Between 1916 and 1918 about 1.3 million men were conscripted into the armed forces. This resource draws on extremely rare records to examine cases where men applied for exemption from conscription. What were their motivations, and how were decisions made about who should go to war and who should stay at home? The resource includes activities working with documents and guides students through analysing data in a spreadsheet. This resource can be used to learn about: How conscription during WWI affected people’s lives How and why men or their employers applied for exemption from military service, and the reasons they gave How the needs of the local economy were balanced with the need for men in the army How historians can analyse large quantities of data The resource is based on rare surviving records from the Bury St Edmunds Local Tribunal. You can find out more in our online display.