National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939
Encyclopedia
The National Service Act 1939 was enacted immediately by the Parliament of the United Kingdom
on the day the United Kingdom
declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, at the start of the Second World War. It superseded the Military Training Act 1939 passed in May that year, and enforced full conscription on all males between 18 and 41 resident in the UK.http://www.jstor.org/stable/1282941?seq=18 It was continued in a modified form in peacetime by the National Service Act 1948
.
Pregnant women were liable to be called up, but in practice were not.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
on the day the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, at the start of the Second World War. It superseded the Military Training Act 1939 passed in May that year, and enforced full conscription on all males between 18 and 41 resident in the UK.http://www.jstor.org/stable/1282941?seq=18 It was continued in a modified form in peacetime by the National Service Act 1948
National Service Act 1948
The National Service Act 1948 was an Act of Parliament which extended the British conscription of World War II into peacetime, in the form of National Service...
.
Exemptions
Only a few categories were exempted:- British subjects from outside Britain and the Isle of ManIsle of ManThe Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
who had lived in the country for less than two years - Students
- Persons employed by the government of any country of the British EmpireBritish EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
except the United Kingdom - ClergyClergyClergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
of any denomination - Those who were blind or had mental disorders
- Married women
- Women who had one or more children 14 years old or younger living with them. This included their own children, legitimate or illegitimate, stepchildren, and adopted children, as long as the child was adopted before 18 December 1941.
- Conscientious objectors
- People working in reserved occupationReserved occupationA reserved occupation is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service....
s
Pregnant women were liable to be called up, but in practice were not.