Military Service Act of 1916

[Guest cockney rebel]

Hello all,

As a nervous new recruit, who has yet to get the taste of his chin-strap, I apologize in advance if my question is in the wrong place! It concerns the provisions of the Military Service Act of 1916, as they applied to married men.

I understand that the act applied as from 27th January 1916, and was extended to include married men from 25th May 1916. My question is this: although voluntary enlistment was stopped when the Act became statute, could a married man still do so up until the Act was extended 4 months later?

If anybody can enlighten me, I would be very grateful!

With thanks,

cockney rebel

[charlesmessenger]

You are generally right in what you suggest. However, you should remember that the Derby Scheme, whereby all men, married and single, were invited to register voluntarily for military service and then be called up in batches by age (single men first) was in force during the early months of 1916. Married men aged 19, not that there would be many of them, were called up in April 1916. There was, however, no bar to older marrieds voluntarily enlisting. It was the failure of many who had attested under the Derby Scheme which brought about the May 1916 act, whereby all men aged 18-40 inclusive, married or not, were made liable for military service.

Charles M

[Terry_Reeves]

Could I just add that the call-up of Derby Scheme men and conscripts overlapped until approximately the middle of 1916.

TR

[Guest cockney rebel]

Thanks for your input, gents.

Your points about the Derby Scheme, and the overlap with conscripted men, are both well made. At this stage of my research, however, I am just exploring possibilities in the hope that I can pin something down.

With much appreciation -

C R