Women between these ages might face conscription as horror WW3 warning issued
During World War 2, the National Service Act of 1941 meant unmarried women in the UK aged 20 to 30 were drafted into auxiliary roles or essential industry
An all-women UAV crew serving in Ukraine(Image: Getty)
Unmarried women in their 20s could face conscription to the British Army if World War Three kicks off, according to historical precedent. They were called up into auxiliary roles or essential industry during World War 2 under the National Service Act of 1941.
While they were not sent into front-line combat, their service was mandatory to support the war effort. The Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) saw huge numbers of conscripts.
These roles were essential and, for a period, compulsory for many. Today, the British Armed Forces are fully voluntary and open to women in all combat roles, but there is no legal framework for compulsory service for either gender.
When countries discuss conscription ages – typically ranging from 18 to early 30s but in rare cases extending higher – they define the pool of citizens considered physically and socially available for military training and mobilisation.
But whether those age ranges apply to women depends entirely on national policy. In most NATO countries, women remain outside compulsory frameworks even where they serve in active combat roles voluntarily.
The UK remains firmly in that category, but there have been renewed warnings from defence experts about the need for expanded armed forces and mobilisation planning.
A shift towards conscription – especially for women – would require a fundamental political and cultural change that has never yet been seriously attempted in peacetime.
But there is global precedent. Israel is one of the few countries where women are conscripted on a near-equal footing with men. Women are typically drafted at around 18 and serve for about 2 years, compared with longer service for men.
There are exemptions – including for religious reasons, pregnancy or marriage in some cases – but in general, military service is a standard expectation for most Jewish Israeli women.
Women in Israel can serve in combat units, intelligence, administration and technical roles, reflecting a broad integration into the armed forces compared with most NATO countries. Several Scandinavian countries have moved towards gender-neutral conscription.
Norway introduced universal conscription in 2015, meaning both men and women are liable for service, typically beginning around age 19 and based on selection rather than automatic drafting of all citizens.
We previously told how a shock new study calls on the UK to prepare for mass mobilisation immediately and to strengthen efforts to expand the Armed Forces.
