[Hobilar]

Lady Helena Gleichen, a grand-niece of Queen Victoria, whose family home was a sprawling estate at Much Marcle in Hertfordshire, was not about to sit around and let Nazi storm-troopers march in and take over. Months before the Government officially announced the formation of the LDV ( later renamed as The Home Guard) she organised her 80 strong estate staff into an unofficial Observation Corps. These `Volunteers' wearing an armband stencilled with their unit title- `Much Marcle Watchers' would go out each night into the countryside in search of invading enemy Parachutists.

After a while Lady Helena decided that her band of warriors could do with some weapons with a bit more clout than their normal gamekeepers' shotguns. She wrote to the Army directly and requested the supply of 80 rifles with ammunition -"plus a couple of machine guns, if you have any". It goes without saying that her Ladyship's request was politely refused.

A very formidable lady indeed, and one who most certainly would have given Herr Hitler's legions a very unwelcoming greeting if they had ever commenced an invasion.