My father's "missing~" war years

[Oldhasbeen]

Hi

My father, who dies over a decade ago, always told us that he volunteered for the Navy as soon as he could after war was declared in 1939. He was categoric about this, telling us that he and 3 of his friends from the Adventure Scouts volunteered on the same day.
Dad's Naval Service record, however, only starts at 13th October 1941 but with a note  “??? under NS (AF) Act 1939” - see attachments

Dad was 18 at the start of the war, having been born 6th May 1921. He was single, and working as a transport office clerk according to the 1939 electoral register.

Could anyone shed any light on this? How might I find what my father was up to in 1939-41?

All help gratefully received!

[davidgp]

National Service & Armed Forces Act 1939

[tonepad]

Perhaps:

Entered under NS (AF) Act 1939


Tony

[tonepad]

Two points about conscription from 3 Sep 1939:

The first intake was absorbed into the army.
Men under 20 years old were initially not liable to be sent overseas, but this exemption was lifted by 1942.


Tony

[candleflame]

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/1939register/conscription-national-service-1939

This link indicates that at first they called the slightly older men and only after that did they conscript the 18 year olds. My own Father was born in 1921 and he volunteered just before he was due to be called up as he wanted to choose which service he went into if possible ( he’d set his heart on the RAF). So it may be that your Father and his friends tried to enlist and then went back when the rules changed slightly?

[MollyC]

He was single, and working as a transport office clerk according to the 1939 electoral register.

Do you mean 1939 Civilian Register?  Electoral registers do not give occupation.
(My father was older, volunteered for the RAF immediately, and was serving on a barrage balloon site before the register was taken, so does not appear in that.)