Bere Regis Village Website

Bere Regis Village Home Guard in World War II


The Village had an energetic Home Guard in World War II.
Had the Germans invaded, these brave Volunteers would have defended our Nation.
You can see them more clearly by clicking the Photograph above.

"We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."
Winston Churchill, 4th June 1940


Some of the Members of the Village Home Guard were as follows -

Bere Regis Lt Harry Robert Jesty Roke Farm Bere Regis (Transfers to 2nd Bn Dorset 1/10/1943 SC list 73)

Pte John Austral Fitton Storrs WLJK/126/1 No 7 Coy (to be Capt Sub unit MO 15/3/1943 Manor House Bere Regis SC list 59)

Bere Regis also had a patrol of the Auxiliary Units (203 Battallion), Churchills secret army who would go to ground in a secret bunker. The bunker was in Bere Wood and the members were as follows:-

Sgt P Webb (WLJ/662066) Wareham Purbeck RD

Pte Percy Edwin Miller (WLBB 72/5) (OB in Bere Wood)

Pte E Norman (WLBG 19/1) Blandford RD

Pte Ernest Richard Upshall (WLJK 170/1) Southbrook, Bere Regis

Pte Ernest Raymond Legg (WLB 1078263) Abbots Court, Winterbourne Kingston