National Service in the United Kingdom

E431573

National Service in the United Kingdom was the post–Second World War system of compulsory military conscription for young men, requiring them to serve in the armed forces for a fixed period.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf conscription system
military service program
abolitionCompleted 1963
administeredBy Admiralty
Air Ministry
Ministry of Labour
War Office
affectedPopulationEstimate over 2 million men
ageRange 18 to 26
alternativeServiceAvailableFor conscientious objectors
alternativeServiceType civilian work of national importance
appliesTo young men
associatedConflict Korean War
Malayan Emergency
Suez Crisis
country United Kingdom
defermentPossibleFor apprentices
certain essential industries
university students
distinctFrom pre-First World War voluntary enlistment system
endDate 1963
exemptedGroup certain key workers
clergy
conscientious objectors
medically unfit men
followedByReserveObligation yes
governedBy National Service Act 1947 (earlier framework)
National Service Act 1948
subsequent amending legislation
historicalContext post–Second World War period
initialServiceLength 18 months
introducedByGovernmentOf Clement Attlee
lastCallUpYear 1960
laterServiceLength 24 months
legalBasis National Service Act 1948
mainPurpose maintain large armed forces in early Cold War
precededBy Military Service Acts of the Second World War
primaryForces British Army
Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
publicDebateTopic civil liberties and individual freedom
fairness of conscription
impact on education and careers
replacedBy all-volunteer professional armed forces
reserveObligationLength up to 3.5 years
startDate 1949
succeededEarlierSystem wartime conscription 1939–1945
typicalCallUpAge 18

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot associatedWith National Service in the United Kingdom
National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939 relatedTo National Service Act 1948
linked to: National Service in the United Kingdom
Queen and Country narrativeFocus National Service in the British Army
linked to: National Service in the United Kingdom
National Service in the United Kingdom legalBasis National Service Act 1948
linked to: National Service in the United Kingdom
National Service in the United Kingdom governedBy National Service Act 1947 (earlier framework)
linked to: National Service in the United Kingdom
National Service in the United Kingdom governedBy National Service Act 1948
linked to: National Service in the United Kingdom
Ministry of Labour and National Service usedLegalFramework National Service Acts
linked to: National Service in the United Kingdom