National Service Remembered aims to bring to life the stories of those who were conscripted.
This exhibition honours the heroic contribution a generation of men gave to their country, capturing their wealth of knowledge and historic experiences for generations to come.
The National Service years spanned from 1947 until 1963, and in that time more than two million men were conscripted into the British Army, Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force.
National Service was mandatory. Generally all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 30 were called up. However, it was possible to defer if working as an apprentice or studying, or even be exempted altogether if working in one of the three essential services which were coal mining, farming and the merchant navy.
National Service conscripts were expected to serve 18 months. This was extended up to 2 years during the Korean War (1950-53). Once they had been demobbed, conscripts had to remain on the reserve list for four years, and could be recalled to their units if needed.
All National Service conscripts were asked to attend medical assessments, after which they were sent for six weeks of basic training in the British Army. Once the conscripts arrived at their training base they were issued with their uniform and equipment, and training could begin. Young men from across the country and from a wide range of experiences and social backgrounds were expected to live, train and work together at close quarters. They had to adapt to military life and discipline within a matter of weeks.
Following completion of their basic training, conscripts were allocated to one of the armed forces to serve. After basic training, National Service conscripts served in a variety of roles across the Armed Forces. As well as serving at home, Servicemen were posted to one of Britain's many garrisons around the world. An overseas posting often meant that the conscripts saw active service. It is hard now to imagine that many of the young men who were conscripted, with minimal training, were expected to fight. Between 1947 and 1963, a total of 395 National Servicemen were killed in active service. Many more experienced things that they will never forget.
The men who completed National Service are now a minimum of 77 years old. For this generation of men, compulsory National Service was quite simply what had to be done. An expected commitment of their time, their efforts, and in many cases - their lives.
In the National Service Remembered podcast series, there are 9 episodes each featuring extraordinary accounts from servicemen. The podcast aims to bring to life the stories of those who were conscripted, honouring the heroic contribution a generation of men gave to their country, capturing their wealth of knowledge and historic experiences for generations to come.
DORSET - National Servicemen
UK WIDE - National Servicemen
To say a huge thanks to every lottery player who has made this Heritage project possible, we are giving away our free National Service Remembered E-Brochure.
We are also giving away free, accessible school resources so that this unique part of our national history can be explored by all ages. Click the buttons below to find out more.
According to Age UK, more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone
AND MORE THAN A MILLION OLDER PEOPLE SAY THEY GO FOR OVER A MONTH WITHOUT SPEAKING TO A FRIEND, NEIGHBOUR OR FAMILY MEMBER.
To address the increasing needs and isolation of National Service Veterans in the older age groups, we have teamed up with organisations who specifically help the older, vulnerable generation. If you, or someone you know, could benefit from their help, please feel free to get in touch.
Click on any of the organisations BELOW to find out more information.
The Korean War is very much the ‘forgotten war’. Yet, tens of thousands of National Service men were called up as a response to the bloodiest post-WWII conflict, with many giving their lives. Final Roll Call records the stories of those few remaining heroes from the Battle of Imjin River. There is an overview of the conflict but the book mainly concentrates on the stories and anecdotes of the men themselves.
Artwork for this publication was produced by the legendary England wicketkeeper, and now prolific artist, Jack Russell.
If you too would to share your experience of National Service with us, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
Simply click and fill out the form below.
If you are an organisation, school or museum who may like to exhibit 'National Service Remembered', or collaborate on something else, please also get in touch via the form below.
‘National Service Remembered’ has been gratefully supported and sponsored by:
