25 / 36
from volunteering to conscription
23
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ecruitment remained fairly steady through 1914 and early 1915,but it fell
dramatically during the later years,especially after the Somme campaign
(1st July – 18th November 1916) which resulted in 420,000 casualties with nearly
60,000 on the first day alone.
In 1915, as volunteering started to diminish,the Derby or Group Scheme was
introduced and then on 27th January 1916 conscription for single men was brought
in.Four months later,in May 1916,it was extended to all men aged 18 to 41.
The Military ServiceAct of March 1916 specified that men from the ages of 18
to 41 were liable to be called up for service in the army,unless they were married
(or widowed with children),or served in one of a number of reserved occupations
which were usually industrial but which also included clergymen and teachers.
With the introduction of conscription,no further ‘Pals Battalions’were raised.
By January 1916,when conscription was introduced,2.6 million men had
volunteered for service.A further 2.3 million were conscripted before the end of the
war. By the end of 1918,the army had reached its peak strength of four million men.
Recruiting Officers were paid for each man so some turned a blind eye to underage volunteers
and,later,conscripts.Parading for kit inspection,September 1914.