Home Service Force

The Home Service Force was a Home Guard type force established in the United Kingdom in 1982. It was linked to the Territorial Army (TA) and recruited from volunteers aged 18–60 with previous British forces (TA or regular) experience. It was introduced to guard key points and installations likely to be the target of enemy ‘special forces’ and saboteurs, so releasing other units for mobile defence roles. It was stood down in 1992.

The pilot started in September 1982 and consisted of four companies that were used to relieve the army of guarding key points. The personnel consisted of 18- to 60-year-olds with a training obligation of 4-5 weekends per year. In 1984, there were platoons in 11 cities and the force began expanding to 5,000 persons nationwide, with the goal of establishing a platoon in every Territorial Army company by 1988.

It was decided to disband the HSF in 1991 and the last unit was disbanded in 1993.

There was never a common cap badge or regimental/corps crest for the Home Service Force. Each officer and soldier wore the cap badge of their sponsoring regiment or battalion.

A modern crest does exist, granted to the Home Service Force Association, but to avoid confusion, it is not shown here. It can be viewed on The HSF Association website.

Membership was open to recruits who had previous military service, which could have been with the army, Royal Navy or Royal Air Force, MoD Police or as adult instructors in the Army Cadet Force, Sea Cadet Corps, Air Training Corps or Combined Cadet Force. Reserve forces of significant length of service were also eligible. This meant that there wasn’t the usual raw recruit training, just refresher training to bring everyone up to scratch; for example, some of the volunteers were used to the SMLE rifle and many a drill night was spent getting to grips with the SLR and then later with the SA80 (or equivalent).

There were at least 50 HSF squadrons or companies formed by 1985. Only one was a Royal Artillery battery. Each of these usually comprised three troops or platoons.

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Wikipedia