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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Stop the war badges


Tony Lund

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At a hearing of the Huddersfield Military Tribunal in 1916, a man claiming exemption from service on the grounds of a conscientious objection to taking human life was asked if he wore a “Stop the War Badge.”

This sounds like the sort of thing that the local opponents of the war, and/or conscription, might come up with. Is it a purely local thing? Or is this part of a nationwide movement?

If these badges are common throughout the country has anyone got a picture they could post here?

Tony.

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No replies would indicate nobody has heard of a “Stop the War Badge.” It may well be purely local then. But what about mass meetings by the No Conscription Fellowship and the Independent Labour Party? I can think of five such meetings close by here without having to check up on this, was Huddersfield / Holmfirth the only place with a willingness to make a protest against the war? Just to complicate matters some people were seriously opposed to conscription but in general agreement with the war.

Tony.

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No replies would indicate nobody has heard of a “Stop the War Badge.”  It may well be purely local then.  But what about mass meetings by the No Conscription Fellowship and the Independent Labour Party?  I can think of five such meetings close by here without having to check up on this, was Huddersfield / Holmfirth the only place with a willingness to make a protest against the war?  Just to complicate matters some people were seriously opposed to conscription but in general agreement with the war.   

Tony.

Tony

Never heard of the badge but would imagine that it was produced by the ILP/N-CF. You might see it for sale in the small ads etc sections of left wing papers of the time.

Other places than Huddersfield protested against the war, notably urban working class areas, in particular Glasgow/Clydeside.

It was not uncommon for pro-war factions to smash up anti-war meetings and the police often turned a blind eye to this. New Zealanders and "Blue Boys" - wounded soldiers in 'hospital blues' - were prominent in disrupting peace meetings.

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