National Service and the TA

Discussion in 'Postwar' started by Chris C, May 22, 2022.

  1. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi all,

    I was having an email conversation with Ray Goodacre (author of small books about the East Surrey anti-tank regiments) about postwar TA regiments which drifted to the topic of the National Service. My understanding was that National Service was a short-term (18 month then 24 month) full time conscription programme. But Ray provided me with a couple of pages which discuss the absorption of National Service men into the TA. Were there some men who were required to participate (part-time) in the TA? The timing makes it a little unclear whether this would have been men who had finished their full-time commitment or not.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. REME245

    REME245 Active Member

    When you completed your National Service you were expected to do so long in the TA. In 1991 we still had one guy in my unit who had joined after National Service and stayed. The end of the National Service contributed to the demise of the old TA in 1967 as without the constant supply of new trained recruits the existing TA Divisions which were vastly larger than the current Regular Army could not be adrquetely manned.
     
  3. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Thank you REME!

    Do you mean you were supposed to do as many years in the TA as in regular service? Or just a set length of time? I read something recently about a length of time during which men were expected to possibly be called up. (5 years?)
     
  4. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    To confuse the matter, the various military recruitment acts were amalgamated and recorded as the National Service Acts 1939-1961

    The introduction of NS for 18 months service was brought about by the Malaysian Emergency of 1948 where young males from 18 to 21 years were conscripted to fill in the manpower shortfall of all three services.

    Then in 1950 on the invasion of South Korea by the North Korea, the term of service was extended by 6 months to 2 years with the concession that the last 6 months service was subject to regular pay and in the case of the RAF those of the lowest rank of AC2 were reclassified (promoted to AC1).At this point there was a shortfall aligned to the military commitment such as Korea. Quite a number of NS men serving in the army against the Chinese were included in the casualty lists. NS men were deployed in addition to reservists to fulfil the strength of the armed forces for the Korea commitment. For the RAF there was a shortage of aircrew particularly pilots and the shortfall was taken up by NS men which required renewed structured aircrew training. Meteor squadrons posted to Korea included NS men as groundcrew.

    Reservist commitment was 4 years but in the late 1950s,there was a review on the matter and it was envisaged that reserve service would be incorporated into some arrangement of a Civil Defence structure. As far as I am aware of, the scheme never got underway but it would appear that consideration was being given to the possibility of nuclear warfare. As it was, a NS reservist on being demobbed was allocated a mobilisation centre which was the reporting centre for the individual should there be a declaration of war.(Mine was at RAF Rufforth. I had other acquaintances whose mobilisation centre was also at Rufforth. Others had Binbrook and North Weald as I recollect These centres were also the locations where the annual reservist would be committed to a summer camp of two weeks duration.

    I have never hear// of army reservists being mandatory placed into the TA and similarly RAF reservists being mandatory placed in the Royal Aux Air Force.

    Sorry Chris I cannot read your file on the subject but the link below includes information on postwar NS.

    https://www.parliament.uk/about/liv...e-lives/yourcountry/overview/nationalservice/
     
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  5. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Hi Harry, thank you very much for this. Let me transcribe - and note, this is from records relating to 381 Anti-Tank Regiment.

    (Image named 1950.JPG)
    5. NATIONAL SERVICE AND THE TERRITORIAL ARMY

    By far the most important function of T. and A.F. Associations in 1950 is to prepare for and assist the absorption by the Territorial Army of its first National Service intake. I have a received a letter from the D.T.A. in which the importance of the contribution which Associations can make to the smooth working of the machinery and ultimate success of the Scheme is stressed.

    As a first step the Association is arranging an exercise which has been given the code name of "NONSUCH" the object of which is to discuss the procedure laid down by the War Office for the reception of National Service men in the Territorial Army, and to evolve methods to be adopted by Units within this association for implementing the War Office procedure.

    The exercise of which a precis is given in Appendix "A" has the blessing of the War Office and the cooperation of the Military Authorities concerned.

    It is hoped that as a result of this exercise many of the problems which might arise during the reception of National Service men, which begins in July, may be brought to light and difficulties overcome or at least prepared for beforehand.
    I suppose that men who started National Service in January 1949 would finish aftere Jun 1950.
     
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  6. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

  7. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    And a postscript to the above - from 11 September 1950:

    The early intakes have more than come up to expectation. The men have been reporting regularly and their general attitude to part-time service has been encouraging. A number have made enquiries about volunteering. At long last a decision has been reached as to the Bounty and Commanding Officers are now able to answer enquiries on this most important matter.

    It is gratifying to hear from so many directions that Exercise "Nonsuch" which, as mentioned in my last report, was held by the Association in April gave Units a framework which they have been able to adapt locally and this has ensured the smooth working of the machinery for dealing with the National Service intakes.​
     
  8. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    https://www.parliament.uk/about/liv...vice in peacetime,list for another four years.
    As per above National Servicemen in peacetime were required to serve four years in the Reserve which was often carried out with their local TA unit.
    What was National Service? | National Army Museum

    The TA depended much on the receipt of Reserves who were committed to serve five years (they still are).
    The TA no longer exist as such but was replaced by the Voluntary Reserve consisting of volunteers who attend parades and training camps similar to the previous TA. They are in theory, better trained by Regular Soldiers bolstered by ex Regulars on their Reserve commitment.
    The old TA had no requirement to serve abroad in peacetime but the Army Voluntary Reserve can be sent abroad to supplement the Regular Regiments.
    https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/the-army-reserve/
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2022
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