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British Experience of Warfare (synoptic) > Recruitment > Flashcards

Recruitment Flashcards

1
Q

why was recruitment important going into the Napoleonic Wars?

A

Britain was to fight a long and difficult war against a strong French Army

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2
Q

why were there a lack of recruits in the British armed forces in 1700s?

A

the industrial revolution had begun and many young men were drawn to the industrial cities where work was in plentiful supply

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3
Q

why was conscription not used in the Napoleonic Wars?

A

the British people would not support a government which would introduce conscription

so the government did not employ it

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4
Q

what were the three methods of recruitment?

A

press gangs
quota system
recruiting sergeant

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5
Q

what was impressment?

A

forcing someone to join a ship as a member of the crew

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6
Q

who were ‘recruited’ by press gangs?

A

landsmen and seamen

however for their experience, seamen were preffered

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7
Q

what was the main source of recruits for press gangs?

A

merchant ships

captains would swap the best and most experienced merchant sailor with a landsman

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8
Q

how would merchant ship captains prevent their best sailors from being impressed?

A

by hiding them in Ireland
or constructing hiding places for their best crewmen

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9
Q

what was the quota system?

A

each county had to provide a set number of volunteers based on the size of the county and number of ports

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10
Q

when would criminals recruited by the Royal Navy?

A

when a county could not meet the quota of volunteers

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11
Q

why was recruiting criminals a negative for the Royal Navy?

A

too many criminals would reduce the efficiency of a ship

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12
Q

how much of the Royal Navy’s crews were made from pressed men by 1805?

A

50%

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13
Q

how did the army carry out recruitment?

A

through an army sergeant

each army regiment had one

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14
Q

which regiments found it easier to recruit men and why?

A

Guards
Household Cavalry

were the most prestigious regiments which brought in many volunteers

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15
Q

what ways did a recruiting sergeant recruit men?

A

would get a recruit drunk and get them to take the King’s shilling

by portraying a sense of adventure in the Army as well as it being well-paid steady employment (not)

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16
Q

what was the King’s shilling?

A

a symbolic coin which was a legally binding indication that a man had volunteered to serve in the army

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17
Q

why were alcoholics drawn to the Army?

A

offered a daily ration of rum or gin

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18
Q

how were criminal courts a good source of new recruits for the Army?

A

recruiting sergeants would pay men’s fines if they agreed to join the army

judges were happy to allow criminals to be taken by the army as it removed criminals from the local area

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19
Q

what were the problems with impressment?

A

led to the armed forces being composed of unwilling men who had no desire to fight in war

the French armed forces, whose men were patriotic and passionate, had much higher moral and better performances on land

also pressed men were more likely to be disobedient and ill disciplined so harsh punishment was needed

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20
Q

what was the public view on floggings and branding?

A

they were seen as barbaric
political pressure was put on for them to be abolished

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21
Q

when was impressment, in practice, ended in the navy?

A

1815

22
Q

what happened to the Royal Navy after 1815?

A

there were too many seamen for times of peace

many crews were released and only officers were retained

normal servicemen were dismissed and replaced by newer recruits

23
Q

which branch of the armed forces attracted more volunteers?

A

the Royal Navy

24
Q

why did the Royal Navy attract more volunteers?

A

prestige
terms and conditions

25
Q

prestige in RN

A

the RN was seen as the most successful branch of the armed forces

referred to as the ‘senior service’

concept that Britain ruled the waves attracted many volunteers

26
Q

terms and conditions

A

the RN had higher pay and a pension

better all round conditions compared to the army

27
Q

when was the Royal Navy reserve created?

A

1859

28
Q

what was the purpose of the Royal Navy reserve?

A

to provide a force which could be drafted into the RN in wartime

29
Q

what methods of recruitment were used between the Napoleonic Wars and WW1?

A

specialist recruiters
print media
improvement to terms and conditions

30
Q

specialist recruits

A

recruiting sergeants continued to tour the countryside for recruits

recruiters were given their own regional offices in towns which were open to the public

specialist recruiters replaced press gangs to recruit for the navy

31
Q

the print media

A

as the literacy rate increased, printed material became a useful source of recruitment

local press were used by regiments to target their local area

improved technology led to the use of large coloured posters which portrayed an attractive army lifestyle with strong slogans

32
Q

terms and conditions

A

major reforms were introduced to the armed forces to encourage men to join up

general view of a man in uniform also changed
- British soldier was associated with the growth of the British Empire
- patriotism and the need for expansion led to many men joining the BA

33
Q

what reforms made life in the armed forces more attractive?

A

abolishment of punishment
Localisation Act
pension after 21 years
introduction of medals and valours

all made the army more attractive for men

34
Q

what made recruitment easier in the armed forces?

A

the level of poverty in regions of Britain

economic factors largely dictated the level of recruitment

35
Q

why were Irish regiments full of recruits?

A

there was heavy poverty in Ireland

36
Q

why were rural regiments struggling to find recruits?

A

increasing wealth in the cities led to many rural families moving to the cities for work at factories

37
Q

how large was the BEF going into WW1?

A

100,000
not nearly enough for a continental war

38
Q

what did the armed forces undertake in the first months of the war?

A

a major recruitment drive to bring in more volunteers

39
Q

examples of recruitment methods used in WW1

A

Pals’ battalions
the Derby scheme
introduction of conscription

40
Q

Pal’s battalions

A

men were more encouraged to join up if they were able to be in the same regiment as colleagues or friends (schools, workers, sports teams)

this led to Pals’ battalions forming which brought in a major influx of men

41
Q

why were the Pals’ battalions stopped?

A

had a devastating effect on local areas

when a single Pals’ battalion was wiped out, most of the men who died came from the same area in Britain

moral destroying for civilians (loved ones back home)

42
Q

the Derby Scheme

A

every man aged between 18-41 had to promise to enlist if needed

they would make this promise in front of veterans and mothers of soldiers at the front - guilt tripping

43
Q

how many of the single men in Britain made the promise?

A

40%

44
Q

why was the Derby Scheme a failure?

A

failed to have a major impact on numbers at the front

many men got married which meant that they were not prioritised for enlistment compared to single men

45
Q

when was the Military Service Act passed?

A

27 January 1916

46
Q

what was the Military Service Act?

A

CONSCRIPTION
all single men were to be called up to fight

47
Q

was conscription successful?

A

it did not produce MASSIVE numbers

it instead provided a stream of fresh recruits who could replenish lost troops at the fronts

48
Q

how many men were conscripted in 1916?

A

1.1 million

49
Q

by the end of the war, how many men had been conscripted?

A

2.5 million

50
Q

how many applications for exemption?

A

750,000

51
Q

which industrial workers were exempted from conscription?

A

munitions
mining sector
clergymen
teachers

British Experience of Warfare (synoptic) (5 decks)

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