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  1. #1
    horseshoe
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    Default reserved occupation

    hello,

    Can anyone inform me as to the regulations re reserved occupations and whether miners were allowed to join up during the Great War, it seems as though as large number of men did not do military service would they have been prevented from joining up if they were in the mines?.


    thanks

  2. #2
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    The miners were very important during the Great War - and many (particularly from the North East & Wales) were sent to dig tunnels at the front. Vimy Ridge (France, just off the Calais-Paris road) is a prime example.

    And of course, Britain needed the coal to keep the furnaces going for the steelworks.

    Jane

  3. #3
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    In partial answer to your question (I only know what I have gleaned from reading the WW1 Records!):

    In 1915 there was a form (R53) for Voluntarily Attested Men to apply for Exemption.
    Application could be made:
    a) On the ground that it is expedient in the national interests that the man should, instead of being employed in military service, be engaged in other work in which he is habitually engaged; or
    b) On the ground that it is expedient in the national interests that the man should, instead of being employed in military service, be engaged in other work in which he wishes to be engaged; or
    c) If he is being educated or trained for any work, on the ground that it is expedient in the national interests that, instead of being employed in military service, he should continue to be so educated or trained; or
    d) On the ground that serious hardship would ensue, if the man were called up for Army Service, owing to his exceptional financial or business obligations or domestic position.
    Application may also be made for exemption:-
    e) On the ground that the principal and usual occupation of the man is one of those included in the list of occupations certified by Government Departments for exemption. The official list of the certified occupations may be consulted at the offices of the Local Tribunal or of the recruiting officer.

    Source: (WO 363) Anc****y, USH, page 836

    Unfortunately, I have not (yet) found a copy of the list of certified occupations, although Dairyman appears to be one. And by 1917, as the war dragged on and Britain needed more men, those with exemptions still found themselves called up.

    Jane

  4. #4
    thewideeyedowl
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    Fullscott - that's a wonderful answer. Thank you! I too will see if I can find the list of certified occupations. I suspect that flour milling was one of them. There is a miller in the IoW line, who was 40 at the start of the war, and he did not serve in the armed forces. (Obviously, might also have been exempted by age.)

    Thank you again.

    Wideeyed Owl

  5. #5
    horseshoe
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    Hello wideeyedowl,

    I think the age range went up as the war went on, up to 45 . I am not sure you would have to check, there is a good site called The Long Long Trail , a 1914-18 site which is just out of this world for accuracy and integrity and the help and advice is second to none, anyone researching Great War family and who want to fill in the gaps, "put flesh on the bones" would be better heading there.

    My own grandfather joined in late 1915 and he was 45, going on 46. Some of the more adventurous recruits decided to join up in 1914 at ages of 14 and 15. I understand the oldest was 68.

  6. #6
    horseshoe
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    Hello,

    Cor Blimey Fullscott, yer learn something new everyday!, I never knew this one, cheers.

    I have mining ancestors about seven of them who did not seem?? to do military service, I can not get Absent voters lists as they are being put on line by the council concerned this year in time for the 2014 centenary and I can not think of any other way of finding out how they may have served.

    Do you know if any of these R53 forms might have survived?. I know the Tribunal Records for my ancestors county do not seen to have survived.

    Thanks

  7. #7
    thewideeyedowl
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    Default Military Service Act 1915 (exemptions)

    Hi All

    The best I can find is this on the Long Long Trail: https://www.1914-1918.net/msa1916.html This list is, mainly, categories but at least something to go on.

    I've been searching Hansard and found references to List of Certified Occupations (R136). In fact, in one mention Mr Bonar Law was going to send a copy to his Right Honourable friend. (How nice...wish he could send us one too!) But nowhere can I find the List itself.

    However, whilst searching away, I came across these newspaper transcriptions from Rushden, in Northants, which are about Appeal Tribunals for people who were claiming exemption for service: https://www.rushdenheritage.co.uk/war/tribunal1917.html
    It makes fascinating reading, because you get insights into the lives of the individuals. I certainly had not realised that sometimes only temporary exemptions were granted.

    Swooping off now to do other things,

    Wideeyed Owl

  8. #8
    horseshoe
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    Cheers Wideeyed owl, owls are my favourite bird you know. swoop high little friend.

  9. #9
    Brian S
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    You might get an answer at T.N.A. if you search using "Discovery with the terms "Reserved Occupations"
    Then just refine the results by year range.

    Some great information in the results including MUN 5/63/322/27.

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