"Why didn't the Ministry of Labour call up racing driver Mike Hawthorn when he was in this country? Well, the official explanation is that they didn't know he was here..."

Sunday Dispatch, March 1954

Peace time National Service (or Conscription / The Call Up) in the UK was introduced in 1945 and continued until 1960. It was formalised in peacetime by the National Service Act 1948. From January 1, 1949, every man between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six was expected to serve in the armed forces for eighteen months, and remain on the reserve list for four years thereafter. The period of basic duty was extended to two years in 1950 as a response to the Korean War, although the subsequent time in the reserves was reduced by six months to compensate.

During the enforcement period, 2.5 million young men did their time for National Service with around 6,000 called up every month. The disruption caused by national service to young lives was major. It affected education, boys starting apprenticeships and girlfriends facing their partners disappearing with only occasional leave.

The only escape, it seemed, was failing the compulsary medical, being in a reserved occupation or being in the essential services (for 8 years minimum). These were 1) Coal Mining, 2) Farming and 3) The Merchant Navy.

The other alternative escape was to be abroad ....

In Mike’s case, there is little doubt now that he went motor racing and intentionally spent as little time as possible in England and so did try to avoid serving his time. For this he had the British press on his heels.

One morning in early February 1954, The Daily Express printed a short story at the bottom of its front page. With the headline ‘MAD ENGLISH MIKE WINS THE CHEERS’, the brief report told of the previous day's Buenos Aires Grand Prix, Mike leading almost all the way until the last lap when his Ferrari engine blew up. Argentine motor racing fans cheered and a local commentator said Hawthorn was "The most brilliant driver ever to race in the Argentine."

A little later, questions were asked in the House of Commons by an MP, basically why wasn't Mike serving in the Army! In short, he was told that racing was not exempted but that to issue the call-up papers to Hawthorn, he had to be in the country. Mike was in South America at that time and so unaware of the developing row in his home country.

The newspapers weren't satisfied. Mike's father, Leslie, was quoted in newspaper reports as saying "There is no question of Mike evading call-up. His original call-up was deferred for four years because, like thousands of others, he was taking an engineering course. In August, 1952, when he was 23, just as he reached the top as a racing driver, he received call-up papers for the RAF, for which he had already passed a medical examination.

"We asked for a deferment to the end of the racing season and a few days later - twelve days before he was due to report - he received a notice saying his call-up was cancelled and he was to do nothing until further notice. We've heard nothing since. Surely he is doing as much good for Britain driving as he would be in National Service?"

Sarcastically, one paper asked, "Why not come home, Mike? There is a reasonable chance that you can still go on seeing the world - in a British uniform." On February 4, The Daily Express said that Mike could not be called up if he stayed abroad until his 26th birthday (April 10, 1955).

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