Sam Walsh of Prince George, B.C., tells a story set in an English pub early in 1942.

A small, middle-aged Home Guard member pushed his way to the bar between two burly, regular army Guardsmen, who began poking fun at the newcomer.

“Why don’t you get into a proper army?” one of them said.

Home Guard thought a moment and said: “Weren’t you guys chased out of Crete?” The regular Guardsmen had to agree.

“And weren’t you chased out of Libya and Hong Kong and Singapore and Belgium and France?” Well yes, there had been some trouble like that.

“Well,” said Home Guard, “I’m here to see you don’t get chased out of England.”