Compulsory Military Service

[baz62]

Some of you are aware that my Dad, Murray Tod, passed away on the 20th of December aged 91. A heartfelt thanks to Don Simms (and his wife Sharee) and Anthony Galbraith who came to the funeral on Boxing day.
Regarding CMT. I knew one of my Dad's younger brothers, Keith, had done CMT but noone knew if Dad had and the feeling was that he hadn't. During the war he was in the School Cadets but I don't recall him ever saying he had been in the Army post war.
Is the word compulsory a bit of a red herring and not everyone did it? Dad would have been 18 in 1947 and he started working as an office clerk not long after so I'm pretty sure his occupation wouldn't have precluded him going into the Army. Hope someone can shed some light.

[Dave Homewood]

As I understand it, the name of every male who turned 18 went into the pool of names that could be drawn in a ballot to be called up. But not everyone was drawn, and some who were could appeal on grounds of religion or disability or reserved occupation.

More details here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_military_training_in_New_Zealand

At age 91 he'd have been too young to be drawn in a ballot in WWII but would have been 20 when CMT was reintroduced in 1949. But by then the military was much reduced so as I say not everyone was called up even if eligible.

[baz62]

Thanks Dave that makes sense. Thanks for the link too.

[saratoga]

Also, as in a war footing, some trades were deferred or exempt.

[thomarse]

It was pretty much "compulsory" if your birthday was drawn in the ballot. I certainly don't know of anyone of my era whose birthday was drawn but dodged the inevitable.

My ballot was, I thought, one of the last - it would have been in December 1969 - but it would appear that ballots may have continued as late as 1972. My birthday missed by a whisker, both the day before and the day after coming out in the ballot.

I could be wrong on this, but I understood that at some stage, if you volunteered you could select the Service in which you served your time. However, if you did so, your employer was not obliged to make your wages up to your current level at the time or to keep your job open for you.




PS: do I get a medal for my next post?

[denysjones]

You're right that the ballots continued until 1972, as I was turning 21 that year while at university and so involuntarily participated in the last ballot ever held that year.

The only time I had a ticket in a lottery that I didn't want a win from!

I'm not sure about the general populace but my recollection is that uni students who got picked could defer their service time until they finished uni.

[shorty]

I got called in the birthday ballot but at the time I had applied to join the Air Force (1967). The Army and Air Force medicals were done by the same people so it caused a bit of confusion when I turned up to the same people two days running. I had to do the Army one in case I didn't get into the Air Force.

[kiwirob]

My dad did his service in the late 60's, his older and younger brothers didn't do any service, my mums brother was also called up for service, he became an officer and retired after 20 years of service.