What Was A Conscientious Objector?

These were individuals at the outbreak of both the World Wars that opposed fighting for religious, moral or political reasons. The Quakers and Jehovah's Witnesses were two such religious organisations who were opposed to forms of fighting. Everyone who had objected had to go before a Military Service Tribunal to explain their own reasons.

People who were regarded as medically unfit or in a profession considered too valuable to leave such as doctors, dentists and vets also had to attend a local tribunal. If it was decided at the tribunal that there were insufficient grounds for refusing to fight there were Appeals Tribunals held in almost every county.

However some conscientious objectors who still held out when the decision went against them were imprisoned and some even court-martialled. Avoiding conscription to the armed forces by other ways also involved some bribing of officials, taking of drugs, self inflicting injuries and even fleeing to Ireland.

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