A World War II military force raised in Britain. In 1908 the Territorial Force, a home defence organization, had been created, which became the Territorial Army in 1921. The Home Guard, known originally as the Local Defence Volunteers, existed from 1940 to 1944. In 1942 enrolment in the force became compulsory for sections of the civilian population. About a million men served in their spare time, and in its first vital year it possessed considerably more men than firearms. It never went into battle, but it did relieve the army of some duties and it boosted morale, especially from 1940 to 1942.