Britains Civilian Armies In The Second World War

While those of national service age were called to arms in World War II, a parallel process was being undertaken involving the civilian population. This initiative relied in the main on volunteers -- some of which were far outside the comfort of their day jobs, or indeed, their previous experiences. This recruitment drive involved many more of the population, but unlike the start of the First World War, the importance of women was recognized from the outset. Another facet of this civilian recruitment drive focused on young adults, for they were recognized for their potential military roles in the future. To that end, many boys (and in some cases, girls) were put into uniforms and trained in various activities.