They also made appeals to US citizens to "send us your arms, we have none of our own". A direct quote from my Uncle who was a Marine Captain during WWII.
The American NRA played a significant role in arming the Home Guard in those early days of WW II.
During the weapons shortage, many Guardsmen were armed with pitchforks and shotguns. The British government seriously considered arming the rest with pikes. Just imagine, Guardsmen with pikes facing off against German paratroopers.
The British of those days...remarkable people.