National Service

[paulrf]

National Service ended in 1963 when the last National Serviceman was demobbed. The last call up was in 1960. As you had to be 18 years old to be called up this would imply that the last group of people called were born in either 1941 or 1942. There was a provision to delay call up to 21 if you were in training or certain special jobs. A friend of mine insists that no one born after July 1939 was ever called up. Is he correct?

[Nibble]

Hi paul, point him to this.. http://www.britisharm...rg/ns/nat_history.htm

[getonwithit]

my mum who was 70 in april said the boys in her year at school were the first not to do it and she left school in 58 !

[getonwithit]

so if you had to do national service age 18 that is correct no national service for class of 58 being born 1941 but if you born in the early part of 1939 you would still have to do it because of the 3 year period you could delay it till 21 !

[bookbinder]

I was born on 12.09.1939, and I did my National Service from July 1960 until July 1962. I had to register (at the local Labour Exchange) for National Service when I was about 18 or so. At the beginning of my NS I was 20 years old, and I celebrated my 21st birthday at a pub near the barracks where I was doing my basic training. I did not get any kind of deferment or other special treatment.

[ladyalex]

A relative of mine was born on 24th Dec 1940 and did not do National Service, if that helps.
He was not in training or doing any kind of 'special job'.

[mike11111]

Probably because you kept the poor lad as a turnspit in your vast kitchens for when the gentry call on a Saturday night to sample your tailcocks and the sweat of the peasants' hard labour.

[ladyalex]

Not at all. He was gentry , like me!

[alexanderd]

I was born in May 1941 just too late to be called up. I think the last call-up was for people born in September 1940 but not certain. P.S. I joined up anyway, did 12 years in the RAF from March 1959 and there were national servicemen in the same intake as me, those who had been deferred

[honky-tonk]

Relative of mine was born in Dec, 1939 and did not do National Service

[spudqueen]

My Dad was born in 1930 and did not want to do National Service. He left the country before he was called up, to work in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. He came back in 1958, to marry my Mum, and was never actually called up.

[alex giffin]

My Dad was born in feb 1930 and would have done NS between 1948/50. However he worked the angle and joined the merchant navy instead thus avoiding NS. I fairly sure that anyone born after Sept 1939 was not called up but I might be wrong on that,but not by much. I know for sure that anyone born from 1940 onwards was never called up. My mum was born in June 1941 and left school in 1956, she said nobody of her year group served.