Express readers debate who should be called up first in event of WW3

The UK’s political leaders will soon have a “frank conversation” with citizens about the sacrifices that will be needed in the event of war, according to the head of the British Army. General Sir Roly Walker, who has served as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army since June 2024, has warned that the public must be prepared to make sacrifices to strengthen national defence.

Speaking to around 700 soldiers at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, Sir Roly said the UK was entering a period of heightened international danger and suggested the armed forces could soon be needed to defend the nation. His comments come amid increasing concern about Russian aggression, pressure to increase defence spending and calls for the public to take a more active role in national security.

In a speech captured by the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), he said: “You didn’t know this, but our nation is going to need you. “There was a time that our nation didn’t want to think of a time when it would need its soldiers to fight in a war.

“But as anyone who is studying the trajectory of world affairs and the geopolitical system within which our nation sits and thrives will realise there is extreme jeopardy in the world at the moment, and the business of soldiering is coming back into the nation’s psyche.”

And as fears over a potential global conflict grow and Britain’s Army chief warning the public may have to make sacrifices to strengthen national defence, questions are being raised over who should be expected to serve if World War Three were to break out. But who do YOU think should be called up first in event of WW3? 18 to 25-year olds? People with military experience? Volunteers of any age? Vote in our poll and express your views in the comment section below.

Sir Roly added: “Indeed, very soon, the political leaders of this country will start to have a frank conversation with the citizens of this country about just what is going on, and where the risk lies, and what the nation must need to be prepared to do. They need to understand what is going on in the world of defence and security, and why now appears to be a very dangerous time.

“They are going to try and explain to our citizens that our citizens have got to consent to sacrifices to prioritise defence and security.

“And then they are going to ask those citizens, for whom we are not necessarily at the front of their mind, that they too need to play a part in the defence and security of this country.

“They need to understand what we do for them. They need to consent to allow us to do that. Which means sacrifices by them. And ultimately we are going to need them to back us, to back you to do the one thing that you do that nobody else gets to do and that is to take the fight to the enemy.”

Britain does not currently operate a system of compulsory military service. Introducing conscription would require significant government and legal decisions.

A Government spokesperson told The Independent: “The General’s comments show that as the threats we face become more complex and move closer to home, our alliances and national security have never been more important.

“That is why we are delivering the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War and transforming our Armed Forces to warfighting readiness.

“Our response must go beyond the Armed Forces alone. Government, industry and the public all have a role to play. Through the Home Defence Programme, we are strengthening the UK’s resilience and preparedness, ensuring the nation is better equipped to respond to the challenges of a more dangerous and uncertain world.”