Warfare over time Flashcards
(14 cards)
When was conscription introduced?
Military Service Act 1916, conscripting 18-41 year olds, initially single or widowed men
Why was conscription a controversial political decision?
- Considered an illiberal measure contributed to Liberal Party’s downfall
- desperate measure, 1915 Derby Scheme implemented to generate more volunteers but only half of single men and 40% of married men were willing to do so
How large a fighting force did conscription generate?
- 1.1m men in the first year, 2.5m men by the end of the war, largest fighting force Britain had ever generated
- huge impact on families at home, women forced into war work
How was conscription in 1916 controversial?
- the government established tribunals where conscientious objectors could appeal not to fight - 750,000 claims approved
- yet still had to contribute to to war economy, total war
How was the British fighting force in WW1 initially made up of volunteers? Haldane
- Haldane Reforms 1906-1912 focused on the need for an expanded Expeditionary Force and created a trained reserve system, by 1910 a territorial force of 270,000 had been established
Wave of volunteering initially WW1
- 1 million volunteers initally joined, overwhelmed the armed forces, didn’t have the capacity to provide effective training or adequate equipment
- yet this wasn’t enough, demonstrated by need for conscription
Longevity of volunteering
- in place for 100 years, still in place today
Why had the armed forces become more attractive after the French Wars
- success of British forces made uniforms and positions respected, evident in music hall songs like ‘All the Nice Girls Love a Sailor’ and ‘Soldiers of the Queen’
- pensions introduced after 21 years of service, became a profession
influence of army reforms on recruitment
- McNeill-Tulloch report on issues of supplies, medical care, administration led to improved conditions
- Cardwell reforms 1870-71 removed purchase of commission (meritocracy), as well as creating a ‘short-service’ system, 6 years of active duty followed by 6 years in the reserves, abolished flogging in peace time - life more appealling
Press gangs within the navy
- targeted the most vulnerable in society, getting the lower classes drunk at recruitment parties and then giving them the King’s Shilling, illegal to refuse
- gangs would patrol coastal areas and look for merchant navy
- lack of morale
- ended in 1815
Quota Acts French Wars 1805
- each county had to provide a quota of recruits based on their population size and number of ports
- necessary to supplement press gangs
- provided 1/5 of navy
Recruiting sergeants into the armed forces French Wars
- no impressment, would persuade, sometimes get recruits drunk
- wouldn’t inform recruits that their proposed income was reduced by 80% due to stoppages
What were William Armstrong’s new artillery designed to overcome?
• breech loaded rather than muzzle loaded
• designed to overcome traditional problems faced by artillery: slow loading time, barrel wear and poor accuracy
Long term impact of Armstrong’s breech loading artillery 1859-60
• Whilst initially not widely used due to more expensive ammunition, wider level of training, became the norm from 1880s onwards
• used during WW1
• without breech loaders, switch from broadside firing in navy to turret mounted guns wouldn’t have happened
• new larger breech loaded guns were the first guns in history that could fire further than gunners could see, emphasising importance of signalling
