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Slight mystery about grandfather's war service

Maria Magenta

master brummie
He was a ropemaker at Wright's, and I believe this was a reserved occupation, but he was called up in November 1916, having been attested in March of that year.
His brother, also a ropemaker, didn't serve in the war.
Am I seeing a mystery where there isn't one? Perhaps a certain amount of men in reserved occupations were called up?

My mother said that he was a batman, yet on his documents he is described as having been in the Labour Corps. That can be easily explained; either my mother didn't remember properly or he was trying to talk it up! What would be the duties of someone in the Labour Corps? (He was in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment).
 
I don't quite know how it works but could he have volunteered, taken the oath and then been called into service later?

Janice
 
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