conscription

[stephen binks]

Did the Canadian goverment use conscription at anytime during the Great War?

Thanks

Steve

[Terry]

Yes, although how much good it did is open to question. Some 402,000 men were registered, but after exemptions,medicals,etc, this was reduced to 121,000 actually taken on strength of the CEF. About 24,000 actually reached the front by the end of hostilities.

The damage done back in Canada by conscription, which almost tore the country apart, was long term.

[stephen binks]

Yes, although how much good it did is open to question. Some 402,000 men were registered, but after exemptions,medicals,etc, this was reduced to 121,000 actually taken on strength of the CEF. About 24,000 actually reached the front by the end of hostilities.

The damage done back in Canada by conscription, which almost tore the country apart, was long term.

Thanks Terry: would you know what date conscription started?

[auchonvillerssomme]

Try this link

http://www.mta.ca/faculty/arts/canadian_st...nscription.html

Mick

[jhill]

Conscription in Canada during the Great War was and remains a controversial subject. The basic chronology went something like this:

The Military Service Bill was introduced in Parliament on 11 June, 1917. It became law on 29 August. On October 13 a Royal Proclamtion was issued calling on men in the first class to register. These were essentially single men between 20 and 34 years of age. November 10, 1917 was the final date for registration and claims for exemption. Those called did not, in general, arrive in camp until early in 1918.

Most men called applied for, and received, exemptions. The administration of the Act was rather mishandled, and it was not until quite late in the War that the scheme was working more or less smoothly. There were several highly publicized incidents which called the administration into disrepute.

This issue still provokes strong emotions. Different people will have different points of view.