Wolverhampton and the Great War

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When war was declared in 1914, Wolverhampton and the surrounding area responded in the same way as towns and cities the length and breadth of Britain. There was a great deal of patriotism and jingoism and many men volunteered to fight in a war that 'would all be over by Christmas'. Few realised that what was to follow would be four years of
all-out war and the loss of hundreds of local men. Local authorities established recruitment committees: there are minutes available at Wolverhampton Archives for Wolverhampton's Recruiting Committee 1914-1915, the Recruiting Sub-committee, Graiseley and St John's Wards 1914, the National Service Act Committee 1917 and the Central Recruiting Committee 1915.

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Recruitment advertisement, Express and Star, 13 August 1914

Recruits outside Wolverhampton Town Hall, 29th August 1914 (Y9/REC/1))

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Extract from Wolverhampton Chronicle, 23rd February 1916

The recruitment committees spent much of their time devising schemes to encourage men to enlist.

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Suggestions considered by the Recruiting Committee in April 1915
(CMB-WOL-C-MISC/18)

By January 1916 the demand for men to fight was so great that the Government introduced compulsory conscription for all unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 41. This was followed in May 1916 by the compulsory conscription of all men between those ages whether they were married or not. This extract from the headteacher's log book of Upper Penn Council School for November 1915 refers to the enlistment of all male teachers just prior to the introduction of compulsory enlistment.

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(D-EDS-127/4/1)

Not everyone wished to take up arms. A number of men were
'conscientious objectors' on religious or other grounds. Sometimes they were willing to undertake other work not directly involved with the fighting. Below is a reference to a Quaker who was arrested for refusing to enlist due to his religious belief:

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(DX-278/2)

The entry reads:

'It is with regret that we have to record the arrest of our friend Mr A Cooper who has from faithful testimony to his conviction that all war is contrary to the spirit and teaching of Christ, by refusing to take up arms or any form of service under military authority and the meeting is desirous of sending a message of sympathy to him and requests AP Brockbird to do so.'

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