Conscripts

[mags_greenwood@yahoo.co.uk]

Hi,

I have just been reading about how "Pals" units were formed in WW1, and,how the comradeship of neighbours, friends, workmates etc was used to enlist volunteers. When volunteers for the forces ran out, the Government had to introduce conscription. Does anyone know if civilian prisoners were conscripted and sent to the front to fight?

Regards

Margaret

[truthergw]

Hi,

I have just been reading about how "Pals" units were formed in WW1, and,how the comradeship of neighbours, friends, workmates etc was used to enlist volunteers. When volunteers for the forces ran out, the Government had to introduce conscription.  Does anyone know if civilian prisoners were conscripted and sent to the front to fight?

Regards

Margaret

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have never heard of prisoners being conscripted per se, but once a man had served his sentence and returned to normal life he would be liable. There are many anecdotes of petty criminals being given the chance to volunteer by magistrates as an alternative to imprisonment.

[BeppoSapone]

There are many anecdotes of petty criminals being given the chance to volunteer by magistrates as an alternative to imprisonment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And many men were put in prison for refusing to be conscripted.

[Simon Furnell]

Evening Margaret.

Conscription covered everyone from 18 to 42(i think)during WW1,ex prisoners included,although i doubt there were many murderers,who served.

Up until 30 odd years ago,maybe longer,for minor offences,i believe that the Army could be chosen instead of going to prison or Borstal.

Maybe serving prisoners,from 1916 on,had the chance for a shortening of their sentence,by agreeing to be conscripted,or volunteering to serve,under licence.

All the best.

Simon.

[Graham Stewart]

Margaret,

I really don't know how lenient they were towards taking ex-prisoners during wartime, but in peacetime it could see you discharged under Kings Regulations of 1912 amended to August 1914;

K.R.'s Section 8 - Discharge Paragraph 392(x);-"Having been convicted by the civil power of - or of an offence committed before enlistment".

Special Instructions for 392(x);-"Every conviction for an offence of a felenous nature will be referred to an officer not below the rank of Brigadier-General at home and abroad, or to a brigade commander in India".

"Application for discharge, accompanied by copies of conduct sheets, and of civil convictions will be made on A.F. B130. iF satisfied that the soldier has misconducted himself with a view to discharge, the C.O. will report the same to the authority having power to authorise the discharge."

"The application should be made and the discharge, if authorised, carried out, as soon as possible after the case has been dealt with by the civil power. The discharge certificate confirmed for the date of despatch will be sent to the govenor of the prison in which the man is confined."

"If it is considered advisable to discharge a soldier who has been bound over to come up for conviction or judgement in a civil court, his case will be dealt with under class(xi)."

"Every case of discharge of a soldier abroad under this heading will be specially reported to the War Office and the date and duration of the sentence given."

Graham.

P.S.

I also have some experience of this myself, because as a teenager I was done for fighting. When I went to enlist into the Royal Navy at 21, we were asked by the recruiter "anybody ever been in trouble with the police". To which my hand went up. My "Attestation" ceased there and then and I was sent home until the case could be assessed. A couple of months later as I was in and served for six years finishing with an "exemplary conduct" sheet. I went on to serve a further 14year in the Territorials and again finished with an "exemplary conduct" sheet.

Gosh what a thing to confess on a Forum.