THE MEN WHO SAID NO | ROAD TO CONSCRIPTION | CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION | PRISONS | SENTENCED TO DEATH | TRIBUNALS | WIDER CONTEXT | INDEX
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THE MEN WHO SAID NO | ROAD TO CONSCRIPTION | CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION | PRISONS | SENTENCED TO DEATH | TRIBUNALS | WIDER CONTEXT | INDEX |
| PERCY THOMAS SOWERBY 1896 - |
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| Brothers Percy and Philip Sowerby were living and working in Sutton when they were Conscripted under the Military Service Act 1916. Both attendees of the Church of England and local Quaker Adult School, they applied to the Sutton Tribunal for exemption from military service as Conscientious Objectors in early 1916. Percy had his Tribunal hearing in March 1916 - 20 and a single man, he was among the first group of men to be called up. Percy, the younger brother, was Conscripted later, going before Sutton Tribunal in autumn 1916. Both men were granted Exemption from Combatant Service Only (ECS) by the Sutton Tribunal, a verdict they accepted. ECS meant that the brothers were still considered to be soldiers - but that they would serve in the Non-Combatant Corps, a section of the army set up for Conscientious Objectors who would accept alternative service. The NCC provided labour and logistic support for the army, in exchange for the promise that they would not have to use or even carry weapons. Percy was conscripted into the 2nd Eastern Battalion of the NCC and served in France from April 1916 to November 1919 when he was demobilised and returned home. Philip was sent to the NCC in November 1916, and worked in Britain on agricultural projects until January 1920.
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