Ulster Home Guard.
In 1940 the Germans planned to invade Northern Ireland with 20,000
paratroops and 12,000 airborne soldiers.
One wave was to land between Divis Mountain and Lough Neagh and capture
the airfields. Another wave was to land near Lisburn and cut off the
road to Dublin.
The threat led to the formation of the Ulster Home Guard. 26,000
volunteered to join.
Possible landing beaches were mined and closed off with posts and
barbed wire.
Machine gun emplacements were built in concrete bunkers. Many can still
be seen at Tyrella, Portrush and Portstewart.
The land border with the Republic of Ireland was patrolled to prevent German
spies attempting to infiltrate the country.
The German plan was frustrated because they no longer had air superiority, after losing the Battle of Britain.
Later in the war the Home Guard manned the anti-aircraft guns at Holywood
and Londonderry but never had cause to go into action.
