BEDFORDSHIRE LOCAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION HISTORY IN BEDFORDSHIRE VOLUME 9Contents, NO 4, SUMMER 2021 The Association’s 28th Year Treds and tilth: BARBARA TEARLE ~ page 2 www.bedfordshire-lha.org.uk News: BLHA AGM & Conference – 'Life on the Home Front' ~ page 2 Sue Jarrett, 1955–2020 ~ page 2 Articles – WW2: The Home Guard and Bedford Vehicles: Prologue: Beating the Invader: HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT ~ page 3 The Gravenhurst Home Guard – 1944: COLIN WEST ~ page 5 Don’t Panic – Life in the Biggleswade Home Guard: VIC BRUNT ~ page 15 Bedford Vehicles in the Second World War: TE D M ARTIN ~ page 17 Society Bookshelf ~ page 21 Publications Received ~ page 22 History in Bedfordshire is published by the BEDFORDSHIRE LOCAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION www.bedfordshire-lha.org.uk For HIB: Editor: Ted Martin, 2A The Leys, Langford, Beds SG18 9RS Telephone: 01462 701096. E-mail:
[email protected] For BLHA: Secretary: Clive Makin, 32 Grange Road, Barton Le Clay, Bedford MK45 4RE: Telephone: 01582 655785 Contributions are very welcome and needed: please telephone or e-mail the Editor before sending any material. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020 BLHA Bedfordshire Local History Association and contributors. ISSN 0968–9761 1 News BLHA AGM & Conference - 'Life on the Home Front' As you will be aware the BHRS had proposed to host the 2020 then the 2021 BLHA Conference, with the theme of ‘Life on the Home Front during both World Wars’. We anticipate the Conference will take place successfully in 2022. BAALHS, however, planned to produce a special June 2021 issue of Bedford Local History Magazine, focusing on Bedford during the Second World War.