'Houses are found in infinite variety. Some are suited for defence, others are absolute death-traps.'

'Think: is it strong? Has it a cellar? Are its surrounding suitable? Is it capable of all-round defence?'

'Let me impress upon you once again: let your defence be active; go out and hit the enemy first; keep hitting him as he draws near to your defended house; and have your defences so good and so cunning, both inside and outside, that when he begins to attack it you can heave a sigh of relief and say, ‘And now he’s going to ask for it, and he will get it!’

Defence of Houses is one of a series of training books written in 1942 by Colonel G. A. Wade for the newly-recruited Home Guard. This reproduction from the Royal Armouries’ archive shows how Second World War trainees learnt to defend themselves amidst the threat of enemy invasion.