Will I be drafted for WW3 in the UK? Conscription rules of the past explained
IN January 2024, an Army chief warned that Brits could face a call-up in the event that a war breaks out with Russia.
General Sir Patrick Sanders said the UK was under-equipped to fight an all-out war, and stressed the need for ministers to "mobilise the nation" amid the threat of WW3.
Will I be drafted for WW3 in the UK?
As it stands, there is no conscription legislation in the UK.
This means that it is unlikely you will be called up for service under current legislation.
While forced conscription is not currently in effect in the UK, Parliament has the authority to enact a law reinstating it in the event of a national crisis.
What conscription rules existed before?
The introduction of conscription, were it to happen, would be the first time in over 60 years that Brits would be required to fight.
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The UK has only used conscription twice during modern times.
Mandatory military service was introduced during the First World War after the government passed the Military Service Act in 1916.
This imposed conscription on all single men aged between 18 and 40 - unless they were ministers of a religion or single parents.
The law later changed to include married men and the age limit was raised to 51 years old.
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The second conscription period happened during and after the Second World War between 1939 and 1960.
Initially, only single men aged between 20 and 22 were liable to be called up.
However, as the war escalated, the age requirement was changed to include all men aged 18 to 41.
It was then again later extended to cover men between the ages of 18 and 51.
The conscription policy remained in effect until 1960 - when the UK government made the decision to suspend it.
As a result, the conscription policy then transitioned to a volunteer-based armed forces system.
Are the UK currently drafting for war?
In January 2024, a former Admiral warned that there would be a need for Brits to be conscripted to fight Russia should war break out, as the UK's "starved" military desperately needs more soldiers to win.
Admiral Lord West told The Sun: "We don't want to go to conscription, but if there should be a world war, then obviously the country mobilises.
"Every aspect of the nation gets mobilised to the war - otherwise you lose. We saw that in the Second World War.
"Part of that is needing extra people - and they would have to introduce conscription if there was a war.
"It's something everyone should do."
However, Lord West also cautioned: "We are a long way from that at the moment."
It came after General Sir Patrick Sanders’ warning.
The Chief of the General Staff had said Brits could face a call-up if the UK goes to war with Russia because the "military is too small".
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Civilians would have to be mobilised in large numbers if war broke out, he warned.
In addition, Nato bosses have warned allied nations to be prepared to take any actions necessary to fight Vladimir Putin's forces.