Recruitment and Conscription - WW1 Flashcards
Where did recruiting offices open
In almost every town and city
What happened to men who were suspected as too afraid to join up
The women handed out white feathers, to make the men feel cowardly
When the war was declared what did thousands of men do
Volunteer to join the 247,000 regular soldiers in the British army.
Many men wanted a change to fight for what
Their country
When Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for war, to,d the government he would need an army of millions to defeat Germany, what did the government do
They began a recruiting campaign to persuade even more younger men to volunteer
What did speakers at rallies do
Talked about the better world, which would follow victory and whipped up hatred against the Germans
Was the campaign successful and what happened to the army barracks
The campaign was so successful that army barracks were overflowing and there weren’t enough rifles to go around.
Who joined up
Friends joined up together,
whole football teams,
young men from the same back streets, factory floors and offices
Who trained the people who joined up
They were trained together (the football teams, friends etc) usually by elderly officers and sergeant majors in ‘pals’ battalions
What happened to many ‘pals’ battalions at some
They were almost wiped out, some villages/towns lost almost all their young men on the same day and people never imagined it would be like this
By march 1916 how many men had volunteered to join Kitcheners army
2.5 million
There was a growing feeling that thousands of young men were getting out of fighting so the government introduced what
Conscription
When was the first military service act passed but parliament take place
1916
What did the 1916 military service act make many men do
It forced all unmarried men, aged 18-41 to join the services, later in 1916 it was extended to include married men
Men who’s conscience wouldn’t allow fight were known as what?
Conscientious objectors
What could conscientious objectors do
Appeal to a tribunal which decided whether or not they had to go to the front
What were some men for example conscientious objectors sent to do
Sent to non-fighting duties like ambulance work, others were sent to work camps
What happened to many of the conscientious objectors claims
They were rejected and objectors were sent to the front
What happened when they refuse an officers order
They were court martialled and either shot or sent home in disgrace
Why did many recruits join up
They wanted to defend their country, show the Germans what they could do and as a sense of adventure and that it would be a good time and over by Christmas.
