The Military Service Act of 1916
By 1916 voluntary registration had failed to generate enough new recruits to stem the losses on the British battle fronts and so the Act specified that men between the ages of 18-41 were liable to be called up.
However, an alternative source of labour became available during 1916, provided by the Military Service Act, and conscientious objectors (COs) were engaged on the project, with the first tranche of 30 men arriving at Llangadog in early September.
The No conscription fellowship composed of religious and political organizations was established in 1915 secured the ‘the conscience clause’ in the Act – the right to claim exemption,
- Religious beliefs,
- political ideology,
- moral or humanist principles
- absolutely exempted (this was most of theconscientious objectors)
- Conditional exemption – doing work of national importance (medical, agricultural, forestry, shipping, transport, mining etc)
- non-combatant duty in the army’s Non-Combatant Corps
However they first had to convince a Military Service Tribunal of the quality of their objection, however Tribunals were notoriously harsh towards conscientious objectors, reflecting widespread public opinion that they were lazy, degenerate, ungrateful ‘shirkers’ seeking to benefit from the sacrifices of others.
The poster on the left, displaying the Military Service Act quotes
‘The conscience clause’
Men who conscientiously object to combatant service.
- Religious beliefs,
- political ideology,
- moral or humanist principles
Around 16000 who received call up papers were recorded as conscientious objectors of which 6000 were refused exemption and forced into army regiments.
