May 1916

Conscription for single men aged 18 to 41 years old had been introduced in March 1916. Men (or their employers) who wished to avoid call-up could apply to a local Military Service Tribunal for exemption from service, which was usually on conditional or temporary grounds on the basis of essential occupations or physical fitness. On May 20th the Surrey Advertiser reported that the Hambledon Tribunal had given an exemption had been granted to “Wm J.L Botting, master painter and decorator – carrying out a contract – I month” (as a painter and decorator was hardly an essential occupation, one has to wonder who he was working for).

Ewhurst Golf Club

The Surrey Advertiser printed a letter from G Johnston concerning Ewhurst Golf Club –

‘Sir – it may interest some of your readers to know that the committee and management have shut the course from the 1st April until the end of the war. There is a feeling that this time, as so few members are able or wish to play, and the difficulties of getting labour so great, that it would be much better to leave it for a hay crop and afterwards feed it off with sheep. This is going to be done. Of course the greens are being kept in order and it is hoped that when the war is over that the course will be open again without too much damage having been done to it. Yours etc G J Johnston hon. Sec.