Conscription Appeal Tribunals

[Andrew Hesketh]

I'm sure that this will have been asked and answered before but I cannot find anything with a search.

Could someone please explain the definition of Grade 1, 2 & 3 (there may be more but I've not seen them) as mentioned in tribunal reports, e.g. 'Edward William Roberts, aged 39, grade 3, exempted on condition he finds useful employment'.

Many thanks.

[Tony Lund]

There is a good list of them on the Long Long Trail the link is Here

Then there seems to be some change introduced in 1918 just to make it more confusing, I have only just typed this today.

At the Holmfirth Military Tribunal on Wednesday 19th June 1918, a letter was read from the Ministry of National Service, addressed to the National Service Representative it said:

“ National Service Representatives should please remember to bring before their Tribunal the fact that Grade 1 and 2 men under the new Military Service Act Number 2 of 1918 are required, as indicated by Sir Auckland Geddes on the floor of the House of Commons, for garrison duties at home and abroad, and for rearward service, R.A.M.C., A.S.C., A.O.D., etc. National Service Representatives should also bring to the notice of those Tribunals who criticise the grading of men of the new military age that they are graded according to the physical abilities or disabilities of their age; not by comparison with men of the old military age, that is, under the Military Service Acts of 1916. It is not intended to be inferred that because a man of 49 is Grade 1 he is the physical equal to a Grade 1 man of 35 years of age, but he is a Grade 1 man for 49, and for the duties that he will be called upon to preform. It should also be noted that where occupation is mentioned with regard to claims before Tribunals on domestic grounds, the occupational reasons must be taken to be of no account whatever, and the case judged purely from a domestic standpoint.”

Tony.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Tony,

Thank you. An interesting note you have added.

I was aware of the A, B, C etc. categories as listed on LLT. Did A become 1, B become 2 etc. or did something change - and when (is it the June notice you produced?)?

Confused of North Wales.

[Graham Stewart]

Tony,

Was there any mention in the M.S.A.(Part II) of the age limit being lowered for conscription to aged 17 and a half years? All references I have say 18 and they were known as "A4 Boys", but those between 17 and 18 would be enlisted if volunteering. I know the age limit was raised to 50, but I'm struggling to get find any sort of reference to a lower age limit.

Graham.

[Tony Lund]

Confused of North Wales.

You are not the only one to be confused. The letter above was from June 1918. This tribunal seems to use any terms they feel like at the time. I have seen Class 1, Class A, Grade 1 and Grade A.

During the earlier years they would often use terms that can be readily understood, A1 or C2 etc., but by 1918 I am finding it all a bit mystifying.

In June 1918 a list was published of occupations where men born after a certain year would lose any exemption from service they might hold. In this list there is a Grade and a Category with the year, men in that Grade and Category born on or after that year lose exemption unless they re-apply on domestic grounds, but provision existed for appeals to be made to higher authorities that their work is of national importance.

This was followed by another list of occupations that lose exemption as from 26th September. This list has men in Grade I and Grade II and a year of birth for both grades after which exemption is removed. It seems that the harder the job is physically the younger the workers are allowed to be.

Tony.

June 1918 Top of list,

[Tony Lund]

Bottom of June 1918 list.

[Tony Lund]

A sample of the 26th September list.

[Tony Lund]

Graham,

I have not seen the MSA, only what I have picked up from the newspapers of the time. I will keep a look out for anything on a lower age limit. There seems to be young ones serving throughout the war, even after some were sent home there was still home service and Ireland for them, in 1918 they are using some young Holmfirth soldiers on farm work. One man who had recovered from a wound was stationed on his own father’s farm, so he was in his own home.

Tony.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Tony,

Thank you very much for your continued interest, ideas and scans.

It is strange that the issue is so obscure. I would have thought an answer would be straightforward (in fact I originally hesitated from posting the question in case the answer was embarassingly obvious!).