FINAL ‘stand-down’ parades of the Home Guard were held in early December, 1944.
On a dismal Sunday afternoon, four companies of the Keighley (27th West Riding) Battalion marched past a saluting-base in North Street, where Colonel Sir Donald Horsfall, the deputy section commander, took the salute.
This is ‘D’ Company, led by Major Norman Feather, who had won the Military Cross during the Great War.
The ceremony included speeches in the Picture House, where the Battalion was congratulated on “its exceedingly good record”.
Col Bateman assured “those who were of middle age that that would probably be the last time they would have the honour of wearing the King’s uniform on an official occasion”.
Yet Home Guard service had encouraged camaraderie. Afterwards, some former Oakworth members used to meet up and go for walks on Sundays.
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