WW1 Reserved Occupations, Railways & Tunnelling(Mining) (General)

by peteressex , Sunday, August 19, 2012, 07:45 (4482 days ago) @ Jefff

It would be interesting to learn how many Lydney and neighbourhood men were exempt from call-up in both world wars, given the importance of engineering to the war effort and the high proportion of men who were employed at the Lydney tinplate works and at Pine End. Although there was no conscription until January 1916, I have noticed instances in the parish registers of tinplate workers marrying during 1914-18, and I understand the tinplate works were requisitioned in WW2 so they were plainly important. Doubtless with Forest coal coming through the town, it would have been a pity not to use it there to the full. The contribution of Lydney metal and of course plywood to the war effort should never be understated.

Policing was another such occupation. My grandfather William Frank Essex left Lydney in 1912 to join the Metropolitan Police and thus served in London during WW1. He retired in 1938 but took charge of Air Raid Precautions for the Borough of Hampstead in North London before returning to Lydney at the end of WW2 whereupon he had a lead role in Civil Defence as well as becoming a local councillor.