In a message dated 11/1/2006 1:06:51 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, kbailey@frontiernet.net writes: I can not document this, maybe someone else can, but I was under the impression that it was a long standing tradition to exempt 1 son, so that a family always had an heir and widows might have a son to provide for them. If this man helped his mother run the shop, then he would have been the likely recipient of the exemption. I had a great uncle who never served. On paper he was medically unfit, but he told me that the doctor kept refusing to let him volunteer because all his brothers were already inlisted and his mother needed him at home.... Anyways, I hope this might be helpful. Like I said, I can't confirm this, it's just what I've always heard. Keith Bailey ~ Hi! All four of my English Grandmother's brothers served in WWI and their mother was a Widow. HTHs, Joanne Joanne MAYS BECKER Sleepy Hollow, New York

Hello Saving Private Ryan has a lot to answer! for - A unit tramping around France in the middle of a war looking for one bloke. There are well documented cases of a mother losing all of her sons from - Australia, UK, Canada. My wife's Grandfather and his five brothers all served and although receiving wounds, all came back. It has to be remembered that not everyone wanted to fight, others were in the Derby Scheme, others restricted occupations. To be honest anyone could run the shop so I doubt that would be a reason. I know of a Victoria Cross winner in civvies being given a white feather !, so you needed - Good reason, good excuse, good high powered friends all all of them to get out of serving. Steve JMBecker@aol.com wrote: In a message dated 11/1/2006 1:06:51 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, kbailey@frontiernet.net writes: I can not document this, maybe someone else can, but I was under the impression that it was a long standing tradition to exempt 1 son, so that a family always had an heir and widows might have a son to provide for them. If this man helped his mother run the shop, then he would have been the likely recipient of the exemption. I had a great uncle who never served. On paper he was medically unfit, but he told me that the doctor kept refusing to let him volunteer because all his brothers were already inlisted and his mother needed him at home.... Anyways, I hope this might be helpful. Like I said, I can't confirm this, it's just what I've always heard. Keith Bailey ~ Hi! All four of my English Grandmother's brothers served in WWI and their mother was a Widow. HTHs, Joanne Joanne MAYS BECKER Sleepy Hollow, New York ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GREATWAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message Researching 9th (service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regiment) during the Great War. www.ypressalient.co.uk People ask me my religion - my religion is kindness - True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised