Conscientious Objectors

During the First World War about 20,000 men were classed as conscientious objectors, refusing military service to some degree. Their motivations ranged from religious to political, and their backgrounds were equally varied. Whilst some sought to find work acceptable to both their conscience and the tribunals who decided their fate, others resisted military or prison authorities, or went on the run. Through a selection of individual stories which highlight wider experiences, Jo will explore the lives of some of those who resisted conscription.

Jo Costin started researching conscientious objectors as part of her PhD, looking at local tribunals and military service to create a database of those who went to fight and those who didn't, from a selection of villages in Cambridgeshire. Though the conscientious objectors made up only a tiny fraction of the cases they were often reported in more detail and she was gradually drawn in by their stories.

Jo is the author of 'The Cambridgeshire Kitcheners: A History of the 11th Suffolk Regiment’.

Members and non-members of The Western Front Association are equally welcome. Any new visitors are guaranteed a friendly atmosphere and a warm welcome from a group of like-minded enthusiasts. 

Main image: Dyce Camp Quarries Conscientious Objectors (1916 - public domain)