WW3 warning - five groups most likely to be called up if UK brings back conscription - The Mirror

If World War 3 should break out tomorrow, some people in the UK would be at a higher risk of being called upon to serve in the Army than others - these are the most at-risk age groups

International tensions are high, and army numbers in the UK are running low.

If World War III should break out, some people in the UK would be at a higher risk of being called upon than others. Though Keir Starmer has said "nobody is talking about conscription" right now, some experts are worried. Former MP and ex-British Army officer Dr Mike Martin, for example, warned that conscription may well have to happen.

"Obviously if we got into a big war, we’d have conscription straight away," Dr Martin told Big Issue last year. "Would we need to conscript? Yeah, we would. Because ultimately, we’re not at a stage yet where you can replace people with drones. We’re a long way off from that. Drones are fine, as far as they go, but you still need people to occupy villages, hold ground, and all the rest of it. And that’s not going to change for quite some time."

This group would be targeted according to recent data.

General Sir Patrick Sanders also warned the Government last year that they should be preparing Brits for conscription "within six years" if Vladimir Putin continues to threaten warfare.

If conscription were to happen, these would be the five groups most likely affected, reports the Express.

1. Young men age 18 to 25

Young men age 21 and 22 were conscripted even before war broke out in 1939. Later, the pool was widened to men aged between 18 and 41.

2. Single, childless people

During WWII, single people without children were drafted first in order to avoid disrupting families.

3. Women age 20 to 30

Women can't necessarily escape being conscripted. They've never been drafted into combat before, but in WWII, they took on many adjacent roles including nursing, munitions, and auxiliary positions. A recent YouGov poll found that almost three quarters (72%) of Brits support women serving on the frontlines.

4. Former soldiers

Former soldiers and reservists already have military skills, so they are high on the list of those who would be called upon.

5. Anyone aged up to 51

Aging out of the conscription bracket may not be an option. If a war were to go on a long time, older people may also be drafted. At the end of WWII, people aged up to 51 were being conscripted. Older people, aged 52 to 60, took on roles in civil defence as well.