military and civil authorities during attack.
Members wore a pinback lapel badge bearing the City of London
shield. Quite rare, they sell for £35. Not that long ago, helmets
bearing fake painted versions of this badge were doing the rounds.FRIENDLY INVASION
London also became home to many different military units from the
UK and overseas. The capital offered fun and relaxation during leave70 http://www.britainatwar.com
RIGHTThis unusual 1942 pinback enamel badge refers to the City of London Civic
Guard, which was part of the London Region invasion defence organisation.BELOWVarious organisations produced guides for troops on leave in London.
This 1942 example, aimed at officers, includes adverts for The Ritz, theatres
and cinemas.BOTTOM RIGHTWartime London-related militaria can also be found further afield,
such as this 1944 German propaganda leaflet dropped on British troops in Italy.as the British Council or the Young Men’s