My partner's Great Uncle, Alan Jack Dix served with the 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment and was killed 9/10/1917 attacking the Polderhoek chateau. In researching this "lost" family member it has come to light he had an elder brother Cyril who refused to fight.

I admit to knowing nothing about this aspect of the war and doubt it was that rare for one family member to go and one to refuse, but anyone who can shed some light on those who refused to fight, and what happened to them, where they went, or even better if it is possible to find out specific information on what happened to Cyril Dix, I would be most grateful.

Many thanks

Rory

Rory

Your best bet is the local newspaper for Cyril's home town. Men looking for exemption from military service appeared before the Military Service Tribunal for his area and these hearings were often published verbatim in the local press.

For background material I would strongly recommend John Rae's "Conscience and Politics", a first rate exposition of the introduction of the Military Service Act, its consequences for objectors to military service and a thorough investigation into the reasons for conscience objection and why many could not understand it.

TR

Rory

His service papers (seven pages) are available on Ancestry under WW1 Service Records

He was in the 4th Northern Company Non Combatant Corps. He was posted to the Company on 21 June 1916. He refused to obey an order and was tried by District Court Martial on 27 June and sentenced to 112 days in prison. He was then sent to Durham Prison

In November 1916 he was transferred to the Army Reserve which suggests he undertook work under the Home Office scheme. There is no record of whether he was later returned to the Army - that was quite common for conscientious objectors who were unwilling to do civil work. If he was willing to do civil work his army career would have ended.

If you do not have access to Ancestry let me know and I will extract the information for you.


Ivor

Many thanks TR, you have given me a place to start.

Rory

Ivor

Thanks so much for that - it is an incredible revelation. Having only just discovered Alan his serving brother - now to discover Cyril went to prison is incredible - I can only imagine what the family went through - i wonder if it divided them.

I dont have access to ancestry so any help on that front would be brilliant.

Cheers

Rory

Will PM the information later today

Ivor

Many thanks Ivor - copies received and read - must admit to finding the last sheet hard to read - but can just make out as you said that he disobeyed an order. I wonder if there is anyway of finding out what that order was.

Thanks for going the extra mile for me - great discovering skeletons in the closet so to speak -absolutely fascinating.

Rory

Rory

Many of the C.O.s who had been placed in the Army against their will refused to obey any instruction given by an NCO or Officer. So it could have been as simple as being told to fall in for parade.

The Officers and NCOs were not C.O.s but soldiers unft for frnt line service and their treatment of these men who they often thought of as "cowards" was, at times, appalling.

I am sure whe you have had a chance to read the books that Terry and I have suggested you will get a muc better idea.

Good luck with the research

Ivor