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National Service – In today`s modern society you do not get many opportunities offering to teach a man the important values in life, while at the same time getting paid for the honour . An option worth considering for a young man with no future prospects is to join the armed forces. The rewards are great, so could this be the real reason behind those famous words “Bring back National Service?" Talking of national service - which bright spark was it that stood up and took claim to fame being the person who proposed the scrapping of National Service? It was National Service that separated the men from the boys or better still - made a man out of a boy. What was so bad in calling up lads to join the army for a year or two? The army offered a secure position, paid regular wages throughout this time and more often than not, soldiers went onto engineer a career for themselves as a result of being called up. It was in the year 1939 on April 27rh when Parliament first passed the Military Training Act. Young men in their prime – ageing between 20 and 21 were introduced to military conscription. Of course due to circumstances beyond control i.e. it was the outbreak of the Second World War that prompted our parliament to endorse that men as young as eighteen – and up to forty one were eligible to be called up for National Service (Armed Forces). The outcome of this decision by parliament was warmly welcomed by people in the thousands, however in saying that - we still had the rebellious few. It has been said over and over again “bring back national service" and the real reason for this is because of the army’s strict policy in teaching those the important values of life. Some folk say there would be less crime on the streets if national service were to be endorsed once again. The army is highly respected for its approach on how they conduct and implement - right from wrong to their soldiers. Parliament announced that unattached single men were first in line for call up before a married man with a family. The roll up list for registration of all men in each segregated age group began on 21st October for the 20 to 23 year olds. This was then reviewed and call up had extended to the age of twenty seven years by May 1940 - so therefore registration was delayed to June 1941 for the forties and over. A Military tribunal would be set up for those who objected to national service. A man had to have a good reason to go in front of a military panel to fight his cause as to why he felt exempt from doing his bit. Figures showed that 6 to 41 per cent were denied, and made to contribute i.e. fight for their country and learn the values of life. At the end of the year after this new law was enforced (1939) a staggering half million men had been recruited into the armed forces. Of these, a phenomenal number of males (1,128,000 to be precise) joined the British Army and the rest were divided equally to sail the ocean waves or fly in the sky (Royal Navy - Royal Air Force). For the men in denial of making something of them self - would however try to avoid conscription. They would do this by ignoring the summons sent to register for National Service. Another method sanctioned was to have a man impersonate you i.e. someone who had already failed a medical. A medical issue most certainly topped high on the list for why a person would not be accepted or refused entry into the armed forces. You had to be 100% fit to serve in the forces; and men knew this and acted upon it. Many falsehoods were rumbled in the medical room and the deceiver had to do his time. We still had men that found a way to flee from their imposed obligation and became a deserter. Desertion from the armed forces was common. At one point during the war there were over 24,500 men who absconded without permission. A deserter on the run from the army - made it clear at the time of national service – who was MAN or MOUSE.
Life is one big joke
Men Women and Hygeine
Drepression
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national service, men, armed forces.army, parliment, conscription, deserter, military act, royal navy, Royal Airforce,
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