![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SR6UJYYYURCZZET7KQAQBK6OVA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4df3b7832c2b54483616eb78f144fad5dfaf0c7d4dab68146d61a0f79a3d7332&width=400&height=225)
British soldier Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener featured in an army recruitment poster in 1915
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MXSLY7BJRRCIDKMUGQC6NC6W4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbeb1d32655bc294b2482843a2f54d086141d941301b2e6cd2e4637e49ef1de0&width=400&height=225)
Men queuing outside the headquarters of the Royal Army Service Corps to join up on the eve of conscription in 1939 at the start of World War II. All photos: Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2JHRXRBTXBBLDDOWEFQ7HJMXEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f4d1938b70ec665c4df1d1b737f7cc1bf8e65a3fad96b8fa057f1f36af83f101&width=400&height=225)
A newspaper boy with a poster calling for the conscription of all 20-year-old men in 1939
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FL4AITJSXJFSFK34E53EGZX2JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=868441a6a80516d635038d264c66ee83187460cfa71ddf4dd29408ecb402b9fb&width=400&height=225)
Members of Britain's No Conscription League parade in protest of the government's compulsory conscription bill in 1939
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JD3VWKNIUBC6LI62FWHPFQRDGA.jpg?smart=true&auth=82e2b26819a6cc14b9f2ec5fea9ff98ce9091f35be87e19c6099dafe83c10d10&width=400&height=225)
Newspaper placards in London announce the conscription of all men aged 20 and 21 into the army in 1939
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BRE3PYB2OFFMBKNXRJB6YOKG4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=247465b1d3d77ce7da4a7c3bc813e5d083861c061789ecf73184977647469813&width=400&height=225)
A man studying newspaper notices about conscription in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NAQJM5J5KVDL3HFOLGNEUHCGOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5bb669c9d4cfcb639e6910f5767025016f0f8536b25eacc3a18750501ab12eb7&width=400&height=225)
A group of married men on their conscription into the British Army in 1916
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IHVN7X7NJZH6HOOCVIZS52RG4Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=5d20c3277d5c089c7ae47bb0e7af8fd6c3b5b3ffb6ce1a079320317064f18f19&width=400&height=225)
Crowds of the British public gather to watch delegates arrive at a Compulsion Debate in 1916
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SR6UJYYYURCZZET7KQAQBK6OVA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4df3b7832c2b54483616eb78f144fad5dfaf0c7d4dab68146d61a0f79a3d7332&width=400&height=225)
British soldier Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener featured in an army recruitment poster in 1915
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MXSLY7BJRRCIDKMUGQC6NC6W4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbeb1d32655bc294b2482843a2f54d086141d941301b2e6cd2e4637e49ef1de0&width=400&height=225)
Men queuing outside the headquarters of the Royal Army Service Corps to join up on the eve of conscription in 1939 at the start of World War II. All photos: Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2JHRXRBTXBBLDDOWEFQ7HJMXEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f4d1938b70ec665c4df1d1b737f7cc1bf8e65a3fad96b8fa057f1f36af83f101&width=400&height=225)
A newspaper boy with a poster calling for the conscription of all 20-year-old men in 1939
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FL4AITJSXJFSFK34E53EGZX2JI.jpg?smart=true&auth=868441a6a80516d635038d264c66ee83187460cfa71ddf4dd29408ecb402b9fb&width=400&height=225)
Members of Britain's No Conscription League parade in protest of the government's compulsory conscription bill in 1939
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JD3VWKNIUBC6LI62FWHPFQRDGA.jpg?smart=true&auth=82e2b26819a6cc14b9f2ec5fea9ff98ce9091f35be87e19c6099dafe83c10d10&width=400&height=225)
Newspaper placards in London announce the conscription of all men aged 20 and 21 into the army in 1939
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BRE3PYB2OFFMBKNXRJB6YOKG4Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=247465b1d3d77ce7da4a7c3bc813e5d083861c061789ecf73184977647469813&width=400&height=225)
A man studying newspaper notices about conscription in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NAQJM5J5KVDL3HFOLGNEUHCGOU.jpg?smart=true&auth=5bb669c9d4cfcb639e6910f5767025016f0f8536b25eacc3a18750501ab12eb7&width=400&height=225)
A group of married men on their conscription into the British Army in 1916
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IHVN7X7NJZH6HOOCVIZS52RG4Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=5d20c3277d5c089c7ae47bb0e7af8fd6c3b5b3ffb6ce1a079320317064f18f19&width=400&height=225)
Crowds of the British public gather to watch delegates arrive at a Compulsion Debate in 1916
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SR6UJYYYURCZZET7KQAQBK6OVA.jpg?smart=true&auth=4df3b7832c2b54483616eb78f144fad5dfaf0c7d4dab68146d61a0f79a3d7332&width=400&height=225)
British soldier Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener featured in an army recruitment poster in 1915