World War One - Conscription

I have long wondered how my relative, HW Wicks managed to avoid serving in WW1 - I can understand how he avoided serving in WW2 - he was in Berlin making pro-Nazi radio radio broadcasts to the UK

But how easy was it to avoid serving your country in WW1 ?

Have you got proof that he didn't serve?

[Jill]

Could he have claimed an essential occupation or poor health? One of my great uncles was very deaf from his teens so did not serve in WW1.

[Merry]

Our late neighbour, who lived to be 102, didn't serve in WW1 because of flat feet!

Originally Posted by maggie_4_7

Have you got proof that he didn't serve?

No I have no proof, Maggie - but I can find no evidence that he did serve - and in Dec 1918 he got married in Brighton, describing himself as an " Insurance Official"

Originally Posted by Jill

Could he have claimed an essential occupation or poor health? One of my great uncles was very deaf from his teens so did not serve in WW1.

Hi Jill - I think "poor health" might be the answer - albeit it may have been somewhat imaginary

[Olde Crone]

Almost one third of the men who volunteered/were conscripted for WW1, were turned away on health grounds, although these health grounds were lowered as the war took its grim toll of the healthiest.

So poor was the health of the nation's young men, that shocked questions were asked in parliament, (by the middle class and the rich, lol) and it was these questions which started the idea of a national health service and that of free preventative medicine for all.

Many adult men were under 5ft 4inches (I think that was the minimum height requirement) and did not have the necessary chest expansion, due to a mixture of poor nutrition and unhealthy work/living conditions.

OC

[Margaret in Burton]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

Almost one third of the men who volunteered/were conscripted for WW1, were turned away on health grounds, although these health grounds were lowered as the war took its grim toll of the healthiest.

So poor was the health of the nation's young men, that shocked questions were asked in parliament, (by the middle class and the rich, lol) and it was these questions which started the idea of a national health service and that of free preventative medicine for all.

Many adult men were under 5ft 4inches (I think that was the minimum height requirement) and did not have the necessary chest expansion, due to a mixture of poor nutrition and unhealthy work/living conditions.

OC

Yes

I have been shocked when reading WW1 records of the height, weight etc of the men involved. Very poor condition most of them.

[Margaret in Burton]

I know we have all heard of H W Wicks, but remind us.

When was he born?

As said before, he could have had any number of medical problems that prevented him from serving.

[Nell]

My great-uncle's WW1 record shows that he had a weak arm, caused by polio, but he was still recruited. This was after 1916 when conscription was brought in.

My uncle Billy served in WWII (fighting in North Africa, El Alamein) and he was deaf in one ear so I think its fair to assume it depends where, when and how much you wanted to push it. He went right through until the war ended in May 1945 and he was still in the Middle East in Palestine at one time.

It was clear to me when I was small that he was deaf although no one mentioned it, his speech was definitely impaired because of it you couldn't help but notice.