Machinist/Fitter & Tool Maker

[ostrauts]

Dear All,

Recently information has come to light that my Grandfather and his brother were a Machinist/Fitter and Tool Maker.  My relative told me that both were exempt from service in WW2 due to their occupation.

Does anyone know why their occupations would see them exempt from service?  And what would their skills be used for during the war?

Many thanks,
Stuart

[stanmapstone]

They were not exempt, they were in reserved occupations, these were occupations scheduled as vitally important for war work
 The full Schedule of Reserved Occupations (Provisional) was published in The Times  Wednesday, Jan 25, 1939. You can download the schedule at  http://www.rootschat.com/links/019ks/

Stan

[iluleah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a6652019.shtml

Occupations/skilled required to keep the country running, producing food, such as farmers and  so skilled people such as Machinist/Fitter & Tool Maker could keep factory machines running, make parts to repair and fit, really depends on where in the country and what the local industry was

[ostrauts]

Thank you Stan & Leah for your replies.  I really appreciate it.

[TropiConsul]

A tool maker would have attained the highest qualification held by machinists.  He would typically be responsible for fabricating the cutting tools (taps, dies, blades, broaches, etc.) used by the production machinists.

[Rena]

In his reserved occupation, my father was a fitter and the company he worked for made excavators so I always assumed that the factory "war effort" was to make the "crawlers" for our tanks.   I was well off the mark as they made much smaller items like cottar pins for the war effort.   He also served in the home guard.   Other men in the factory took turns to stand on the roof to sound the Klaxon horn if they heard or saw an approaching enemy plane, and others were wardens on "fire watch" and/or patrolling the streets making sure everybody had drawn their "black out" curtains

[stanmapstone]

others were wardens on "fire watch"

The Times, Monday, Sep 23, 1940
The Minister of Home Security has made an Order under the Defence Regulations providing that a fire watcher shall be present at all times in all premises in which more than 30 persons work.

Stan

[youngtug]

A tool maker would have attained the highest qualification held by machinists.  He would typically be responsible for fabricating the cutting tools (taps, dies, blades, broaches, etc.) used by the production machinists.

I served an apprenticeship as a toolmaker and it wasn't that
.

[TropiConsul]

A tool maker would have attained the highest qualification held by machinists.  He would typically be responsible for fabricating the cutting tools (taps, dies, blades, broaches, etc.) used by the production machinists.

I served an apprenticeship as a toolmaker and it wasn't that
.

I served as a production machinist at WKM Valve Division of ACF Industries in Missouri City, Texas.  I was operating all machinery used in producing 1-1/4 to 4 inch valve gate assemblies for use on the Alaska pipeline.  Toolmaker is precisely as I described it in US parlance.  UK usage may be otherwise.