Captain Mainwaring set to march again as Britain plans to bring back real Dad’s Army
The new Home Guard would protect nuclear power plants and airports against attack from enemy states and terrorists
Captain Mainwaring is set to march again - as Britain plans to bring back a real Dad’s Army.
The new Home Guard would protect nuclear power plants and airports against attack from enemy states and terrorists. It will be modelled on the citizens’ militia created in 1940 when Britain faced the threat of invasion by Nazi Germany during WW2.
Their "don’t-tell-them-your-name Pike" adventures were immortalised in hit BBC comedy Dad’s Army - starring actor Arthur Lowe as moustachioed platoon leader Captain George Mainwaring - which ran for nine years.
The plan for the return of the real Home Guard is outlined in the Government’s strategic defence review.
The force would be made up of several thousand volunteers tasked with safeguarding power plants, telecommunications hubs and coastal sites where internet cables connecting Britain to the rest of the world come ashore.
Guards may also be deployed to power stations for major airports. Sources cited the recent fire that shut down Heathrow as evidence more resources are needed to guard them.
The Home Guard plan is central to the military review which focuses heavily on homeland security, national resilience and the need for the public to realise Britain has entered a pre-war era amid heightened tensions with Russia, Iran and North Korea.
A defence capability command paper will be published in the autumn setting out in detail how new defence programmes will work. But it is understood Home Guard volunteers will be drawn from the civilian population to form local hubs separate from existing organisations such as Army reserves but similar in structure.
The units will bolster the work of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary - the armed police force that protects the UK's sensitive sites.
Originally known as Local Defence Volunteers the Home Guard was an emergency WW2 programme made up of 1.5million men deemed either too old or young for frontline combat.
They were to act as a secondary force in the event of an invasion but in the mean time guarded factories and key transport links against possible capture by invading German paratroopers and helped maintain civilian order.
Though military chiefs agree Britain is not at risk of invasion they have identified vulnerabilities to critical national infrastructure from hostile states.
Russia has carried out ‘grey zone’ attacks on western infrastructure in recent years.
A number of other western countries still maintain home guards including Denmark and Sweden. Norway's Heimevernet protects infrastructure but personnel can be sent overseas. Germany is establishing a new homeland security division to guard key military facilities.
Britain’s defence review will also call for the Royal Navy to play a greater role in protecting undersea energy pipelines and internet cables
Tech giants that rely on the cables will be asked to help fund security measures such as sensors, radar systems and anti-sabotage underwater patrol vehicles
The review has been led by former Nato secretary-general and Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson of Port Ellen and retired general Sir Richard Barrons. It will warn that while the world has become more dangerous the UK's armed forces are undermanned and unable to meet current threats.
Defence secretary John Healey wants the size of the Army to be increased to 76,000 - up from an original target of 72,500.
While the military wants a dozen nuclear-powered hunter submarines to replace its ageing fleet of seven Astute-class subs.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said he would ‘welcome’ a bigger army but said a plan was needed to address the current problem of more people leaving than joining.
“To boost morale and recruitment we need to see an end to persecution of army veterans who served their country decades ago,” he added.
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