Nagged, bullied, bribed to join up

[Bart150]

A famous poem by Siegfried Sassoon has a soldier 'nagged and bullied' by the local squire to join up.

Visiting the church at Dauntsey, Wiltshire last month I was told that in 1914 the lord of the manor promised land to those of his farm labourers who joined up.

Can anyone tell me whether this form of pressure was at all common?

[clive_hughes]

Hi Bart,

in the unpublished memoirs of 2nd Lieut. Alfred Mansfield at the IWM London's Department of Documents, he recounts travelling by train to his depot after enlistment in the company of eight servants of a Peer who felt his younger staff ought to enlist.

In the North-west Wales slate quarrying districts, trade slumped on the outbreak of war, and in Aug 1914 quarry owner Lord Penrhyn apparently promised to keep open the jobs of his employees who enlisted. I don't think that his being a peer made his offer any different to those made by many other employers and firms nationwide; but there were local newspaper reports in Sept 1914 and June 1915 that in some quarries men were threatened with dismissal if they didn't join up.

Hope this helps,

LST_164

[ChrisC]

This is an interesting one, as there is a world of difference between getting an inducement, i.e. "we will keep your job for you", and "you will be sacked if you don't." which is a threat.

My own opinion is that it's difficult in today's world where personally I dont give a **** about local opinion to comprehend the weight carried by such strictures when mobility of labour was difficult.

Chris C

[andypepper]

Knowlton, a hamlet near Canterbury, beat 400 other villages to win the Weekly Despatch competition for Britain’s ‘bravest village’ ie the one which sent the highest proportion of its eligible men to war as volunteers before the closing date of 28 February 1915.

The Despatch erected a monument in the village and the first of the volunteers listed on it was Major Francis Elmer Speed who as well as being the local squire was also Lord Lieutenant of Kent. Apparently he was reported in the Weekly Dispatch as saying "I very soon made it known that I thought every man ought to go.”

The good news is all 13 men who went came home again.

[jim_davies]

There are frequent references in the Stamford papers of various businesses and landowners promising to keep jobs available for men who enlisted. Earl of Ancaster is often mentioned.

[Desdichado]

According to Martin Middlebrook,

"Many local authorities and prominent people took the initiative in sponsoring units of their own, even recruiting, paying and clothing the men out of their own pockets, confident that the War Office would eventually take over the new units and refund their expenses."

Many were told that their jobs would be kept open for them when they returned. I haven't seen anything written about those who did come home to try and get their old jobs back and one can only hope that the promises made to them were honoured.

[Petroc]

What is interesting, though, is the fact that in areas where one might expect a local notable to be prominent (a member landed gentry or local squire in rural areas, for example), these people has far less influence than might be supposed...their sphere of influence, though prominent by name, was not all-encapsulating. There were obviously cases, but I dont think they were the norm. Rural magnates commanded respect due to deference to their position...urban magnates were succesful in their recruiting efforts because of their proximity to the target crowd and their close inter-action with a specific community (or in Lord Derby's case 'communities)!) which gave them a greater appreciation of (at least in the minds of heir target would-be soldiers) local conditions

[Andrew Hesketh]

Oddly enough I've just been working on some 1916 tribunals in North Wales and there seems to be a growing issue of employers not wanting their men to go. The local newspaper was carrying some heated correspondence resulting from the activities of local agricultural employers who were offering advice to men on how to best get exempted from conscription and even providing the relevant forms (R13 and R14 if memory serves - but I'll need to dig a little more into what they were).

[Desdichado]

Oddly enough I've just been working on some 1916 tribunals in North Wales and there seems to be a growing issue of employers not wanting their men to go. The local newspaper was carrying some heated correspondence resulting from the activities of local agricultural employers who were offering advice to men on how to best get exempted from conscription and even providing the relevant forms (R13 and R14 if memory serves - but I'll need to dig a little more into what they were).

Rowntrees, a Quaker-formed company - offered advice to workers who applied for CO status. Going from memory here, I think the advice was offered through the Union rather than management but I can't be certain of that.

[snavek]

A few years ago I spoke to a Centenarian in a Care home. He recalled how his local Vicar had rallied the young men of the village with 'come on now boys, sign up, you know you have to go'. He did eventually go and fought on the Somme.

Keith

[chris basey]

Here's a letter which proves that one chap was under pressure to join up - pressure from the local recruiting officer.

He eventually enlisted in 1916 and survived.