jim_davies Posted 6 August , 2003 Posted 6 August , 2003 Having read the article on "Joining Up" on the main site I have some questions on conscription. After the Military Service Act was passed and all unmarried 18-41 year old men had been deemed to have enlisted. What was the procedure for them to join up ? Were they split into groups like Derby men and called up like that ? I don't understand how many men were concripted and served during the war. Would have thought it was a large number, but 43,000 seems very small. How many of those claiming an exemption were refused one ? All help would be appreciated. Jim (confused)
Terry_Reeves Posted 8 August , 2003 Posted 8 August , 2003 Jim Conscripts were placed into a class system, similar to the of the Derby Scheme group system. They were informed of their Class number and the date of the call up for that class would be published in the papers and on posters. All that was required of the conscript was for him to report to a notified location on that date. Until the Ministry of National Service was formed in 1917, conscription was organised on a local basis. In each area and district there was a recruiting officer. The Area Recruiting Officer held an alphabetical index to the Military Register pertaining to his area. The details of each man of military service age were held on a card file. These details were in the main, taken from the National Register held Sunday August 16th , 1915 which required all males and females between the ages of 15 and 65 to supply certain personal details. This register was then used to canvass men for the Derby Scheme and to identify men of military service age when conscription was introduced the following year. The numbers conscripted in the first year were suprisingly small. I have a note that says that exemptions from military service, either conditional or absolute, were twice the number of those conscripted in the first 12 months of conscription. Terry Reeves
Michael Posted 9 August , 2003 Posted 9 August , 2003 Terry I don't suppose these lists survived did they ? Michael
jim_davies Posted 9 August , 2003 Author Posted 9 August , 2003 Thanks Terry, Your reply and info is much appreciated. Jim
Terry_Reeves Posted 9 August , 2003 Posted 9 August , 2003 Michael As far as I'm aware they do not. There was a large administratve clearout in the 1920' s when many of the records at local level were destroyed. Terry Reeves
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