1. Conscription and Conscientious Objectors

2. Todays lesson You will understand how the war affected British society
You will understand what conscription was
You will also understand why many protested against conscription and refused to go to war

3. Recruitment
As you know from 1914 and the outbreak of war many men, women and young adults volunteered to join the army.
By 1916 the number of new recruits had slowed significantly.
WHY?

4. National Registrations Act
July 1915
All people, men and women are to be registered for possible service

5. Conscription
Conscription was introduced in Britain in 1916 as the number of voluntary recruits began to fall rapidly.
Military Service Act – Jan/ 1916
conscription for all single men aged 19 to 40.
Amendments:
May includes married men
age limit was raised to 50 years old.

6. Who would have to Join? Every able bodied man from 18-41.
Who do you think would be exempt?
Exemptions:
mentally or physically unwell men
Men in ‘reserved occupations’ like mining, farming and fishing
Write ideas in your jotter

7. The following slide show a number of people and occupations
The following slide show a number of people and occupations. Would they have to join?
Farmer who owns his own land and farm

8. A Male School Leaver of 18 years old going to Stirling University to Study History.

9. A Male Factory Worker of 33

10. A 19 Year Old Miner from Wales

11. A Military female Nurse with war experience

12. A Female Nurse of 32 years old.

13. A 40 Year old shop owner and his 18 year old son who also works in the shop.

14. A 39 year old engineer working on the Clydeside.

15. Brothers of 15, 16 and 17 still in school.

16. A Male History Teacher

17. A 40 Year old Priest

18. Conscientious objectors
Men who opposed the fighting in WWI for the following reasons:
Moral
Political
Religious reasons
Many believed that it was wrong to kill another human being.
Some did not want to fight but were keen to 'do their bit'. Approx of these men were willing to help in weapons factories and some went to the trenches to work as stretcher bearers, though not to fight.

19. Conscientious objectors
Other conscientious objectors refused to do anything that involved the war - these were known as 'absolutists'.
Members of military tribunals decided whether or not individual conscientious objectors could be exempt or not.
If they still refused to go to war they were arrested. Just under 6000 conchies were sent to prison in Britain during WWI.
They were often harshly treated in prison; at least 73 conscientious objectors died as a result of the harsh treatment they received.

20. Conscientious Objectors in WWI

23. Source 1, quoted in Elizabeth Trueland, International Cooperation and Conflict
 There were some shameful cases of sadistic treatment. One inmate of Camberwell Prison, told he would be executed, was slowly taken through the motions of an actual execution, to the point of the gun being loaded and pointed at him. Inmates were force-fed, tied into straight jackets, beaten, kept in filthy cells, fed on bread and water and often tortured.

24. Conscientious objectors
BBC DCOUMENTARY—
Not forgotten: Conscientious objection

25. Task Complete the worksheet for the video
Explain the attitude to Conscientious Objectors throughout the era of WWI