Recruitment and Employment

At the beginning of 1915 the Regular British Army totalled less than 250,000 men; many of whom were serving in other countries, thousands of miles away from the forthcoming war in Europe. In addition, there was a further quarter of a million serving part-time in the Territorials. All of these men, and also those in the Royal Navy, were volunteers. The continental countries operated a system of conscripted service and hence their armed forces were very much larger in number. Therefore, on 6 August, 1914, Parliament was obliged to authorize the initial recruiting appeal: the target was 100,000 men.