This article is really an appeal for help to identify the men depicted in this photograph which shows the first church parade for Wantage's Home Guard in 1940 or to give them their correct title the 5th Berkshire (Wantage) Battalion Home Guard.

Partly as a result of posting the photo on the 'Old Wantage' Facebook page and from my own knowledge the following men have been identified:

• The Commanding Officer in the centre (wearing a glengarry) is Lt Colonel PWK Carr MC (late of the Seaforth Highlanders)

• Sitting to his immediate left is RSM (later Captain) H A Glaysher. (PT Instructor at King Alfred#s Grammer School)

• Sitting 6th from RSM Gaysher's left (wearing large moustache) is Sgt (later RSM) Walter Titcombe. In civilian life he was Head Porter at St Mary's School.

• Tall man in centre, right at the back is Pte John Gardner. Son of the chaplain at St Mary's School he later found fame as a spy and thriller novelist especially for his James Bond books.

• 2nd Row from the back, 3rd from the right Pte Bill Joyce

• 3rd from the right front row. Pte Bill Overall

• Right end, second row from the front possibly Pte Wallace Pottinger from Childrey.

The 5th Battalion (Wantage) Home Guard was formed in May 1940.

Battalion HQ was initially a cell at Wantage Police Station in Mill Street but later moved to the Drill Hall in Springfield Road.

Although the Wantage area, was too far inland to be classified as vitally important during World War II, there were nevertheless, some very important military objectives within its boundaries. All these places needed to be monitored and patrolled by someone in case of invasion by the Germans.

There was Harwell and Watchfield airfields, and those at Pusey, Grove, Shellingford and Welford; the Thames Stopline – a series of pillboxes carefully sited along the riverbank (in Wantage there were tank traps eg outside the Priory in Church Street and a pillbox alongside the Letcombe Brook); and the vital lateral road and rail communications of the Thames and Kennet Valleys.

The 70 or so square miles of the Berkshire Downs would make an ideal landing ground for parachute and for glider borne troops, the innumerable woods and spinnies forming ample cover for consolidating and organizing, once these enemy troops landed.

Behind all the memories of the classic TV comedy 'Dads Army' lies the stark fact that these men of the Home Guard were totally prepared to die in a last ditch attempt to save our freedom from an invading army which it was believed would invade at any time. Lest we forget.

Can anyone name anybody else on this photo. If so please contact me on trevor@whitehorseancestors.co.uk