[Retlaw]

Retlaw has kindly confirmed to me that he has records of two of my relatives - Charles Swann (Army) and Herbert Swann (Navy) having served during the First World War.

I was slightly puzzled as I was expecting a couple of other records to come up though.

Can anyone tell me what the 'rules' were re conscription - age ranges, marital status, reserved occupations, other reasons for not being eligible ...... etc?

And Retlaw has also let me know that both Herbert and Charles' names appeared on the Roll of Honour in the Whalley Road Primitive Methodist Chapel, which made me feel very very proud of my relationship to them.

There are two other initials on the Prim Meths R-O-H. A & E.

I have other men in my files but they are named as Swan.

As to reasons for being called up, that depended on a number of factors, military tribunals held in ever town, decided in a lot of cases wether a man was or could be exempted from call up, 1000's of men had been attested by mid 1916 and were placed in various classes up to C3, due to age, occupation or medical fitness. It must be remembered that for every man at the front, there could be up to a dozen providing for his needs, either near the front or at home. By late 1917, and especially in the spring of 1918, losses due to battles and the flue that was raging thro Europe, meant more & more men were needed, so that men previously exempt in class B & C were called up. Men were still being sent for militry training in October 1918. Men who early in the war would have been discharged because of their wounds or health, were being posted to the R.D.C., to release fitter men to move further up the chain.

During the German offensive in spring of 1918, more men were killed than during the battle of the Somme, but did'nt have the same impact as the 1st of July. It was over a wider front, and the commonwealth forces were involved as well

Retlaw.