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BBC do "Spiksley"


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12 hours ago, torryowl said:

It's a good read but it does make him sound though as if he was a draft Dodger but I can believe they were drafting 44 year olds into the trenches.....

It seems that Fred could be accused of being a bit of a reprobate but certainly NOT be accused of being a draft dodger

 

All those joining the forces from 4 August 1914 when the UK declared war on Germany until January 1916 were volunteers.  Conscription did not come in until January 1916 and then only for unmarried men aged between 18 and 41. From June 1916 this was extended to married men in that age range.   The upper age limit was raised to 50 in April 1918 following the German breakthrough on the western front.

 

Fred was born 25 January 1870 so  he'd have been a few days short of his 46th birthday when conscription came into force in January 1916 so was not liable for military service.  He would have been liable for conscription in April 1918 being 48 but if he was employed as a munitions inspector it's highly likely that he would have been treated as exempt from military service.

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