People up to the age of 65 could be called up to fight in any upcoming wars after the UK opted to extend the age bracket for its Army Reserves earlier this year.
Although there’s no immediate threat of war, ongoing tensions across the globe alongside Government recommendations to start stock-piling certain items has brought the topic of military conflict back into many people’s minds.
It also means that some folks have been thinking about the possibility of conscription and who could be called up first.
During World War 2, men aged between 20 and 22 were the first to be called up six–months before the war started, but this was extended to 18-41 once war broke out.
By 1942, men up to the age of 60 were called up to ‘do some form of National Service’ to support war efforts.
Experts say there’s ‘one group’ who would be called up first (Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
Retired senior British Army officer Lord Dannatt recently told The Daily Express that he believes, much like how things were in WW2, the youngest eligible people would be called up first and only after the current-service and reserve officers are sent to the war.
He said: “I would expect to see the Army Reserve mobilised first, then Regular Reservists recalled to active service and then His Majesty’s Government would need to consider conscription, starting with 18-24-year-olds.”
He continued: “Britain would not necessarily begin by compelling civilians with no military experience to join the armed forces.
“Reservists and former service personnel would provide an initial pool of people with military training, although recalling them at scale would present substantial logistical challenges.”
However, back in January, the UK Government announced it planned to boost its reserves by raising the maximum age former military personnel can be called up from 55 to 65.
Meaning that former military personnel up to the age of 65 could be called up if war broke out.
Under new plans, the the UK military would be raising the age former army personnel can be called up to 65 (Damian Lemanski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The plan, which was released in further detail in June, states: “The key changes include increasing the recall liability for personnel up to the age of 65 and lowering the threshold for recall so that Reservists can be recalled for ‘warlike preparations’ in addition to the current requirement for ‘national danger, great emergency, or attack on the UK’.
“This will allow us to mobilise talent rapidly when it matters most, strengthening our readiness and bolstering our resilience. We will also deliver a Defence Readiness Bill to go further later this Parliament.”
Paul Griffiths, the general leading the British effort, said back in January: “These reforms will allow us to mobilise that talent rapidly when it matters most, strengthening our readiness and aligning with a similar approach many NATO forces are taking.”
According to Reuters, the new rules are set to come in from spring next year.
The UK Government has previously stressed that compulsory military service – aka conscription is not currently being contemplated.
“This Government has no plans to introduce conscription in the UK and believe the best way of defending our country is by maintaining professional Armed Forces who choose to serve,” a spokesperson previously told LADbible.
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