Those who stayed at home and why

[Herbertskin]

After much searching it turns out my paternal grandfather was excused war service on numerous occasions from 1916 to 1918 because of his employment as a van driver and horseman, although I suspect a military classisfication for fitness of B2 might also be a reason, we know he might have joined the VTC or have been told to at a hearing in 1918.

Am I right in my thinking, if so is there any good information available about the men who didnt serve as such, persecution, life for a volunteer.

[John_Hartley]

I would have thought that physical health, or age, would have been more likely to have seen him excused war service, than his fairly common employment as a van driver (although that might depend on who his employer was).

[Derek Black]

I've much the same quandary over three of my four great grandads.

One was 50 with a young family when the war started, so obvious for him not being involved. The other three however were all about the same age (25/26) and had married a few years before the start of the war, with kids arriving regularly all through the war years.

A coal miner, carting contractor and a baker.

Derek.

[CGM]

Try looking to see if he was awarded a Silver War Badge.

Ancestry has these records. Findmypast has transcriptions.

CGM

[Herbertskin]

Many thanks for the suggestions; we do know he had bad feet after a barrel fell onto them from the cart he used for deliveries, in fact his sons called him behind his back "ten to two" reflecting how he walked and stood as a result of it. He might not have been able to march far but he could cycle miles and miles and frequently did.

Looking at the rural tribunal for the area he lived in, his employer was on the panel and for at least one sitting where he was excused the employer is stated to have left the room while the decision was taken.

My uncle remembers grandad suffering from the comments of women, who could be cruel when asking why he was not fighting at the front and that he kept a pair of trousers and puttees from his eventual volunteer training.