The Brave Coward: James H Coward 24680

[Scathelock]

I wonder if someone can help me with this family tale. My grandfather's brother James Coward worked as a Gas Mantle Fitter in Mare Street, Hackney during the start of WWI. The story goes that because he worked for an 'essential service' he was not required to enlist. But one day on a train journey home from work a woman dropped a white feather in his lap. Because he was so ashamed he did enlist. Records show that enlisted on 13 October 1916 (aged 28) and was in The Queens Own Royal West Regiment. Reg.Number 24680. He died of his wounds on the 4th October in 1917 serving in Flanders.

I understand that by January 1916 voluntary enlistment had stopped and ALL British males were now conscripted.

Would James have originally received call-up papers and had to go to a local tribunal?
Do these local tribunal papers still exist in local archives?
I am just trying to find some historical facts to this story.

[philipsearching]

(whoops - duplicated this post)

[philipsearching]

The Military Service Act of March 1916 stated that men aged from 18 to 41 were liable to be called into the army unless they were married, widowed with dependent children, serving in the navy, ministers of religion or in a reserved occupation.  The May 1916 Act extended this to include call up for married men.  Military Service Tribunals were set up to hear cases when men (or their employers) believed they should not be called up.

You would have to do a bit of searching to find out what the reserved occupations were - I believe there were local variations in how this was defined.

As far as I know, men could still enlist without waiting to be called up.

All the best
Philip

[jim1]

Really there weren't any reserved occupations in WW1 as men from all trades & professions were needed.
Gas mantle fitting wouldn't have been considered "essential" as this could easily have been done by someone else, probably a woman. Being an inspector in a Howitzer factory for example may have exempted him.
Being given a white feather did happen often (particularly with conscientious objectors) & men who were invalided out were given a Silver War Badge to wear & men who were working for the war effort were also given a badge to combat this practice.
I would have thought that as most of the men in his street & at work were serving would have been shame enough but that's just my opinion.
You could of course give him the benefit of the doubt because it's quite possible he'd tried to join before being called up but was rejected for one reason or another. By 1916 the Army wasn't so fussy.
As an aside as you may already know this your man was just outside of Ypres on the Menin Rd. when he died.
More precisely he was in the British front line trench N. of Menin Rd. & E. of Veldhoek awaiting orders to advance on the morning of the 4th. On the 2nd. Oct. the Germans (1st. Guards Reserve) attacked following a heavy barrage from their artillery & got into the British trench but were driven back. On the 3rd. they attacked again but only got to within a 100yds. of the trench before retreating.
Most of the British casualties from the 1st. Batt. came from B Coy.
I would say your man was one of these.

[Scathelock]

Many many thanks jim1 and philipsearching for your useful oppinions. The map Jim has uploaded is a priceless insight into the horror those brave men faced. I am extremely grateful and will show this to members of the family.

 James was a Gas Mantle Maintenance Fitter. He was married at the outbreak of WWI and his daughter was born a year later. His wife Laura died the following year about the same time the Military Service Act extended to married men. He enlisted four months later and was killed less than a year after that, aged 29.

I have contacted direct relatives of his daughter to see if there is any evidence to show his occupation would have originally exempted him. But in the mean time many thanks once again for your kind help.

[Jake1991]

Hi there I have a link for you to read as James Henry Coward was my g grandad https://tonywaitfamilyhistorian.blogspot.com/2016/07/james-coward-and-white-feather.html?m=1