THIS week marks a special anniversary in the history of East Lancashire's own 'Dad's Army.'

For 60 years ago tomorrow, on December 3, 1944, the Home Guard staged a series of parades to signal their 'stand down' from the war effort.

Men who had guarded Lancashire since the summer of 1940 sloped arms for the last time, including the Blackburn Battalion, the 10th Lancs.

And this picture, which has been lent to Looking Back, by Mrs Eileen Eastham, of Darwen, shows the march past Blackburn town hall by some of its 750-strong contingent of men and officers.

On that Sunday, the salute was taken by Colonel R F Mottershead and Lieutenant Colonel C Bowman, who had both commanded the battalion, alongside the mayor, Coun Ernest Holden.

In his tribute, which was reported by the Northern Daily Telegraph, the mayor said that though the Home Guard had not been called into action, the men were ready had they been wanted and their spirit had been wonderful.

But he wondered if it had always been appreciated how much they had sacrificed to equip themselves for any eventuality and to carry out their manifold duties.

The battalion's D company later lined up for a final photograph outside the old technical college, including Mrs Eastham's late father-in-law, Bob Eastham, who, she thinks, is on the right of the second row from the back.

His job as a lorry driver for Ranks flour mill, in Daisyfield, exempted him from being called up, but, determined to do his bit, he served with the Home Guard from April 1942.

And in honour of his willingness to defend the country, if called upon, he received a citation signed by King George VI, which the family still treasure.

On December 6, D company enjoyed a 'stand down' dinner and smoking concert at the Emporium, tucking into cream of mushroom soup, roast pork and apple sauce, strawberry sponge and coffee.

In Darwen, the 9th Battalion were formally dismissed after they had gathered in the town centre and sung Auld Lang Syne and the National Anthem, while sub-units of Great Harwood, and Rishton, Clitheroe, Whalley, Clayton-le-Moors, Church and Oswaldtwistle paraded in Great Harwood.

According to the Northern Daily Telegraph, Accrington townspeople gave a heartening farewell to the local battalion during its town hall march past, in Clitheroe the stand down was staged in the market place and the parade of the 12th Battalion at Chorley was led by A Company band.