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Press-ganging

Don't know about that but they lied to me in a big way to get me in.....
And I fell for it, what do you mean I am not going to be based in Hong Kong for my time???
 
I was told back in the 1980s that the laws covering Press Gangs had never been repealed and were therefore still on the statute books. Anyone know if this is still the case?
 
Just been on that SITE that Janner posted , very interesting but had to squint to read it , or maybe I need to get my arse out to specsavers :twisted: :roll:
 
When I was 15 years and 9 days old I was walking along the platform at Ipswich railway Station on a day trip up from home, minding my own business and being a good little boy when a man in a dark uniform and a funny looking hat shouted at me and a small group of other lads who also happened to be at the same place and herded us into a coach with bars on the windows. Next thing I knew I was being driven through the gates of a place called The Annexe and the gates were slammed shut behind us. The rest is history. Now I would call that impressment. I was deeply impressed! :lol:
 
It was repealed in 1812.As stated on the site linked above.It was one of the major reasons for the little known war between ourselves and the blossoming USA.Due to the time it took to recieve messages, the War was declared by the US, citing empressment as a Causus Belli,but it had been repealed before the declaration of War,but the US Govt werent party to this info till too late.So in effect the US had no claim upon us re Pressing of seamen.Sounds familiar,dont it?LOL
 
andym said:
It was repealed in 1812.As stated on the site linked above.It was one of the major reasons for the little known war between ourselves and the blossoming USA.Due to the time it took to recieve messages, the War was declared by the US, citing empressment as a Causus Belli,but it had been repealed before the declaration of War,but the US Govt werent party to this info till too late.So in effect the US had no claim upon us re Pressing of seamen.Sounds familiar,dont it?LOL
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Andy,it wass our habit of stopping neutral ships,not just US one, and checking for Contraband of War that started the US/British war of 1812
 
Well the Causus Belli cited by congress was the Impressment of bona fide US citizens,who had been RN personell in the past.As such the RN was in the right to repress those seamen that had reneged on the RN.This was in addition as you rightly say in stopping Neutrals as well.it was seen as harbouring Runaway Servicemen and as such we seemed to think that we had the right to retrieve them.LOL.The War of 1812 is a very interesting but little known conflict.recenty the History channel did a great programme about it.
 
Impressment is still lawful. Of course, the last time we 'press-ganged' people was arguably in 1960, when National Service was abolished.

Hansard, 17 June 1992

Mr. Aitken : I hope that the hon. Gentleman will recognise that I am only a Defence Minister. I am not qualified to comment on matters of Scottish law. However, I will endeavour to answer his question at the end of the debate if I am given the leave of the House to do so, or I will write to him later.

Before that intervention, I was referring to a legal matter about consolidation. I am pleased to tell the House that the Law Commission has already begun work on that task. It is a much-needed operation because, metaphorically speaking, the MOD seems to contain a veritable legal attic full of antiquated service law that needs tidying up or, in some cases, sweeping away. I was amused to discover that naval recruitment by the press gang is still legal under the royal prerogative and that at least 44 separate statutes need to be considered by the Law Commission, ranging from the Regimental Accounts Act 1908, the Seamen's and Soldiers' False Characters Act 1906 and the Colonial Naval Defence Act 1831.
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Have a read of the Reserve Forces Act 1996. You can still be pressed ganged whatever the length of time you have been out of the service. No longer is it 3 years in the RFR as occured with the old RFA 86. Watch out BLIAR needs you as an old recruit.
 
Bisley said:
Have a read of the Reserve Forces Act 1996. You can still be pressed ganged whatever the length of time you have been out of the service. No longer is it 3 years in the RFR as occured with the old RFA 86. Watch out BLIAR needs you as an old recruit.
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Nozzy can be our rep as he has already volunteered :eek:
 

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