Post-War National Service was based on the National Service Act of 1948. Healthy males aged 17 to 21 were called up for eighteen months into the Armed Services. In October 1950, due to the Korean War, this was extended to 2 years. Conscription was phased out from 1957 onwards, with the last men called up in November 1960 and the last men serving under the scheme leaving in May 1963.

Samuel James Byrd was a son of John Byrd, a butcher with a shop at 27 High Street, Evesham at the time of the 1911 census. This same census shows that Sam was then in the Army at Ampala, in India, as a gunner with ‘L’ Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. His name is with a few others at the end of long alphabetical list of soldiers in the unit. The census list was probably copied from an Army muster roll and the fact that he was at the end probably indicates that he had only recently joined the battery.

Articles by Peter Braby

These articles first appeared in The Vale of Evesham Historical Society Research Papers. Permission to reproduce the articles has been granted by The Vale of Evesham Historical Society. The author of the articles, the Reverend Peter Braby, a former Vicar of Badsey, died in 1994. His son, Jonathan, has also given permission for the articles to be reproduced.

Maureen Spinks, November 2003

WILLIAM BARNARD 1803-1892
Badsey Schoolmaster, Tailor, Parish Clerk and Postman

An article written by Don Barnard

Don Barnard 2005 (born 1940), son of Edwin (1901 – 1970), son of George (1857 – 1916), son of Henry (1828 – 1860), son of William (1803 – 1892).