The Art of Prowling is one of a series of training booklets written by Colonel G. A. Wade for the newly-recruited Home Guard. This reproduction by the Royal Armouries shows how trainees during the Second World War learned to sneak up on the enemy without being seen.
‘It is extraordinary how reluctant the British soldier is to show cunning. We try to play the game of war as if it had rules for fair play like cricket and football.’ ‘If you want to make your spell of duty pass quickly, concentrate on prowling properly.’ ‘By Jove, look! There is a suspicious-looking man creeping under those bushes. It will be heaven help that rough chap if he makes a break!’ First published in the 1940s for the newly-recruited British Home Guard, The Art of Prowling showed recruits how to sneak up on the enemy without being seen, how to avoid attracting attention, and why they should never underestimate a German spy. Will you be awarded the Good Prowler’s Badge?
