HISTORY of the 101
IN THE BEGINNING.
The 101 West
Lancs, Home Guard Rocket Battery R.A. was the first Home Guard
Battery in the Country. Following the eight days blitz in May 1941,
an appeal was made for volunteers to man anti-aircraft defences,
and in one day in September 1941, more than one thousand Civilians
enlisted.
From them was
built up the first Battery under the command of Major Arthur
Whitaker Lowe, a chartered accountant from Liverpool. The
headquarters was a blitz-shattered house in Bootle. An announcement
in a local newspaper had to be stopped because the scheme was “hush
hush”. The equipment was secret, but more than 1000 men
volunteered.
The second
Battery was formed at the same time in Sefton
Park under the command of Major H.R.Thomas and
eventually a third in Kensington under the command of Major
K.M.Davies. The training was carried out by regulars of Bootle
Battery commanded by a minister of the church of Scotland the first
Reverend G.K.Jenkins, a field artillery officer in the First World
War.
The officers and
men where assembled one night by invitation in Picton hall
Liverpool, Brigadier V.R.Krohn the commander of the Mersey
anti-aircraft defences gave them a lecture on the new weapon. The
first full time administrator was Captain E.F.Peart R.A. a regular
who saw action in France from 1915 to 1918.
In 1944/1945 the
War Office made contact with all the Home Guard Units and invited
them to extend their activities, and to form indoor rifle
teams.
The officers of the 172nd Rocket Battery, 101st
Home Guard Regiment Royal Artillery at the time based at Bootle
stadium, formed the 101 Rifle Club.
The Rifle Club
was an extension of the 101 Home Guard AA. Battery football team,
playing friendly matches with other Home Guard units in the area.
On the 20th November 1943 they played their first Home Guard league
match against 85th “D” Company. 101 lost 7 – 2.
The 101’s first win was on the 5TH February 1944
beating of all the people, the 85th “D” Company 7 – 5. Later on
they formed an “Old Comrades Association” and “Home Guard” youth
club.
The Club was
first registered with the N.S.R.A. on the 23rd April 1945, as 172
H.G. [1944]. Rifle Club Reg. No. 1609, and with the N.R.A. on the
24th May 1944 Reg. No. 4441. The name was changed to the “101 Rifle
Club” in August 1959 when the Home Office ordered the “Home Guard”
part of the title to be dropped.