Five teams prone to be known as as much as navy as Brit conscription warning sounds
Military experts warn these five groups could face UK conscription if World War 3 erupts – from young men aged 18-25 to former soldiers, despite government denials
Russia has delivered a succession of bone-chilling threats to the West, forcing leaders to warn their citizens to brace themselves for the unthinkable. But should a third global conflict erupt, who would actually be enlisted to fight in it?
Military specialists have repeatedly cautioned existing military personnel numbers fall woefully short, with former MP and ex-British Army officer Dr Mike Martin suggesting conscription would become inevitable.
The military expert, talking to the London Economic, said: “Would we need to conscript? Yeah, we would. Because ultimately, we’re not at a stage yet where you can replace people with drones,” he revealed to the Big Issue earlier this year.
Mike Martin added: “We’re a long way off from that. Drones are fine, as far as they go, but you still need people to occupy villages, hold ground, and all the rest of it. And that’s not going to change for quite some time,” reports the Express.
Despite Prime Minster Keir Starmer’s insistence “nobody is talking about conscription” during his appearance on the News Agents podcast, it wasn’t so long ago that former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was floating the idea of national service for every 18-year-old.
General Sir Patrick Sanders delivered a chilling alert to the Government just last year, declaring Brit must ready themselves for conscription “within six years” should Putin’s Russian threats continue.
So who stands the greatest chance of being “called up”?
1. Young, fit men are most likely to be drafted in World War 3.
If World War 3 were to break out, who would be the first to be conscripted?
Primarily, young and fit men, particularly those aged between 18 and 25, are the most probable candidates for drafting. Back in 1939, men of 21 and 22 years old were conscripted even before the war had officially started. The rules later expanded to include men aged 18 to 41.
2. Single people without kids are also prime candidates for conscription.
Single individuals without children are also more likely to be drafted. During World War 2, those without children were the first to be drafted to minimise disruption to families.
3. Women are likely to face conscription, despite past exclusion from combat roles.
Women could also potentially face conscription, despite historically not being drafted for direct combat roles. In World War 2, women aged 20 to 30 were drafted for roles related to the war effort, such as nursing, munitions, and auxiliary positions.
Whether women would be drafted for combat roles in any future conflict is uncertain, but a recent YouGov poll revealed that 72% of Brits support women serving on the frontlines.
4. Former soldiers and reservists are valuable for quick deployment.
Former soldiers and reservists are also likely to be drafted, given their existing training which allows for rapid deployment.
5. Older people could be drafted if the war drags on.
Should the conflict persist, even the elderly could be called upon, as was the case during World War 2 when individuals up to the age of 51 were conscripted. Those between the ages of 52 and 60 were also required to contribute to civil defence, ensuring that no one could completely evade their duties.
