World War I At Home A summary of the events and campaigns that World War One presented back in Britain.

MOBILISING A FIGHTING FORCE

Voluntarism At the outbreak of war Britain had small professional army of just under 250,000. The regular army was too small to be waging a war in Europe, expansion was necessary. The liberal government under Asquith wished to have a voluntary method of recruitment and to avoid conscription.

Enter Lord Kitchener 5 th August 1914 Kitchener is made Secretary of State for War. Kitchener tells the cabinet the war: –w–would last at least 3 years. – would require at least a million men. 6 th August 1914 Parliament authorises the increase of the army to 500, th August 1914 Kitchener calls for the ‘first 100,00’ Target reached by 25 th August 1914.

Voluntarism: ‘Pals battalions’ ‘Those who joined together should serve together’ Some 250,000 men joined, forming over 300 battalions: – friends, sporting teams, orchestras, artists. – White Star shipping, the Cunard line & the Cotton Exchange, all formed platoons This method meant entire communities were devastated in single assaults.

Voluntarism: ‘Derby Scheme’ By Spring 1915, volunteering numbers had dwindled but an attrition war needed more. 15 th July 1915 The National Registrations Act was passed, this ‘census’ revealed 3.4 million men of military age and not in ‘starred’ occupations were not serving. 11 th October 1915 Lord Derby appointed Director-General of Recruitment and invited men aged to attest their willingness to fight. The scheme saw 215,000 men enlist with 38% of single males not coming forward.

Conscription January 1916 The Military Service Act was passed and conscription was introduced. All unmarried/widower males aged were eligible for conscription. May 1916 The Act was extended to include married men. Only those in ‘starred occupations’ were exempt.

Conscientious Objectors Autumn 1914 Allen & Brockway form the No Conscription Fellowship for those who refused to fight. MP’s agreed to set up military tribunals to hear the objectors cases. Those case heard by the tribunals could be: – Refused and order to fight. – Sent to join the Non-Combatant Corps. – Imprisoned if absolutists. June 1916, the Pelham committee founded to offer work to imprisoned C.Os such as road building.

Role of Women: Nursing The sheer scale of the war saw the need for women to join the workforce breaking the ‘separate sphere philosophy’. Many women accompanied the men at the front in the medical profession in the form of: – Nurses, by 1918 numbering 23,000 – VADs: Voluntary Aid Detachments, through the war 38,000 – FANYs: First Aid Nursing Yeomen, by 1918 only 116.

Role of Women: At Home At home, women were needed to fill the positions of those men fighting and so were formed: – WAACS: Women’s Auxiliary Corps. – WRNS: Women’s Royal Naval Service. – WRAF: Women’s Royal Air Force. The absence of men from their jobs at home saw women fulfil some of these roles such as making munitions and crane operating. January 1917, saw the creation of the Women’s Land Army, its members replaced men absent form Britain’s agriculture.

PROPAGANDA

Early Propaganda Early propaganda was run by private hands such as national industries and magazines. In 1914 a propaganda bureau was secretly set up in Wellington house under Charles Masterman under a false name. The bureau’s work was often chaotic and contradictory due to the departments disorganisation.

Department of Information PM Lloyd George set up the Department of Information, to raise morale and coordinate propaganda. The dept. was lead by Montgomery then by Buchan. The dept. consisted of four sub-divisions: – Wellington house, provides material – Cinema division – Political Intelligence division – News Division.