'Dad's Army' set for real-life return as UK military plans defence against Russian invasion
The Home Guard scheme is expected to be announced in the Government's Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which is set to be published within weeks, according to reports
The Government is said to be mulling over the creation of a Home Guard, similar to the Dad's Army model, to protect vital British infrastructure from attacks by hostile nations and terrorists. These plans are believed to be part of the Government's eagerly awaited Strategic Defence Review (SDR), set to be published in the forthcoming weeks.
The proposed unit is reportedly inspired by the Home Guard established during the Second World War in the 1940s as a final line of defence against a potential German invasion of Britain. The original members were typically men who were either too old or young to serve on the frontline, or those deemed unfit or ineligible.
Dad's Army, a cherished BBC comedy series from the 1960s and 1970s, was based on Home Guard volunteers during the Second World War.
Today's Home Guard would consist of thousands of volunteers tasked with safeguarding infrastructure such as nuclear power plants, airports, and telecommunications sites, according to The Sunday Times.
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Heathrow, the busiest airport in the UK and Europe, was shut down in March following a fire at a nearby electrical substation that disrupted operations, reports the Express.
While the specific operational details of the Home Guard remain vague, it is understood that the volunteers would be civilians, with local hubs set up across the nation, as reported by The Sunday Times.
The Home Guard is anticipated to be organised in a manner akin to the Army reserves and will function independently from existing organisations.
The scheme is expected to offer support to units such as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, which protects British nuclear sites.
The Home Guard initiative is reportedly a key element of the SDR, which will evaluate the threats facing the UK and how the country should react.
Although there are no immediate worries about an invasion, the review has pinpointed vulnerabilities in Britain's critical national infrastructure due to hostile states.
Following Russia's incursion into Ukraine, there have been several incidents in the Baltic Sea where power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged - many of these have been attributed to Moscow, a claim that Russia has consistently denied.
The SDR purportedly advocates for the Royal Navy to assume a more prominent role in safeguarding such underwater infrastructure, while the Home Guard would focus on land-based sites.
Countries including Denmark, Germany and Sweden currently maintain a form of Home Guard.