Oldham Historical Research Group

'THE GREAT WAR', 'THE WAR TO END WAR', 'WORLD WAR 1'
'What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
- Only the monstrous anger of the guns.'
from 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' by Wilfred Owen

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN WW1

Example from the Military Service Local and Appeal Tribunals in Middlesex, from the National Archives

Thomas Arthur Brown Applied for 'absolute exemption' from military service 1916

Thomas Arthur Brown

NOTICE OF APPEAL (continued)
FOR LOCAL TRIBUNAL

Reason for the decision of the Local Tribunal:

Appellant stated that his people were Calvanistic Baptists and that he attended a Congregational Sunday School. For the last five or six years he had attended Meetings of Plymouth Brethren, but he was not a member, and he attended only irregularly, because he often went to Brighton on Sunday by cheap excursion to see his people. He thought Sunday travelling wrong, but considered that the object of his excursions justified them.

As appellant appeared to have an accommodating conscience and as it was known that the objections of the Plymouth Brethren were usually met by exemption from Combatant Service, the Tribunal thought exemption to that extent should meet his case.

The Military Representative made no observation in this case.

___________________________

FOR APPEAL TRIBUNAL

Decision:
Appeal dismissed.

Leave to appeal refused.

3rd April 1916

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