Formation
The UDV was formed from members of the Ulster Special Constabulary 'B' Specials on 28 May 1940. The UDV members were recruited by the Government of Northern Ireland and the force was not under the control of the British Army in Northern Ireland (BTNI). Unlike in Britain, where the Home Guard were administered through their county Territorial Army Associations and swore a military oath of allegiance to the Crown, the UDV were Special Constables. As such the initial official name was the "Local Defence Volunteers Section, Ulster Special Constabulary".
The UDV was eventually formed into the Ulster Home Guard administered through the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). As such they were a paramilitary force unprotected by the Geneva Conventions.
This brought the defences of Northern Ireland up to:
- 3,000 Royal Ulster Constabulary
- 12,000 'B' Specials
- 12,000 UDV
When the UDV's in Northern Ireland were reformed as the Ulster Home Guard in 1942 under military command they were issued uniforms, although units of USC were retained in the cities of Belfast and Derry to help the RUC with the large concentrated numbers of civilian population. In these two cities specific Home Guard units were also raised.
Read more about this topic: Ulster Defence Volunteers
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