conscription and reserved occupations

• Conscription into armed services

  April 1939
• Military Training Act


  Compulsory for single men between 20-22 to join armed forces
• National Services Act


  Compulsory for men aged 18-41 to join armed forces
• Men could apply to be exempted
• Skilled workers were needed at home
• Schedule of Reserved Occupations' was created by the government and published by Ministry of Labour


  1938
• 5 million men of conscription age stayed at home
• Reserved occupations


  • Railway and dock workers
  • Farmers and other agricultural workers
  • School teachers
  • Doctors
  • Engineering industries workers
  • ARP wardens
• Government would change who were exempt during the war (initially coal miners were not then they were)
• 1 out of 10 men conscripted were used in coal mines in 1943-Bevin boys'
• Many women started to work in reserved occupations
• Some people believed those who worked in reserved occupations were 'hiding' from fighting