1914-1915:
These were the years of the Volunteer Army
In August 1914 the British Government called for an extra 100,000 volunteer soldiers to come forward.
They got 750,000 men by the end of September, and by January 1915 more than 1 million had joined the armed forces voluntarily.
By Mid 1915 volunteer numbers were falling fast and the National Registration Act was created. It was a list of all the men fit for military service who were still available.
1916-1918:
Conscription was introduced in January 1916, targeting single men aged 18-41. Within a few months World War 1 conscription was rolled out for married men.
Men who got called up for service could appeal to a local Military Service Tribunal. Reasons included health, already doing important war work or moral or religious reasons. The last group became known as the Conscientious Objectors.
750,000 men appealed against their conscription in the first 6 months. Most were granted exemption of some sort, even if it was only temporary.
Only 2% of those who appealed were Conscientious Objectors. Despite the legacy of this group only 6,000 were sent to prison. 35 received a death sentence but were reprieved immediately and given a ten year prison sentence instead.