This week, Redline Home Guard carried out an evening training exercise at the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, making full use of the site after operations had finished for the day.
With no trains running, the platoon was safely able to use the railway line and surrounding area to practise realistic patrol techniques in a setting that closely reflects the type of infrastructure the Home Guard would have been tasked with protecting during the Second World War. Railways were considered vital strategic targets during the war, essential for the movement of troops, supplies and equipment, making them a key concern for both sabotage and enemy attack.
The exercise focused on patrol movement and fieldcraft, with members practising how to move quietly and effectively as a group while maintaining observation and security at all times. Patrols advanced from the station area and out into the countryside immediately beyond the railway, carefully checking vulnerable points and scanning surrounding areas as they moved.
A variety of techniques were practised throughout the evening, including silent movement, spacing, observation drills and maintaining communication within the patrol under low-light conditions. The railway environment provided an excellent training ground, offering embankments, trackside cover and restricted sightlines that forced patrols to work carefully and methodically.
Exercises like these remain an important part of Redline’s living history approach, helping members better understand the realities of wartime Home Guard duties while also developing practical teamwork and fieldcraft skills.
Most importantly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and a fantastic location to train in.
A huge thank you goes to the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway for once again allowing us access to the site and continuing to support our training activities.
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