Our dad Ted Holland No3 Commando was a member of the Home Guard before joining the REME and subsequently the commandos.
He was working in the Aircraft industry at the outbreak of war for a company known as Airscrew Ltd based in Weybridge Surrey. The company made aircraft propellors from wood.
The Home Guard patrolled the nearby canals and factories mostly involved with war work. In particular the Vickers and Hawker factories at nearby Brooklands.
Dad was 17/18 at the time unable to be accepted as aircrew due to his reserved occupation. This resulted in several pranks one of which got him sacked.
I attach a photo showing the troop? dad is third from right second to back row. He was responsible for a Lewis gun usually positioned on the factory roof as a precaution against air raids. This was beforethe infamous raid on Brooklands
Bill Harvey
Son of Gunner Bill Harvey No4 Commando who was killed in action on 1 November 1944 when liberating Flushing. "Their deeds shall live from age to age. They've writ their name on History's page. Upheld their glorious heritage. The Fighting Fourth Commando."